This heartwarming picture book about the friendship between famous singer Marian Anderson and Albert Einstein is an absolute must for elementary school classrooms and for the parents of young children.
The Singer and the Scientist is a story about the importance of compassion and standing up for others even when it means going against the status quo.
The book takes place in the 1930s in a time of racism and segregation. After a successful performance, Marian is (quite rudely) notified by the concert hall staff that all nearby hotels are whites-only.
Everyone looked at Marian, but not as a star. Not even as a person...The people who had just minutes before risen to their feet clapping for her now ignored her.
-The Singer and the Scientist by Lisa Rose
But in that moment, an elderly man who attended the concert steps in and offers Marian help. Marian instantly recognizes him as famed scientist Albert Einstein. A kind Jewish man who had personally experienced discrimination when living in Nazi Germany. Lisa Rose tells this lovely story in a way that is understandable to young readers and allows adults to create important discussions about kindness, compassion, and race to young children. It is structured in a way to grab children's attention and Isabel Munoz's beautiful illustrations make the story easy to follow and understand. However, as the story does take place in the 1930s, there are a few things that children may need help understanding. Because of this, I do recommend reading The Singer and the Scientist after this specific period is covered in class or discussed with a parent. The news is often fraught with stories about racial injustice. Although it may seem like kids aren't paying attention, they usually are. Let our kids be better than us and our parents' generation. Let us create those important discussions so that our kids can have a better tomorrow. The Singer and the Scientist will be out soon on April 1, 2021. My Rating: ????? Amazon | Bookshop (Note: I received this advance copy from Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group in return for an honest review.)
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