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Little People, BIG DREAMS
Josephine Baker
This board book version of Josephine Baker – one of the titles in the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series – introduces the youngest dreamers to the dazzling entertainer.
Josephine Baker was born for the stage. She moved to Paris and worked as a dancer, an actor and even a spy. She then spent the rest of her life spreading the word that people of all colours can live together in harmony. Babies and toddlers will love to snuggle as you read to them the engaging story of this amazing icon, and will also enjoy exploring the stylish and quirky illustrations of this sturdy board book on their own.
Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.
This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.
Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!
Josephine Baker was born for the stage. She moved to Paris and worked as a dancer, an actor and even a spy. She then spent the rest of her life spreading the word that people of all colours can live together in harmony. Babies and toddlers will love to snuggle as you read to them the engaging story of this amazing icon, and will also enjoy exploring the stylish and quirky illustrations of this sturdy board book on their own.
Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.
This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.
Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2018
11 people are currently reading
386 people want to read
About the author
Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara
201 books446 followersMaria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, born in Barcelona, Spain, is a writer and creative director perhaps best known as the author of much of the Little People, Big Dreams series. Each book tells the childhood story of one of the world's female icons in an entertaining, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, allowing them to identify with the characters in each story.
You may find books from the "Little People BIG DREAMS" series on author page - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
You may find books from the "Little People BIG DREAMS" series on author page - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
November 6, 2023
5★
". . . when she celebrated her fifty-year career onstage, the world gave her a standing ovation.
It was a long way from St. Louis for little Josephine, but she had made it, in her own spectacular way."
Josephine Baker was a little girl, born in the middle of America in the early 1900s, who grew up to become an internationally famous dancer, a spy in the French resistance during WW2, a civil rights champion, and a mother to a dozen children adopted from around the world.
In a word, she was SPECTACULAR! This little children's book tells her story in bright, appealing pictures which should have kids trying to copy some of her dance moves. She was really something special. Today, I think she'd be a combination of Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie. Fabulous!
As with other books in this Little People, BIG DREAMS series, there are a few real photographs and historic details from her life at the end. This is certainly my favourite so far of the series. I like the lively illustrations of a lively lady and I hope it will inspire children to look for more about her as they grow up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for the preview copy. Following are some of the illustrations.
"When Josephine was a little girl, white people seemed to live in another world."
". . . in France. Here, black and white people lived alongside each other. For the first time in her life, Josephine felt free."
"Josephine became a star overnight. The shimmy, the moosh, the mess around, the Charleston…all her movements were exciting. People had never seen anything like it before."
"Josephine began singing and filming movies. She was the first black woman to ever star in a film. Her dazzling personality made her a total superstar!"
"When the war ended, Josephine adopted 12 children from the four corners of the globe. She believed people of all colors could live together in harmony and wanted to prove it to everyone."
"But times were changing in America, and Josephine returned home. She traveled to Washington and marched for civil rights along with thousands of other people. A man named Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. marched with her."
There's an excellent article about her, written when she was inducted into the Pantheon in France in November 2021. It's France's mausoleum of heroes.
https://www.npr.org/2021/11/30/105977...
". . . when she celebrated her fifty-year career onstage, the world gave her a standing ovation.
It was a long way from St. Louis for little Josephine, but she had made it, in her own spectacular way."
Josephine Baker was a little girl, born in the middle of America in the early 1900s, who grew up to become an internationally famous dancer, a spy in the French resistance during WW2, a civil rights champion, and a mother to a dozen children adopted from around the world.
In a word, she was SPECTACULAR! This little children's book tells her story in bright, appealing pictures which should have kids trying to copy some of her dance moves. She was really something special. Today, I think she'd be a combination of Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie. Fabulous!
As with other books in this Little People, BIG DREAMS series, there are a few real photographs and historic details from her life at the end. This is certainly my favourite so far of the series. I like the lively illustrations of a lively lady and I hope it will inspire children to look for more about her as they grow up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for the preview copy. Following are some of the illustrations.
"When Josephine was a little girl, white people seemed to live in another world."
". . . in France. Here, black and white people lived alongside each other. For the first time in her life, Josephine felt free."
"Josephine became a star overnight. The shimmy, the moosh, the mess around, the Charleston…all her movements were exciting. People had never seen anything like it before."
"Josephine began singing and filming movies. She was the first black woman to ever star in a film. Her dazzling personality made her a total superstar!"
"When the war ended, Josephine adopted 12 children from the four corners of the globe. She believed people of all colors could live together in harmony and wanted to prove it to everyone."
"But times were changing in America, and Josephine returned home. She traveled to Washington and marched for civil rights along with thousands of other people. A man named Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. marched with her."
There's an excellent article about her, written when she was inducted into the Pantheon in France in November 2021. It's France's mausoleum of heroes.
https://www.npr.org/2021/11/30/105977...
January 25, 2019
I'm a fan of the
Little People, Big Dreams
series because of how it features renowned and important women in the history. If I'm not mistaken, this is the sixth time that the publisher has granted my request to receive a digital copy of the book; I'm very grateful that
Lincoln Children's Books
and
Quarto Publishing Group
for always giving me the opportunity in exchange of an honest opinion.
As I mentioned, I love this book series because I was able to read a brief story of some of the most celebrated women that made a huge contribution in different aspects. I was not familiar with Josephine Baker but after reading this, I am amazed at how great she is not only in the performing arts but also on how she played a vital role during the WWII and the fight for civil rights in America.
Young readers will learn a lot from reading this series and the real stories of these people could set as an inspiration to them. Adult readers, such as mothers and educators, will also appreciate this another charming book and is another good addition to those who collect children's storybook.
As I mentioned, I love this book series because I was able to read a brief story of some of the most celebrated women that made a huge contribution in different aspects. I was not familiar with Josephine Baker but after reading this, I am amazed at how great she is not only in the performing arts but also on how she played a vital role during the WWII and the fight for civil rights in America.
Young readers will learn a lot from reading this series and the real stories of these people could set as an inspiration to them. Adult readers, such as mothers and educators, will also appreciate this another charming book and is another good addition to those who collect children's storybook.
October 7, 2024
Wonderful introduction to Josephine Baker (JB)! If there is anyone who lived a life stranger than fiction it has to be JB! Something tells me that if JB were alive today she would find a way to be one of the top stars - her ability to reinvent herself (especially facing all the obstacles she faced) leads me to believe she would be very influential in modern times!
May 3, 2019
I didn't know anything about Josephine Baker before reading this but I do have a memory of a woman in a skirt made of bananas, an unforgettable image.
This was a nice introduction to Josephine's life, the illustrations were simplistic but I think they captured the movement of dance well and the bright optimism of the era. It was interesting to read Josephine had adopted 12 children from around the world, she definitely sounds like an inspiring women and someone I'd want to read more about.
Having just read some basic facts about Josephine's life online there seems to be a lot left out of this book. Being unhappily married at 13 yrs old isn't mentioned in the story. It is tricky making a book for the very young and including a disturbing aspects of someone's life but I've noticed with many books of this series they are so heavily censored I wonder if they've lost their point.
This was a nice introduction to Josephine's life, the illustrations were simplistic but I think they captured the movement of dance well and the bright optimism of the era. It was interesting to read Josephine had adopted 12 children from around the world, she definitely sounds like an inspiring women and someone I'd want to read more about.
Having just read some basic facts about Josephine's life online there seems to be a lot left out of this book. Being unhappily married at 13 yrs old isn't mentioned in the story. It is tricky making a book for the very young and including a disturbing aspects of someone's life but I've noticed with many books of this series they are so heavily censored I wonder if they've lost their point.
June 12, 2019
Well, considering how many of the Little People, Big Dreams series books I have in fact actively despised both narrationally and considerably more often illustratively, Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara's introduction to French-American Jazz Age dance legend and superstar Josephine Baker happily and fortunately does present a generally informative and engaging enough for the intended age group successful combination of the author's featured narrative and illustrator Agathe Sorlet's accompanying pictures (with more than sufficient biographical details to give an informationally adequate general portrait of Josephine Baker, including and indeed most importantly, her heroic WWII career as a spy working for the French Resistance in Nazi occupied France, but of course also not yet mentioning that Josephine Baker was bisexual and that her first of four for the most part unhappy marriages had actually occurred when she was only thirteen years of age).
However, personally, I do kind of also wish that Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara had not portrayed France as some kind of a racially tolerant and liberal Eden-like paradise compared to the United States. As while there certainly was considerably less segregation and overt racism in early to mid 20th century France than in the Jim Crow United States of that time, considering that during WWII, that during the Vichy Regime, aside from members of the French Resistance fighting both actively and clandestinely against Nazi occupation, there were also rather many so-called collaborators who readily and often seemingly happily would denounce and betray Jews and other ethnic minorities to the National Socialists, France obviously was in my humble opinion not quite as avant-garde and as laissez-faire tolerant as Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara would have us believe in Josephine Baker.
Accompanied and graced by Agathe Sorlet's joyfully exuberant illustrations, which although a trifle too cartoon-like for my tastes and sometimes a wee bit vague with regard to human facial features, totally and utterly do glowingly present especially Josephine Baker's inherent talent for dancing and her joy of movement whenever she performed, I have actually and surprisingly rather enjoyed Josephine Baker, and consider it one of the all too few instalments of the Little People, Big Dreams series which yes, I consider worthy of three stars or more and would even recommend.
However, personally, I do kind of also wish that Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara had not portrayed France as some kind of a racially tolerant and liberal Eden-like paradise compared to the United States. As while there certainly was considerably less segregation and overt racism in early to mid 20th century France than in the Jim Crow United States of that time, considering that during WWII, that during the Vichy Regime, aside from members of the French Resistance fighting both actively and clandestinely against Nazi occupation, there were also rather many so-called collaborators who readily and often seemingly happily would denounce and betray Jews and other ethnic minorities to the National Socialists, France obviously was in my humble opinion not quite as avant-garde and as laissez-faire tolerant as Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara would have us believe in Josephine Baker.
Accompanied and graced by Agathe Sorlet's joyfully exuberant illustrations, which although a trifle too cartoon-like for my tastes and sometimes a wee bit vague with regard to human facial features, totally and utterly do glowingly present especially Josephine Baker's inherent talent for dancing and her joy of movement whenever she performed, I have actually and surprisingly rather enjoyed Josephine Baker, and consider it one of the all too few instalments of the Little People, Big Dreams series which yes, I consider worthy of three stars or more and would even recommend.
July 5, 2019
Quarto Publishing’s new board book version of this intriguing bio for kids is fabulous! It’s part of the instructive Little People, BIG DREAMS series. Baker comes to glorious life through engaging text and gorgeous illustrations. She triumphed over childhood poverty and racial inequality to star on stage and screen, with a secret stint as an Allied spy and a compassionate philanthropic heart. 5 of 5 Glittering Stars!
Pub Date 06 Aug 2019.
Grateful to Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children’s, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#JosephineBaker #NetGalley
Pub Date 06 Aug 2019.
Grateful to Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children’s, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#JosephineBaker #NetGalley
July 2, 2019
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This series is always a joy to read, it’s a really nice introduction to well known people for little children. Of course the plot is always a little bit fast but that’s to be expected and it’s totally understandable.
It was nice to learn more about Josephine Baker, an incredible dancer who also had an active role in WWII and later fought against racism. She's definitely a role model that children can look up to!
This series is always a joy to read, it’s a really nice introduction to well known people for little children. Of course the plot is always a little bit fast but that’s to be expected and it’s totally understandable.
It was nice to learn more about Josephine Baker, an incredible dancer who also had an active role in WWII and later fought against racism. She's definitely a role model that children can look up to!
July 27, 2018
I absolutely adore this series! It’s a great way for kids to learn about amazing people who did amazing things. Josephine Baker was an incredible woman and her story is so interesting. The art was super cute and I love how there are different art styles within the series itself.
If I had kids, I would definitely read the entire series to them. The books are educational but also very entertaining and interesting. I 100% recommend this book and the entire series.
*I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If I had kids, I would definitely read the entire series to them. The books are educational but also very entertaining and interesting. I 100% recommend this book and the entire series.
*I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2018
The Little People, Big Dreams series is a delightful way to introduce kids to people that they might not otherwise know about.
Josephine was an amazing woman, who left her native land, America, which was not letting her do what she wanted because she was Black, to go to France, where no one gave a damn that she was black, and she was able to make movies, go where she liked, and become a spy in World War II.
A truly remarkable woman, told in a very simple, accessible style.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Josephine was an amazing woman, who left her native land, America, which was not letting her do what she wanted because she was Black, to go to France, where no one gave a damn that she was black, and she was able to make movies, go where she liked, and become a spy in World War II.
A truly remarkable woman, told in a very simple, accessible style.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
August 6, 2018
I am becoming a huge fan of the "Little People, Big Dreams" series. There are so many great people, but many biographies go unread. This series piques the interest of young readers with basic, simple facts about the person with the hope that they will do further investigation on their own.
In this book we learn a lot of facts about Josephine Baker and the times that she lived. There was a lot I learned as I read this book, so even though it is geared at children by keeping the information short and to the point, any age could read this book. It discusses important issues such as segregation and World War II. It included information from her life and did not just focus on her dancing abilities. It included information about her being a spy, adopting children, having a variety of pets and marching for civil rights. At the back of the book you will find actual photos and other biographical information as well. It also gave resources that the reader could use to find out more. A great addition to a school or public library. The publisher, Lincoln Children's Books, provided me with a copy of this book to read, the opinions are my own.
In this book we learn a lot of facts about Josephine Baker and the times that she lived. There was a lot I learned as I read this book, so even though it is geared at children by keeping the information short and to the point, any age could read this book. It discusses important issues such as segregation and World War II. It included information from her life and did not just focus on her dancing abilities. It included information about her being a spy, adopting children, having a variety of pets and marching for civil rights. At the back of the book you will find actual photos and other biographical information as well. It also gave resources that the reader could use to find out more. A great addition to a school or public library. The publisher, Lincoln Children's Books, provided me with a copy of this book to read, the opinions are my own.
July 2, 2019
2,5/5. I like those mini biography for kids about know and less know person. Unfortunately this one felt empty, like there isn't enough info, almost like it was done on a rush. The ARC version I get didn't even included the cover... One of the rare time this collection let me down! Two of the last two were like that, don't know what is happening with those...
July 3, 2019
JOSEPHINE BAKER the book is as fabulous as the Fabulous Miss Baker herself. What stunning illustrations, befitting the woman who turned heads around the world. Did you know Josephine was the first black woman to ever star in a film? That she became a spy and helped the French Resistance during WWII by smuggling secret reports in her music sheets. And that she adopted 12 children from around the globe to give them homes they might never have had? Highly recommended for kids and adults alike!
Thanks to the author, Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Childrens and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#JosephineBaker #NetGalley
Thanks to the author, Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Childrens and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#JosephineBaker #NetGalley
July 10, 2018
A fun and brief biography of Josephine Baker, highlighting her life from dancer in St. Louis to movie star to spy in the French Resistance! Baker's uplifting story of taking her limited opportunities and making them absolutely limitless is both inspiring and entertaining!
Another excellent illustrated biography for young readers highlighting a strong female role model in the Little People Big Dreams series!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Another excellent illustrated biography for young readers highlighting a strong female role model in the Little People Big Dreams series!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 18, 2024
Die Bücher dieser Reihe sind tatsächlich unterschiedlich gut gelungen. Dieses über Josephine Baker wirkt irgendwie inhaltsleer. Schade, ich war sehr neugierig auf sie als Person. Da muss wohl etwas tiefergehendes her. Für Kinder wahrscheinlich trotzdem ganz nett anzuschauen.
November 27, 2020
Such an incredible story about an amazing woman.
Born to dance and entertain but feeling different being trapped in the wrong skin colour.
Nothing to do with what she was taught but by what she observed and heard.
Not itchy feet or restless legs but an innate ability to dance and perform. To be offered a chance to flourish in a new country where race and being different no longer mattered. Where, she was allowed to herself and fulfil her talent.
This author has championed this series by taking the humble stories of individuals who made real differences by their lives, ambition and successes.
Maria, just shares the basic facts. With delightful illustrations, I love the sparkles in Josephine’s hair.
Simple stories become exceptional because this lady Josephine Baker never forgot her past; did not allow it to fester and make the negativity undermine the rest of her life.
It made her more determined, more outrageous in her response to life. Above all it demonstrated her character and one who was not destined to live in her past but press on and fashion a remarkable future.
Born to dance and entertain but feeling different being trapped in the wrong skin colour.
Nothing to do with what she was taught but by what she observed and heard.
Not itchy feet or restless legs but an innate ability to dance and perform. To be offered a chance to flourish in a new country where race and being different no longer mattered. Where, she was allowed to herself and fulfil her talent.
This author has championed this series by taking the humble stories of individuals who made real differences by their lives, ambition and successes.
Maria, just shares the basic facts. With delightful illustrations, I love the sparkles in Josephine’s hair.
Simple stories become exceptional because this lady Josephine Baker never forgot her past; did not allow it to fester and make the negativity undermine the rest of her life.
It made her more determined, more outrageous in her response to life. Above all it demonstrated her character and one who was not destined to live in her past but press on and fashion a remarkable future.
July 21, 2018
I absolutely love the 'Little people, Big dreams' books and I'm delighted that they are publishing more and more of them. Josephine Baker's story is a lovely one which has been told well with beautiful illustrations. I didn't know anything about Josephine Baker prior to reading it but it is clear why Little people, Big dreams have produced a book about her - what an inspiration. I think having the short biography at the back is a great idea as it gives more information about her and would adults to further facilitate a conversation about Josephine Baker with a child who has read the book.
January 3, 2019
The Little People, Big Dreams series has been incredible. I think that kids will love the entire series and it has been a way to teach children (and adults) about lesser known, impactful people in our world. It approaches the story of Josephine Baker in a very child-friendly way and spans her life and accomplishments. The illustrations perfectly match the text and the children will have moving and grooving just like Josephine throughout the book.
July 4, 2018
I absolutely adored the art in this but unfortunately I felt there was a little something missing from the accompanying prose - it just fell a little flat for me. Again, the art however is truly lovely.
July 3, 2019
Surprisingly enough, given my history with the rest of this series (and, in particular, the board books), I actually kind of like this one. The stylized illustrations and simple text work well together to create a condensed biography of Josephine Baker, a trailblazer and all-around interesting person.
This is perfectly adequate for the age group, but older children who pick this up might find themselves wanting more. I'd be interested to read the full version at some point and see how it compares to this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing a digital ARC.
This is perfectly adequate for the age group, but older children who pick this up might find themselves wanting more. I'd be interested to read the full version at some point and see how it compares to this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing a digital ARC.
July 3, 2019
AD|ARC|GIFTED
How on Earth hadn’t I heard of Josephine Baker?! What a compete and total endlessly talented badass. I adored reading this, especially as she has such a big life and I hadn’t heard of before. Definitely going to look into learning more about her. The diversity in this series is wonderful to see.
How on Earth hadn’t I heard of Josephine Baker?! What a compete and total endlessly talented badass. I adored reading this, especially as she has such a big life and I hadn’t heard of before. Definitely going to look into learning more about her. The diversity in this series is wonderful to see.
July 3, 2019
Josephine Baker is a children's biography of entertainer and activist, Josephine Baker and looks at her life and achievements. It showcases her determination, her activism and her inability to back down in the face of adversity. She's a strong woman who spends her life promoting equality.
A simplistic biography for younger readers, Josephine Baker gives the highlights of the subject's life from her earliest achievements up until later in her life. There's little detail given to enhance the text (although you do get some from the corresponding illustrations) but really this would be an introduction text for young readers who might then consider looking for more comprehensive texts.
The illustrations are simple, bright and colourful and really highlight Josephine's achievements. They're gorgeous to look at and explore in more depth.
I love how this particular book celebrates Josephine's entertainment career, her activism and work during the war, as well as her strong stance on equality for people of all colours. This book sends a wonderful message to young readers.
A simplistic biography for younger readers, Josephine Baker gives the highlights of the subject's life from her earliest achievements up until later in her life. There's little detail given to enhance the text (although you do get some from the corresponding illustrations) but really this would be an introduction text for young readers who might then consider looking for more comprehensive texts.
The illustrations are simple, bright and colourful and really highlight Josephine's achievements. They're gorgeous to look at and explore in more depth.
I love how this particular book celebrates Josephine's entertainment career, her activism and work during the war, as well as her strong stance on equality for people of all colours. This book sends a wonderful message to young readers.
July 3, 2018
This series is aimed at teaching children about people who had amazing dreams and how they accomplished those dreams. I like this series because it has such a wide variety of individuals that they are focused on. This allows children to learn about people that they may have never heard of.
I liked this book because of the amount of information in provided about Josephine Baker and the times that she lived in while keeping the book short and to the point.. It discusses important issues such as segregation and World War II. I like that it included information that did not just focus on Josephine Bakers dancing abilities, which is what I am familiar with. It included information about her being a spy, adopting children, having a variety of pets and marching. I think these little facts will hold the interest of students and encourage them to pick up more biographies.
I liked this book because of the amount of information in provided about Josephine Baker and the times that she lived in while keeping the book short and to the point.. It discusses important issues such as segregation and World War II. I like that it included information that did not just focus on Josephine Bakers dancing abilities, which is what I am familiar with. It included information about her being a spy, adopting children, having a variety of pets and marching. I think these little facts will hold the interest of students and encourage them to pick up more biographies.
July 5, 2018
I adore the Little People, Big Dreams series, and, since looking into the titles in this series, Josephine Baker is one that I really wanted to learn more about and read! So, I was very excited to see it go up on NetGalley and just had to read it straight away.
So far, this has been one of my favourite books in the series; the illustrations compliment the story beautifully and are simplistic without being boring. It was fascinating to learn about a brave and inspirational woman who I hadn't heard of before.
This book is definitely aimed at older children; it covers some of the trickier periods of history to explain to young people, but, nevertheless, it is an important one for learning about race, the Second World War and following your dreams in the face of adversity.
So far, this has been one of my favourite books in the series; the illustrations compliment the story beautifully and are simplistic without being boring. It was fascinating to learn about a brave and inspirational woman who I hadn't heard of before.
This book is definitely aimed at older children; it covers some of the trickier periods of history to explain to young people, but, nevertheless, it is an important one for learning about race, the Second World War and following your dreams in the face of adversity.
July 9, 2018
Kudos to Quarto publishers and the author for another informative, appealing and enjoyable entry in the Little People, Big Dreams series. This time it is the story of Josephine Baker, a dancer and entertainer, who moved far from her segregated hometown to find renown in Paris and beyond. I discovered things that I did not know about Ms. Baker in this short book. While I knew about her performances and the large family that she created through adoption, I just now learned that she helped the French Resistance during WWII and was active in the Civil Rights movement.
This book will appeal to both children with dreams and the adults who encourage them. As always, the illustrations add to the appeal of the book.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for publishing these inspiring stories.
This book will appeal to both children with dreams and the adults who encourage them. As always, the illustrations add to the appeal of the book.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for publishing these inspiring stories.
July 9, 2018
This was an adorable children's book about an amazing woman, Josephine Baker. This book is a wonderful addition to this equally wonderful children's book series. The book will be a great addition to any library, I personally cannot wait for it to be published so that I can add it to my nieces' homeschool library. This book will make a great jumping off point for educators and parents alike when doing projects on movies and civil rights activists. Josephine Baker was simply incredible, she never let her skin color stop her in a time when segregation was still rampant. She is simply inspirational.
Book was received as an ARC.
Book was received as an ARC.
August 7, 2019
The life of Josephine Baker was obviously too multifaceted to fit between 24 little pages. The illustrations are wonderful, but the 2 lines per double page are not nearly enough to convey who Josephine Baker really was. I knew only her name before and this famous picture of her in the banana skirt. After flipping through this book I'm not really any wiser. There was just so much happening in Josephine Baker's life, and everything is just mentioned very superficially.
I'm fully aware that this book series is aimed at very young children, but even they can handle the double amount of text I think. This woman and her story is definitely worth it!
I'm fully aware that this book series is aimed at very young children, but even they can handle the double amount of text I think. This woman and her story is definitely worth it!
July 15, 2018
What a beautifully written and stylistically illustrated biography of Josephine Baker! I previously had reviewed another book in the Little People, Big Dreams series, Harriet Tubman, and I love this one just as much! The story of Josephine Baker was new to me, and I think about the road she helped pave for ballerina Misty Copeland as a dancer, and yet she did so much more as an activist! I continue to look forward to reading others stories about women in history! Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #JosephineBaker by Isabel @sanchezvegara
July 12, 2019
Perfect Board book if you have little ones. I knew quite a bit about Ms. Baker’s life via a documentary on T.V. decades ago. What I did not know is that Ms Baker was a spy during WWII, and passed information to the French Resistance against the Nazis. This book highlights Ms. Baker’s life in a very understandable way for children within the age range. The last two pages are more adult-oriented, and I learned a lot more. My admiration and respect for this very influential woman has soared even higher than before.
I highly recommend this book for children of all races.
I highly recommend this book for children of all races.
July 12, 2018
This is beautifully illustrated and vibrantly coloured book about a very important but lesser well known woman from history. This a perfect story to read to children as it is very visually pleasing and easy to read but also has an important message about what Josephine Baker achieved and how she overcame diversity. This is also suitable for adults like me who want to get a small bitesize chunk of some history in a beautiful package.
July 25, 2018
I really love this series of books as it depicts the lives of interesting women with adorable drawings attached. I find Josephine Baker fascinating and adored this book! It felt bits were missed from her life story and this made elements of it feel patchy but it still gave a good overview of her life for younger readers.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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