Plus get our latest book recommendations, author news, and competitions right to your inbox.
Table of Contents
About The Book
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Illustration Award! From a New York Times bestselling author and an acclaimed illustrator comes this vibrant portrait of Aretha Franklin that pays her the R-E-S-P-E-C-T this Queen of Soul deserves.
Aretha Franklin was born to sing. The daughter of a pastor and a gospel singer, her musical talent was clear from her earliest days in her father’s Detroit church where her soaring voice spanned more than three octaves.
Her string of hit songs earned her the title “the Queen of Soul,” multiple Grammy Awards, and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But Aretha didn’t just raise her voice in song, she also spoke out against injustice and fought for civil rights.
This authoritative, rhythmic, Coretta Scott King Illustration Award–winning picture book biography will captivate young readers with Aretha’s inspiring story.
Aretha Franklin was born to sing. The daughter of a pastor and a gospel singer, her musical talent was clear from her earliest days in her father’s Detroit church where her soaring voice spanned more than three octaves.
Her string of hit songs earned her the title “the Queen of Soul,” multiple Grammy Awards, and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But Aretha didn’t just raise her voice in song, she also spoke out against injustice and fought for civil rights.
This authoritative, rhythmic, Coretta Scott King Illustration Award–winning picture book biography will captivate young readers with Aretha’s inspiring story.
About The Author
Photograph © Carole Boston Weatherford
Carole Boston Weatherford has written many award-winning books for children, including Kin, illustrated by her son Jeffery and a Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient; Box, which won a Newbery Honor; Unspeakable, which won the Coretta Scott King Award, a Caldecott Honor, and was a finalist for the National Book Award; Respect: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, winner of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award; ALA Notable Children’s Book You Can Fly; and Caldecott Honor winners Freedom in Congo Square; Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement; and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. Carole lives in North Carolina. Visit her at CBWeatherford.com.
About The Illustrator
Photograph © Frank Morrison
Frank Morrison is the award-winning illustrator of many books for young readers, including Jazzy Miz Mozetta, winner of the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award for New Talent; Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book; Muhammad Ali; and How Sweet the Sound. Before becoming a children’s book illustrator and fine artist, Morrison toured the globe as a break-dancer. He lives in Georgia with his family. Visit him at MorrisonGraphics.com.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (August 25, 2020)
- Length: 48 pages
- ISBN13: 9781534452299
- Ages: 4 - 8
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
* “The interplay between the deceptively simple narrative and Morrison’s illustrations is pitch-perfect. This beautiful picture book biography packs an emotional punch that is as compelling as the timeless songs that Franklin made famous.”
– School Library Journal, STARRED Review
* "The award-winning author-illustrator team of Weatherford and Morrison have taken on the life story of the Queen of Soul, and the result is a beautiful work of art."
– Booklist, STARRED review
“Weatherford presents an overview of key moments in the notable singer’s life, particularly her contributions to the civil rights movement. Morrison’s rich illustrations use a stylized realism to depict Franklin’s trajectory from preacher’s daughter to beloved icon.”
– Publishers Weekly
Awards and Honors
- Kansas NEA Reading Circle List PrimaryTitle
- ALA Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration
- Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee (MD)
- Eureka! Excellence in Nonfiction Award Honor Title (CA)
- Topaz Nonfiction Reading List (TX)
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): RESPECT Fixed Layout eBook 9781534452299
- Author Photo (jpg): Carole Boston Weatherford Photograph © Carole Boston Weatherford(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
