A Voice of Hope: The Myrlie Evers-Williams Story

by Nadia Salomon, London Ladd (Illustrator)

Overview

The remarkable life of Myrlie Evers-Williams is honored and celebrated in this stunningly illustrated picture book biography of a civil rights hero--the very first of its kind.

Myrlie Evers-Williams’ voice is gentle yet strong, soft yet powerful. It is a soaring song of hope.

Myrlie’s voice didn’t start out that way. She was born into the segregated South and the beautiful brown color of her skin made her a target for hate. It meant she didn’t have the same opportunities as white children, and that meant her dream of playing music onstage one day would be harder to achieve. But this didn’t stop Myrlie. As she grew, she marched for equal rights alongside her husband and activist, Medgar Evers. She fought against Jim Crow laws and for voting rights. She became the chair of the NAACP, and finally she realized her dream of performing at Carnegie Hall. After that, as a voice for hope and change, Myrlie spoke at President Obama’s second inauguration, inspiring a nation.

Nadia Salomon’s lyrical text and London Ladd’s exquisite artwork honor and celebrate the legendary life of Myrlie Evers-Williams and share her message of hope with the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593525920
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/24/2024
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Nadia Salomon is an award-winning journalist who holds a journalism degree from Emerson College. She is the author of Goodnight Ganesha, which is a Bank Street Best and ALSC DÍA Selection. A Voice of Hope received the 2019 SCBWI WOOP Honor Award for work of outstanding progress. She works closely with SCBWI, 12x12 Challenge, and Storyteller Academy. When Nadia’s not spinning yarns, you’ll most likely find her blogging about her favorite reads on her Nadia’s Nook platform. She lives in California. You can visit Nadia Salomon at NadiaSalomon.com or follow her on Instagram @NadiaSalomon.Author.

London Ladd is a graduate of Syracuse University with a BFA and MFA in illustration. His artwork is a mixture of acrylic paint, cut paper, and tissue paper, building opaque layers atop a foundation of thin washes in a way that brings his colors to life. He carries a sketchbook with him everywhere he goes, constantly perfecting his craft. London's books have been recognized, among other things, by the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show, and on lists including Bank St. Best Children’s Books, ALA Notable Children’s Books, and NYPL Children’s Book Recommendations, and with an ALA Carnegie Medal of Excellence. London lives in Syracuse, New York. You can visit London online at LondonLadd.com or follow him on Instagram @London.Ladd.

Editorial Reviews

07/15/2024

Working in flashback, Salomon chronicles the life and developing voice of civil rights champion Myrlie Evers-Williams (b. 1933). Born into Jim Crow Mississippi, Evers-Williams grew up in a place where “hate ran as deep as the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers” and “love flowed stronger than hate and river currents.” The quiet girl finds her purpose at the piano, and dreams of performing at Carnegie Hall. When Jim Crow laws make it illegal for her to attend a private university, pivoting to a state school leads to her meeting WWII vet Medgar Evers (1925–1963). Together, they “created harmony and fought against injustice” until Evers’s assassination sees her working for justice in his honor and, eventually, becoming the first full-time woman chair of the NAACP. Ladd’s distinctive collage bursts with life and color in this homage to a once-shy figure who fought for justice, along the way cultivating skills that would see her playing Carnegie Hall and offering a prayer at President Obama’s second inauguration. Includes a timeline and author’s note. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for A Voice of Hope:

"Salomon chronicles the life and developing voice of civil rights champion Myrlie Evers-Williams . . . Ladd’s distinctive collage bursts with life and color in this homage to a once-shy figure who fought for justice." —Publishers Weekly

"Strong and soaring." —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher