Like a Rainbow: The Colorful Story of Cyndi Lauper

by Amy Guglielmo, Jacqueline Tourville, Brigette Barrager (Illustrator)

The vibrant and inspiring story of beloved singer and fierce activist Cyndi Lauper.

Before Cyndi Lauper was the larger-than-life icon we know today, she was a boisterous little girl who had a hard time fitting in. But she knew she had something amazing to share with the world. She just needed to figure out how.

So one day, Cyndi set off to find her own voice, bopping from place to place and trying out all kinds of jobs along the way. Though she faced many challenges and encountered people who didn’t understand her particular shine, she never dimmed her light and always had music in her heart.

Cyndi went on to share her powerful songs with the world and become a passionate advocate for any person who didn’t quite fit in. She let people know it’s okay to be different, and that you should never, ever be afraid to show your true colors!

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction

40 pages, Hardcover

Published April 21, 2026

About the author

Amy Guglielmo is an award-winning author, artist, art educator, public art and STEAM advocate. She writes children’s books about strong, pioneering women, and artsy, innovative people. Her titles include: the Christopher award-winning POCKET FULL OF COLORS: The Magical World of Mary Blair Disney Artist Extraordinaire (Atheneum 2017), the Touch the Art series (Sterling, 2006, 2009, 2010) and the PEEK-A-BOO ART Series (Cartwheel/Scholastic 2019, 2020) with Julie Appel, HOW TO BUILD A HUG: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine (Atheneum 2018) with co-author Jacqueline Tourville, CEZANNE'S PARROT (Putnam 2020) and JUST BEING DALI (Putnam 2021), the upcoming, LUCILLE BALL DID IT ALL (Abrams 2024), and the new WHAT THE ARTIST SAW series with The Metropolitan Museum of Art and DK. Amy is the Creative Director of Reading Rainbow Live. She brings over twenty years of experience in both children’s publishing and public and private school education to the Reading Rainbow Live team. Amy is represented by Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management. For more information go to www.amyguglielmo.com.

Amy lives with her husband on the shores of Mexico and Lake Champlain where she enjoys water sports just as long as she doesn't have to get her hair wet.

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IG
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Reviews

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like Cyndi Lauper's music was some of the first lyrics that really meant something to me and made me reflect more on music. What an iconic person!