SAY A LITTLE PRAYER
by Dionne Warwick & Tonya Bolden & David Freeman Wooley & illustrated by Soud
A little girl discovers her true passion in this inspirational picture book based on singer Warwick’s own beginnings. Little D is a happy child interested in sports, arts and school, but it is not until her minister Grandpa asks her to sing at church that she discovers what truly moves her: “...nothing...had ever filled me with such soul-deep joy / as when I gave myself to song that Sunday.” Little D is supported by a loving network of family and friends who encourage her in all her activities, allowing her to dream big. Soud, a Brazilian illustrator, provides commercial-looking, rather stiff images that nevertheless project an appropriately enthusiastic energy for its upbeat subject, and Bolden and Warwick combine forces to create a rhythmic, often rhymed text. Little D’s appreciation for the world comes through loud and clear. Includes a CD of Warwick reading the text and singing “Jesus Loves Me,” Little D’s first publicly performed number. (Picture book. 4-8)