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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
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English
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NINA

Traci N. Todd Christian Robinson

A Story of Nina Simone

This illuminating and defining picture book biography illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Christian Robinson, tells the story of little Eunice who grew up to become the acclaimed singer Nina Simone and her bold, defiant, and exultant legacy.
Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in small town North Carolina, Nina Simone was a musical child. She sang before she talked and learned to play piano at a very young age. With the support of her family and community, she received music lessons that introduced her to classical composers like Bach who remained with her and influenced her music throughout her life. She loved the way his music began softly and then tumbled to thunder, like her mother's preaching, and in much the same way as her career. During her first performances under the name of Nina Simone her voice was rich and sweet but as the Civil Rights Movement gained steam, Nina's voice soon became a thunderous roar as she raised her voice in powerful protest in the fight against racial inequality and discrimination.

When Chicago native Traci N. Todd was born, her father decided her initials should stand for dynamite, just like his. He raised her on Ray Charles and Nina Simone, and her mother read her every good book. Traci grew up to become a children's book editor and currently lives in Jackson Heights, Queens where she writes, edits, and listens to Ray Charles and Nina Simone, while her partner draws comic books.
Christian Robinson received a Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for his art in Last Stop on Market Street. He is the author and illustrator of the picture books Another and You Matter, and he has illustrated many more, including Carmela Full of Wishes, the Gaston and Friends series, School's First Day of School, and The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade. You can visit Christian at theartoffun.com or on Instagram @theartoffun.
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Published 2021-09-14 by Putnam

Comments

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with author Traci Todd and illustrator Christian Robinson about their new children's book 'NINA: A Story of Nina Simone,' and adapting a complicated figure's story for kids. Read more...

School Library Journal's (124.9k UVPM) A Fuse #8 Production ran an interview with Traci N. Todd Read more...

SheKnows (7.6 million UVPM) included NINA: A STORY OF NINA SIMONE in a roundup of "Beautiful & Brilliant Children's Books by Black Authors & Artists": ..."This picture book will undoubtedly teach children resilience and the power of one person's voice." Read more...

Publishers Weekly (1.7 million UVPM) featured NINA: A STORY OF NINA SIMONE in their coverage of the U.S. Book Show and in their "New Kids' and YA Books" roundup: ..."The text isn't just musical, it is music. Perfectly complemented by Caldecott Honoree Christian Robinson's syncopated illustrations, this book is a worthy homage to one of the most distinguished figures of our time." Read more...

Discussions of racism and resistance are undertaken with a skillful hand, not exceeding the tone or maturity level appropriate for young readers. Robinson's jewel-tone artwork is colorful, engaging, and complements Todd's lyrical text... An excellent and magnetic biography.

Virtual Launch Event with Traci N. Todd and Christian Robinson - NinaSimone.com has promoted the event on their website and shared it with their 2.8+ million social media followers across Twitter and Facebook. Read more...

School Library Journal Best Books of 2021 Kirkus Best Books of 2021 Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2021 Booklist Editor's Choice, 2021 Horn Book Fanfare 2021 New York Public Library Best Books of 2021 Chicago Public Library Best Books of 2021 NPR Books We Love 2021 The News & Observer's Best Books of 2021 for Kids Bookshop holiday gift guide: inspiring picture books

UK / ANZ: Scribble/Scribe Publications ; Chinese (compl.): Taiwan Mac ; Dutch: Van Goor ; French: Eiditions Didier ; Portuguese (Brazil): Companhia das Letras

Nina Simone's beauty and talent is given prominent expression by multiaward-winning Robinson in this picture-book biography... Robinson's illustrations subtly portray her subject's transformation, particularly in her clothes, which gradually move from more subdued dresses to her bold, colorful, and Afrocentric signature style... A worthy biography for all collections and especially for those that serve music-loving children.

Robinson punctuates this section with flame-like cut paper and sooty smudges symbolizing the "steady, rising roar" of injustice, culminating in a double-page spread showing Nina and her band playing against a fiery backdrop. Todd ends her unflinching narrative with a perfectly placed, direct-address line: "And when she sang of Black children - you lovely, precious dreams - her voiced sounded like hope." This unexpected, yet needed, outpouring of love is the perfect end to a stunning book.

NINA is A 2022 NTE Orbis Pictus Award Winner A 2022 Jane Addams Children's Book Award Finalist and receives a Coretta Scott King Book Award Illustrator Honor

Traci Todd is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her beautiful new #PictureBook Nina, A Story Of Nina Simone. Traci tells us about the life of legendary Jazz singer Nina Simone and how her voice soon became a thunderous roar as she raised her voice in powerful protest in the fight against racial inequality and discrimination. Read more...

Nina: A Story of Nina Simone gracefully brings the life of one such legendary musician into readers' hearts... Fans of Caldecott Honor illustrator Christian Robinson (Last Stop on Market Street, The Bench) will immediately recognize the bold, distinct shapes that are his hallmark. Robinson outdoes himself here. Read more...

Todd's telling shines in this skillfully paced portrait... An engaging, affecting, and powerful biography that aptly situates Simone's enduring legacy in musical and social history.

Todd's musical prose allows readers into Nina's perspective, and Robinson's scenes and portraits absolutely sing with energy, keeping pace perfectly with the text as it expands beyond typical picture-book length. Do not miss this complex story of an American legend.

NINA made "The BRAW Amazing Bookshelf" a selection of 100 outstanding books out of 2,200 entries for the Bologna Ragazzi Award from 62 countries!

Compelling and eloquent.