Melody: My Diary

by Denise Lewis Patrick, Brittney Bond (illustrator), Acamy Schleikorn (illustrator)

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens, Historical, Juvenile

96 pages, Paperback

First published March 11, 2025

Reviews

[Katie]

The great AG marathon continues. Again, reading for the first time as an adult.

This is an adaptation of No Ordinary Sound with tiny additions from Never Stop Singing — I'll let you see those reviews for plot and character info. This is somewhat abridged, adds illustrations, and is re-written to sound (like it says on the tin) like Melody is writing in a diary.

This version was a really nice read with my seven-year-old with a lot of opportunities for conversations around civil rights, racial discrimination, and Martin Luther King Day, as well as sibling dynamics and friendships and more general things. Plenty of pictures and not too long for bedtime reading over a few nights.


More Melody babble

No Ordinary Sound | Never Stop Singing

Melody: My Diary

The Lady’s Slipper

[Grace]

Ok so I’m a journal hater. But this one pleasantly surprised me. Impactful and sweet.

[Maddy !!!]

I am not a fan of the journals AG has been doing AT ALL but also I love my girl and her story no matter how it is told. Such an impactful story that i think is really important to read especially in this day and age. Melody Ellison you will always be famous <333

[Alise W.]

American girl has took there books to a new level! This is such a good dairy featuring Melody!!! The author has done such a good job on making this book feel like I took someone’s dairy. (Romy, 8)

[Katherine Smith]

My daughter, age 6, says this about the book:
“Melody never gave up on singing. I liked it.”

[Liberty]

I wish these were longer! They're so much fun