Legendary singer Roberta Flack debuts new children’s book and she hopes that it will inspire children to pursue their dreams.
Known for her sultry hits such as “Killing Me Softly With His Song” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” Roberta Flack has solidified her place as a legendary musician. Now, she has taken on a new title, author with the debut of a new children’s book.
If you remember, the five-time Grammy winner announced back November of 2022 that she was in a battle with on-going ALS and at this point, she is unable to sing. Not letting her illness slow her down, the 85-year-old wanted to continue to inspire and she is doing just that with her inspirational book, geared towards little readers, “The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music.”
“The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music” is an autobiographical picture for young readers aged 4 – 8-years-old. Kirkus Reviews said that the book is, “A moving testimonial to the effects of instilling a love of live music in childhood.”
Flack herself says of the book, “I have long dreamed of telling my story to children about that first green piano that my father got for me from the junkyard in the hope that they will be inspired to reach for their dreams. I want them to know that dreams can come true with persistence, encouragement from family and friends, and most of all, belief in ourselves.”
“The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music” is co-written with award-winning author Tonya Bolden and illustrated by artist Hayden Goodman.
So what can readers expect from the story? Well, according to Yahoo News, “The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music” tells Flack’s story of growing up in Black Mountain, North Carolina, with dreams of one day owning a piano. When her father brings home a run-down piano from a junkyard, he cleans it, tunes it and ultimately makes his daughter’s dreams come true. Young Roberta used that piano to practice and went on to become the celebrated artist who was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy award in 2020.
Flack isn’t the only celebrity turned author in order to inspire children. The growing list of authors include: Naomi Osaka, Alicia Keys, Whoopi Goldberg, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and President Barak Obama, among others.
Ready to purchase your copy of “The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music”? Click here.
