Nina Simone, born Eunice Kathleen Waymon, “wasn’t the first Waymon child, or the last, but she was the only one who sang before she could talk and found rhythm before she could walk.” Her father taught her jazz on the piano; her mother, who sang all the time, approved only of church music. Eunice was aware of racism from a young age; she once refused to play at a recital until her parents, made to relinquish their front row seats for a white couple, were given them back. After attending Julliard, she gave up music for a time, worried racism would stymie her career, but she couldn’t stay away. She changed her name to Nina Simone so her mama wouldn’t know she was singing in a nightclub. Her first record brought fame that she eventually channeled into a career dedicated to voicing the pain and struggle and joy of being Black in America. “Nina Simone sang the whole story of Black America for everyone to hear.” Writing that pulses with appreciation, along with dynamic illustrations created with acrylics and collage, make for an enlightening picture book about this singular activist entertainer. A lengthy biographical narrative is provided at volume’s end.
(Ages 8-11)