Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone

by Alice Brière-Haquet, Bruno Liance (Illustrations)

A stunning picture-book biography of the High Priestess of Soul and one of the greatest voices of the 20th century.

With evocative black-and-white illustrations and moving prose, readers are introduced to Nina Simone, jazz-music legend and civil-rights activist. Shared as a lullaby to her daughter, a soulful song recounts Simone's career, the trials she faced as an African American woman, and the stand she took during the Civil Rights Movement. This poignant picture book offers a melodic tale that is both a historic account of an iconic figure and an extraordinary look at how far we've come and how far we still need to go for social justice and equality. A timeless and timely message aptly appropriate for today's social and political climates.


♦ "A good introduction to Simone's life, from her early love of music to her rise to the status of legend" --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

♦ "Strikingly illustrated" --Booklist, starred review

♦ "Hauntingly beautiful illustrations" --Foreword Reviews, starred review

"Stirring and powerful. . . " --BookPage

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Music, Nonfiction, Childrens, History, African American

40 pages, Hardcover

First published November 28, 2017

About the author

Alice Brière-Haquet vit en Italie. Elle a publié plusieurs ouvrages pour la jeunesse, notamment La princesse qui n’aimait pas les princes chez Actes Sud Junior, ou encore Le ballon de Zébulon chez Auzou, plusieurs fois récompensé. Chez Flammarion, elle est l’auteure des albums Le chat d’Elsa, Une histoire de galette et de roi, Le bonhomme et l’oiseau, Pouce !, Mes lunettes !, et des séries «Collège Art» et «Au secours !

Reviews

[Donalyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish there was an author's note explaining more about Nina Simone's life. Hard for kids to walk away with a richer understanding of who she was and her contributions.

[Adriana Scarpin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Que livrinho lindíssimo sobre Nina Simone. Lírico e radicalizado tal como a própria Nina, uma preciosidade para ospequenos que estão sendo alfabetizados em inglês e que de quebra inspira ao letramento racial.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took my breath away and made my hair stand on end. The text is absolutely like nothing I've ever read before in a picture book and the illustrations were equally as powerful as the text. This book will be on my list of go-to picture books to give to Middle and high school teachers to show them that picture books are not just for little kids. In fact, some of them, like this one, are for much older and more mature readers. If you're an adult and you love Nina Simone, you'll want to read this book.

[Mathilde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superbe ! Je découvre l'univers graphique de Bruno Liance, c'est magnifique et cela donne un résultat magnifique dans cet album réalisé avec Alice Brière-Haquet.
Le noir et blanc est bien le choix le plus judicieux et le résultat en est que plus poignant.
Une belle collaboration.

[Wayward Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nina Simone was a classically trained pianist & vocalist who turned to jazz music when she was unable to make a career as a classical musician due to her race. She used her music as a medium for activism and proved to be an incredibly resilient & talented woman. This beautiful biography takes the reader through her story, highlighting the themes that music is for all people and even the best dreams need taking care of.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A biography which is an autobiography framed as a bed-time story. Lyrical and powerful imagery. Gorgeously illustrated. I had high hopes to add this to my picture book biography unit, but lack of backmatter or further details about the subject's life will limit its use for this project. It is a lovely book though.

[Becki Iverson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a HUGE Nina Simone fan and when I learned there was a children's book about her I knew I had to read it. The narrative of this book is a little bit lacking - the ending feels unfinished, and if you don't already know a fair amount about Nina Simone you might be a bit confused - but the black and white illustrations are really gorgeous, and it still manages to incorporate a lot of civil rights knowledge in a way that is easily digestible by kids or people of any age. Nina Simone has such an amazing story and it deserves to be better known, especially amid the turbulent times we live in. This is another good addition to lists of children's books that tell stories of women and people of color (which are harder to find than you might think).

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Art is compelling, the story is interesting, but written in a way that I think would be confusing for a picture book audience. For example, the text makes statements that ultimately the narrator doesn't agree with, but it's not very clear and requires some sophisticated knowledge of storytelling and context to get.

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Framed as a lullaby, this lyrical biography of musician and activist evokes powerful images. I would have appreciated back matter to flesh things out because I did feel it ended abruptly.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This frustrated me because I wanted to know SO MUCH more and felt like the author barely dipped into Simone's amazing life. Bumped it up a star for the terrific illustrations.

BLARGH. FRUSTRATION.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on As Told By TinaI received this book for free from Charlesbridge Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Our Review
Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone is honestly the most beautiful book I own and had the privilege of holding in my hand. The moment I opened my package from MCBD I was in absolute aw. The book is simply beautiful.

I personally excited to learn and read about Nina Simone. I had recently seen that was nominated into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Something many had said was an honor that should’ve been given a long long time ago. I was excited to finally learn about this Jazz Legend and Civil Rights Activist and also teach my children about her.

But I was a bit disappointed; the story didn’t provide much information about Nina. I know that it is impossible to put every single aspect of her life into a children’s book but I would have liked to know more about her. Maybe if you go into this book already knowing about Nina Simone it will help.

I did a bit of research on my own and listened to some of her music so I could personally feel a connection to the story.

I will say however that and the kids were impressed with the illustrations. The entire book is in black and white and illustrations are absolutely beautiful. So beautiful. I swear this book has to be the prettiest book I own. If you have a chance to pick this up and perhaps teach your children about an amazing Jazz singer and Civil-Rights Activist, I would recommend it.

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[Vanessa Dioses · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a biography intended for children 4 to 8 years of age and Nina Simone was recently memorized in an Academy Award nominated documentary for "What happened, Miss Simone?" A summary of the book is about Nina reading to her daughter and recapping her life in a lullaby. I rated the book so well because i loved this book. I think me being a Baltimore native i can relate to some things with Nina. She was an iconic figure, and accomplished so much throughout her lifetime. The book was just so inspirational. The characters included herself and her family and certain people she met throughout her lifetime she will never forget. The colors are black and white, but the illustrations have a sense of boldness to them, which i really enjoyed. The pictures are strong and powerful. I actually thought the book was going to be boring at first but i was definitely wrong, it was one of my favorites so far! The emphasis on the objects on each page are wonderful. I got this warm but empowering feeling after reading this book. I do not think this book could appeal to young readers. I think the age group should be a little older to appreciate the book. I could use this inspirational book in many ways in a classroom setting. I really did love this book!

[Lorie-Anne | Grandir en français · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quel superbe album en noir et blanc!

Nina Simone (chanteuse, pianiste et militante des droits civiques) raconte à son enfant une partie de son histoire et des injustices vécues, à travers ses débuts dans la musique.

" Au solfège, j'apprenais qu'une blanche valait deux noires, et dans le bus, le soir, je devais céder ma place. "

[Blythe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrations are powerful and beautiful. The text was lacking. In an effort to be poetic, the author has created a patchy metaphor and incomplete narrative. We enjoyed the illustrations and talked in great length about civil rights, but we learned little, if anything, about Nina Simone.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated and a very important person to have a book about, but it is a bit unclear and may go over the heads of the target audience. Not quite a biography, not quite a picture book, but lovely nonetheless. Gorgeous, but confusing.

[Amy Allgeier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and important. However, there didn't seem to be enough information for me to consider this a true biography. You really couldn't use this as a source for a biography report on Nina Simone.

[Shandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are absolutely beautiful - they appear to be pencil drawings, with a neat texture that’s a little fuzzy, and great shadows and realism. I love that the text is meant to be a lullaby and has a rhythm and flow to it as it tells of Nina’s life. I do wish it had contained a bit more information about Nina’s life, and the ending felt a bit sudden. I also really wanted there to be an afterword with more information about Nina Simone‘s life for parents to share with a curious child. It’s a feature I often appreciate in biographical picture books just for my own benefit, and is appreciated by teachers, too. While I’m wishing, I also wish the artist had had a blurb about their art techniques! Overall, it is a lovely introduction to Nina Simone’s life that gently touches on the equal rights movement, and music’s power to bring people together.

[Jessica Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations, beautifully written story about Nina Simone, but I wish it had just a little more info on her in the story itself.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

She is a legend in music and civil rights history. Author Alice Brière-Haquet and illustrator Bruno Liance introduce Nina Simone to new audiences with this beautifully written and illustrated book. Written as a story to Simone's daughter, who's having trouble falling asleep, Alice Brière-Haquet weaves a tale of achievement in the face of racism, using stunning imagery: the 52 white teeth "trapping" the 36 black teeth in the keyboard, and the white keys being whole notes while the black keys are half notes: "White was whole. Black was half. It was that way everywhere and for everyone." Music was made by "important men in powdered wigs from past centuries". Simone recalls her anger during a recital, when her mother was expected to give up her seat in the front, to white people who came to see her play; Simone refused to play until her mother resumed her rightful spot in the front row. She speaks of Martin Luther King, and his dream being her symphony - but the dream is fragile.

This book is gorgeous. The words are beautiful and strong, and using piano keys as an illustration of endemic racism is simply brilliant. Bruno Liance's black and white illustrations are soft, dreamlike, beautiful.

Do kids know who Nina Simone is? Probably not, unless their parents are fans. Does that matter? Absolutely not - this is a gorgeous introduction to Nina Simone, and to activism, for all ages. This book is going on my shelves, in my storytimes, and in displays for social conscience, activism, and African-American history. If you're so inclined, you can play Simone's lullaby, "Hush Little Baby", in your storytime or for your little one.

Nina was originally published in France in 2015. You can find more of Bruno Liance's artwork at his (French/English) website, Pirate des Caramels, and you can follow Alice Brière-Haquet at her (French) blog, Alice in Wonderblog. Nina has starred reviews from Foreword Reviews and Booklist.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book filled with symbolism and imagery. While that makes for a beautiful book, it also makes it confusing for younger readers, which is why I would recommend this book for older children. It would even make a great addition to units on the Civil Rights movement, that continues today. The book starts with Nina, a mother, singing a lullaby to her own child, and telling the story (very briefly) of some of her early experiences with music and racism. The comparison of black and white lives to the keys on the keyboard (whites are whole and more numerous, blacks are 'half' and limited in number) is brilliant and thought-provoking, especially when the illustration on the next page shows whites and blacks sitting and standing in order like a piano keyboard. The lyrical language makes references to taking wing and flying which the illustrations also show as well as flying dandelions symbolizing Nina's and other civil rights activists dreams for a better life. While additional information about Nina and her life and work would have been appreciated, the book makes for a powerful introduction to the issues involved in the civil rights movement as well as the experiences of one young girl.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The black and white pictures with their soft edges, their drama, their playful perspectives that are alternately heart-breaking, are what make this book compelling. I wish there was more back matter to make it more a true biography instead of just an impressionistic rendering of a life. Yet it packs a punch about inequality, about talent, about perseverance.

[SerenaBeReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations about a beautiful and extremely talented woman. I wish it had been longer but it is a children’s book. I’ll have to read a biography about Nina one day. I’ve seen the documentary about her life and was blown away by her talent and presence and all she had been through. Great book.

[Audrey | Adapter au secondaire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nina est un album qui aborde l’histoire des inégalités entre les noirs et les blancs. Il y a de beaux parallèles avec des éléments importants de l’histoire.

Le texte est poétique et tellement puissant. Et que dire des illustrations! Chacune d’elle est teintée d’une signification subtile, mais frappante à la fois.

[Alia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me down. Big Time. I wanted much much more.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations are wonderful, but the story is lacking and undeveloped if you are looking for information on Nina Simone's life.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone is a children's picture book written by Alice Brière-Haquet and illustrated by Bruno Liance. It is a biography about the legendary singer told as a lullaby from Simone to her daughter.

Eunice Kathleen Waymon, known professionally as Nina Simone, was an American singer, songwriter, musician, arranger, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned a broad range of musical styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop.

Brière-Haquet's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, informative, and lyrical. Simone sings her daughter a lullaby interspersed with the story of her life was done wonderfully and nearly seamlessly. Liance’s illustrations are wonderfully depicted in black-and-white illustrations that evoke a dreamy, soft textured, old-time feel.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Simone starts piano lessons at three and would eventually connect the appearance of the piano keys to the oppression of black people in the United States. Music offers Simone an escape, though the fact that the important men in powdered wigs from past centuries whose music she plays are all white is addressed only in the illustration. At twelve, Simone gives a church performance and refuses to play until her mother, who had given up her front-row seat for a white attendee, is reseated in the front row, setting a precedent for her activist future.

All in all, Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone is a good introduction to Simone's life, from her early love of music to her rise to the status of legend.

[Elysabeth McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Nina by Alice Briere-Haquet follows the story of Nina Simone, powerful jazz artist and civil-rights activist. As Nina’s daughter is having trouble falling asleep one night, she is told the story of how Nina had a dream that blacks and whites could live in harmony together and make music. At a very young age, when Nina was just learning to play piano, she noticed how small the black keys were compared to the white keys of a piano. Her teacher responded with, “That’s just the way it is.” This angered young Nina but she wasn’t sure what to do about it. When she was asked to perform at her church and her mother had to be seated in the back row, she was furious. Towards the end of the story, she talks about Martin Luther King Jr. and the kind of progress he wanted to bring to the world through radio, television, and news. “Dream, my baby, dream, until you spread your wings…,” was part of the powerful lullaby she sang to her daughter.

I would use these in the classroom as a way to incorporate diversity into storytime. I think it is important for students to know that greatness can come from anyone of any background. For any aspiring musicians, this is a great story to listen to. I loved the pictures. I loved how the illustrations were colored black and white, I thought it was a nice change from all of the overly colorful books.

[Children's Literature Centre at FSU · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story immediately drew me in with the vivid black and white portraits and shading on each page. When reading this story, I became entranced by the illustrations. The way that the illustrator creates shadows and shape is breathtaking.The symbolism of the piano representing white and black culture is very powerful. Nina tells her story of overcoming adversity through the beauty of music and the strength in her character’s history. Not only does the language and feel of the story portray segregation and hate but also the illustrations give that indication too. This story evokes sad thoughts of what struggles this family had gone through just to see this little girl play piano. This story not only tells a heartfelt and powerful story about the character Nina, but also sheds light on a period of history that is so relevant to today’s political atmosphere. It is so crucial to give background on such an important era of American history and describe figures that helped to create change during that time. This is a wonderful story that has so many layers to peel back and think deeply about. This biographical story is much needed for our current students and is one that needs to be told.
Review written by Melissa Shank

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nina Simone recounts her early life as a musician and civil rights activist as a bedtime story to her own child.

"Music has no color. In music, there is only one rhythm. Only one heart ... the same rhythm for everyone."

This picture book biography introduces young readers to Nina Simone whose life was shaped by both music and the Civil Rights movement. It shows her as an infant and then a child, a child distinctly aware of the racism in the society in which she lived.

This story depicts the pivotal moment in Nina's childhood when her parents were asked to give up their front row seats for white people at her first piano concert, and Nina stood up and insisted they be returned to their seats, or she would refuse to play. (Although in this retelling, it is only her mother who suffers this public injustice.) The narrative then shifts to the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The book ends on a softened note. Like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nina Simone had a dream, and she invites her own child to dream as well.

The illustrations are done in black and white with a pointillist textured quality.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book is a completely engrossing look at the life of Nina Simone. Done in a way that welcomes even small children to hear her story, the book opens with a greeting and a lullaby. Using piano keys as an allegory for race, the book looks at the keys through the eyes of a young Nina, who notices that white keys are whole notes while black keys are half notes. She sees something similar in society as well. Nina used music as a way to unite and to protest. Inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr., her music spoke to people of all color and united them. While the story follows a linear path in time, the information shared focuses on important events in Nina’s life rather than feeling like a chronological list of accomplishments or dates. Instead readers get to see what influenced her and how she grew into her voice as an activist. The illustrations are particularly compelling. Done in black and white, the image of people who arranged as piano keys and the one of dandelion seeds floating downward are particularly compelling. Smart and beautifully designed. Appropriate for ages 4-7.