Illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera

On Sale: Oct 20, 2026
Page Count: 48 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9780759557390

$19.99

$25.99 CAD

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Hardcover $19.99 $25.99 CAD
Audiobook Download (Unabridged) $4.99

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A powerful biography of the dedicated activist, multitalented musician, and influential civil rights leader Coretta Scott King, with illustrations by Caldecott Honor winner Cozbi A. Cabrera.

Young Coretta Scott was a gifted musician, mastering multiple instruments and breaking barriers to study music in college. Yet growing up in 1930s Alabama, she frequently felt the sting of racial injustice and even violence: when public school for Black children ended after sixth grade, when white neighbors burned down her father’s house and lumber mill, and when Coretta was denied a student teaching job based on the color of her skin.

She met a minister named Martin Luther King, Jr., and the two were drawn together by a shared commitment to serving others and fighting against inequality. Alongside her husband, Coretta became an influential voice in the Civil Rights Movement, holding Freedom Concerts to spread awareness and raise funds, and carrying on a message of peace and nonviolent protest after Martin’s assassination.

In this inspiring addition to the acclaimed Big Words series, award-winning author Doreen Rappaport masterfully blends narrative with Coretta’s own words to share her remarkable story. With powerful illustrations by Caldecott Honoree Cozbi A. Cabrera, Coretta’s Song is a superb portrait of a woman whose voice changed America, and the world, forever.

Don’t miss these other titles in the Big Words series!
Beacon of Hope: The Life of Barack Obama
Ellen Takes Flight: The Life of Astronaut Ellen Ochoa
Ruth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Genre:

Series:

A Big Words Book

Praise for Beacon of Hope: The Life of Barack Obama
* "A very successful biography that portrays a purpose-driven life fueled from Obama’s early years to the White House; the text captures the energy and passion of a man who broke barriers and changed history."
School Library Journal, starred review
* "The illustrations, done in oil glazes over an acrylic medium, are richly textured.... An excellent successor to the legacy of Big Words books, marked by titles that introduce young readers to sophisticated vocabulary and ideas."
Booklist, starred review
"Chronicling his personal life, political rise, and presidency in a style both poetic and informative, Rappaport offers a narrative that emphasizes themes of community and perseverance. Engel’s paintings effectively complement the text, with dynamic colors capturing the energy of Obama’s journey.... A strong narrative that is equal parts biography and tribute."
The Horn Book
"A respectful profile of Barack Obama, from childhood to the White House.... Further cements the 44th U.S. president’s status as a strong role model and an admirable human being."
Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Ruth Objects
"Velasquez's arresting jacket portrait of Ginsburg, superimposed on a facsimile of the U.S. Constitution, conveys a woman of purpose; Rappaport's biography, largely focused on Ginsburg's work for gender equality, reinforces this first impression."
Horn Book
"Striking."
Booklist
"Insightful and fascinating."
Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Martin's Big Words
"Beginning with the startling cover, which contains only the face of Martin Luther King Jr., with his smile broad, and his eyes crinkled in laughter, this title intrigues. It’s an homage in words and pictures, in which the author weaves King’s words with her own to present a brief but stately portrait of the American hero....Readers will hear [King's] voice echo in this presentation."
Kirkus Reviews
“Weaving in Dr. King’s own 'big words,' this inspiring picture book biography celebrates this great leader as preacher and politician. Rappaport’s sparse narrative captures the essentials of the man, the Civil Rights movement he led, and his policy of non-violence. This is a great book to read aloud many times.”
Booklist
“A stunning, reverent tribute.”
School Library Journal

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Doreen Rappaport

About the Author

Doreen Rappaport has written numerous award-winning books for children, including: Freedom Ship and The School Is Not White, both illustrated by Curtis James; Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Bryan Collier, a Caldecott Honor Book, Coretta Scott King Honor Book, Orbis Pictus Honor Book, and a Jane Addams Children’s Book Award winner; Abe’s Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, CCBC Best Book of the Year, and an IRA Teacher’s Choice; Eleanor, Quiet No More, illustrated by Gary Kelly; and Jack’s Path of Courage, illustrated by Matt Tavares. She lives and writes in upstate New York, and she invites you to visit her online at doreenrappaport.com.

Matt Tavares is the illustrator of several books, including ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Jack and the Beanstalk, written by E. Nesbit, Iron Hans: A Grimms’ Fairy Tale, retold by Stephen Mitchell, Lady Liberty: A Biography, and Jack’s Path of Courage, both written by Doreen Rappaport. His books have won several awards, including four Parents’ Choice Gold Awards, a Parents’ Choice Silver Honor, two Oppenheim Gold Seal Awards, and an International Reading Association Children’s Book Award. His illustrations have been exhibited at the Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators, and at the Brandywine River Museum. Matt lives in Maine with his wife and two daughters, and he invites you to visit him online at matttavares.com.

Learn more about this author