Coretta's Song: The Life of Coretta Scott King

By Doreen Rappaport

A powerful biography of the dedicated activist, multitalented musician, and influential civil rights leader Coretta Scott King, with illustrations by Caldecott Honor winner Cozbi A. Cabrera.

Young Coretta Scott was a gifted musician, mastering multiple instruments and breaking barriers to study music in college. Yet growing up in 1930s Alabama, she frequently felt the sting of racial injustice and even violence: when public school for Black children ended after sixth grade, when white neighbors burned down her father's house and lumber mill, and when Coretta was denied a student teaching job based on the color of her skin.

She met a minister named Martin Luther King, Jr., and the two were drawn together by a shared commitment to serving others and fighting against inequality. Alongside her husband, Coretta became an influential voice in the Civil Rights Movement, holding Freedom Concerts to spread awareness and raise funds, and carrying on a message of peace and nonviolent protest after Martin's assassination.

In this inspiring addition to the acclaimed Big Words series, award-winning author Doreen Rappaport masterfully blends narrative with Coretta's own words to share her remarkable story. With powerful illustrations by Caldecott Honoree Cozbi A. Cabrera, Coretta's Song is a superb portrait of a woman whose voice changed America, and the world, forever.

Don't miss these other titles in the Big Words series
Beacon of Hope: The Life of Barack Obama
Ellen Takes Flight: The Life of Astronaut Ellen Ochoa
Ruth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 075955739X
• ISBN13: 9780759557390
• Release Date: October 2026
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Length: 48 Pages
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 10.3" x 11.3"
• Age Range: 6 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 3