Illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera

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

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

On Sale: Jan 6, 2026
Page Count: 48 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9780759557390

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Doreen Rappaport

About the Author

Doreen Rappaport is the award-winning author of the Big Words picture book biography series, including the Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Book Award Honor Book Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Bryan Collier; Beacon of Hope: The Life of Barack Obama, illustrated by Tonya Engel; Helen’s Big Words: The Life of Helen Keller, illustrated by Matt Tavares; and Ruth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, illustrated by Eric Velasquez, among many others. She is the recipient of the Washington Post Children’s Book Guild lifetime achievement award for the writing of nonfiction. Doreen lives in upstate New York and invites you to visit her online at doreenrappaport.com.

Cozbi A. Cabrera is the author and illustrator of Me & Mama, which received a Coretta Scott King Book Award Honor and a Caldecott Honor, and My Hair Is a Garden. Her illustrated titles include Brown Girl, Brown Girl by Leslé Honoré, Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by Suzanne Slade, and Chef Edna: Queen of Southern Cooking, Edna Lewis by Melvina Noel, among others. Her handmade cloth dolls (muñecas) are collected all around the world. She lives in Illinois with her husband and daughter.

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