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Kenya's Song

Author Linda Trice
Illustrated by Pamela Johnson
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Hardcover
$17.95 US
| $17.95 CAN
Charlesbridge
On sale Feb 01, 2013 | 32 Pages | 9781570918469
Age 4-8 years | Preschool - 3
Reading Level: Lexile 520L | Fountas & Pinnell N
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Kenya’s homework is to pick her favorite song and share it with her class. Sounds simple, but for Kenya, it’s anything but. With all that beautiful music in the world, how can she possibly choose? Her family and friends try to help by offering their favorite songs as choices, but it’s no help to Kenya. While those around her have made some great suggestions, Kenya has a hard time calling any one of them her favorite.

For inspiration, Kenya accompanies her father to the Caribbean Cultural Center where he plays music. Kenya hears music from Cuba and Trinidad, Haiti and Puerto Rico. She hears music in all different languages—French, English, Spanish. But still, Kenya can’t decide which song she likes best. Finally, Kenya makes her decision—one that will surprise readers while inspiring them to listen to the world around them.
"Daddy’s home! Daddy’s home!” Kenya gave her daddy a big hug.

“Will you help me with my homework?” she asked him.

Daddy put his music bag on the piano. “What do you have to do?” he asked.

“We have to tell the class what our favorite song is,” Kenya said. “I don’t have one.”

“You should pick this one,” Kenya’s big sister, Mosi, said. She sang a song about a town full of silly people. Everybody laughed.

Then Mom sang a song about a happy family. She had such a beautiful voice. By the end of the song, the whole family was singing the chorus together.

“Those are your favorite songs,” Kenya said. “I need to find my own.”

“Start with your favorite music,” Daddy said. “What is it?”

“Jazz, of course,” Kenya said. “Jazz like you play, Daddy.”
Copyright © 2013 by Linda Trice (Author); Pamela Johnson (Illustrator). All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Linda Trice, Ph.D., a former elementary school teacher and Black Studies professor, is the author of many children’s works, including Charles Drew: Pioneer of Blood Plasma, a biography of the African-American surgeon who created blood banks during World War II.

Linda is a full member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, The Authors Guild, and the Children's & Young Adult Book Authors Committee of PEN, the American Center. She is a native of New York City. View titles by Linda Trice
Pamela Johnson has been illustrating childrens books for over 48 years. Some of her many books include Living History Day (Harcourt), and If You Lived with the Indians of the Northwest Coast (Scholastic). She also illustrates stamps, puzzles and textbooks. She lives in Highland, California. View titles by Pamela Johnson

About

Kenya’s homework is to pick her favorite song and share it with her class. Sounds simple, but for Kenya, it’s anything but. With all that beautiful music in the world, how can she possibly choose? Her family and friends try to help by offering their favorite songs as choices, but it’s no help to Kenya. While those around her have made some great suggestions, Kenya has a hard time calling any one of them her favorite.

For inspiration, Kenya accompanies her father to the Caribbean Cultural Center where he plays music. Kenya hears music from Cuba and Trinidad, Haiti and Puerto Rico. She hears music in all different languages—French, English, Spanish. But still, Kenya can’t decide which song she likes best. Finally, Kenya makes her decision—one that will surprise readers while inspiring them to listen to the world around them.

Excerpt

"Daddy’s home! Daddy’s home!” Kenya gave her daddy a big hug.

“Will you help me with my homework?” she asked him.

Daddy put his music bag on the piano. “What do you have to do?” he asked.

“We have to tell the class what our favorite song is,” Kenya said. “I don’t have one.”

“You should pick this one,” Kenya’s big sister, Mosi, said. She sang a song about a town full of silly people. Everybody laughed.

Then Mom sang a song about a happy family. She had such a beautiful voice. By the end of the song, the whole family was singing the chorus together.

“Those are your favorite songs,” Kenya said. “I need to find my own.”

“Start with your favorite music,” Daddy said. “What is it?”

“Jazz, of course,” Kenya said. “Jazz like you play, Daddy.”
Copyright © 2013 by Linda Trice (Author); Pamela Johnson (Illustrator). All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Author

Linda Trice, Ph.D., a former elementary school teacher and Black Studies professor, is the author of many children’s works, including Charles Drew: Pioneer of Blood Plasma, a biography of the African-American surgeon who created blood banks during World War II.

Linda is a full member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, The Authors Guild, and the Children's & Young Adult Book Authors Committee of PEN, the American Center. She is a native of New York City. View titles by Linda Trice
Pamela Johnson has been illustrating childrens books for over 48 years. Some of her many books include Living History Day (Harcourt), and If You Lived with the Indians of the Northwest Coast (Scholastic). She also illustrates stamps, puzzles and textbooks. She lives in Highland, California. View titles by Pamela Johnson

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