Multicultural Children's Book Day - January 31, 2020

I’m excited to be participating in Multicultural Children’s Book Day today! #readyourworld Make sure you’re following along to learn about a lot of great diverse kid lit - this is a great way to expand your library at home with intention!

Here’s my review of MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe (Little Bee Books, January 28, 2020) written by Vivian Kirkfield; illustrated by Alleanna Harris.

I was one of those kids in middle school in the 90s who listened to more Ella Fitzgerald than New Kids on the Block. Ella was at the top of my list. I knew every single scat and shoo-bop and “swing it, Ella!” in the 1956 Ella and Louis album. Her Christmas album remains today one of my must haves at the holidays.

So … how did I not know that she and Marilyn Monroe were friends?!? What a fantastic detail and a splendid story of camaraderie, fortitude, and allyship, brought to life by author Vivian Kirkfield with rich, vivid illustrations by Alleanna Harris. 

Kirkfield begins the story by establishing how Ella and Marilyn each overcame their own significant hardships in order to follow their dreams and both found success through their own merits. But at the crux of this book is their admiration and respect for each other and how that admiration led to friendship and friendship led to greater achievements for them both. 

I love how this book shows these influential icons working together to amplify each other’s voice. This really speaks to the power of a relationship and of finding similarities and appreciating differences among friends and of standing up for one another. That’s definitely a message I want to share with my kids. 

(Also now I want to go watch Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Can’t believe I didn’t watch it in middle school!)

*this book was given to me and the opinions are my own*