Beyoncé: Shine Your Light by Sarah Warren
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on June 4th 2019
ISBN: 1328585166
Pages: 32
Goodreads

This eye-catching picture book with its glittery cover and distinct size will appeal to many young readers on sight. The story inside is appealing as well. The book humanizes superstar Beyoncé showing how she was once a quiet little girl until she found her voice and made her way onstage; there she was a star. The book emphasizes that she had the support of her family and that she failed at times, but that she never gave up and therefore found success and happiness and that, with that success, she gives back to her community and the world. This is a book in which little girls can see themselves and they can dream that they, too, may find their voice or their passion and use it to make the world a better place. The artwork is rendered digitally so it’s not the sharpest and on a few pages looks cartoonish but it is bright and colorful and captures the joy of movement and performance that is a huge part of Beyoncé’s life. Includes a bibliography and media sites for further information. A lovely book to add to your biography collection or  as an example of a person using a growth mindset to find fulfillment in life.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth