MY BEAUTIFUL VOICE

A shy student admires their teacher’s voice while searching for their own.

A child with brown hair and skin observes in amazement as their teacher bursts into the room. An illustration of Miss Flotsam, an older, brown-skinned, bespectacled woman with flowing gray hair, scarf, and coattails, depicts her surrounded by flowers, tropical birds, and pops of color. The poetic narrative reveals Miss Flotsam as a world traveler with tales of “cycle rides in / booming hurricanes” and surviving “flights through / scary storms.” As the students start to write poems, Miss Flotsam encourages them: “We all have songs to sing / and will sing them when we choose.” Though the narrator’s classmates tease them for being so quiet, bit by bit, savoring the flavors of Miss Flotsam’s stories and spirit, the protagonist builds their own stanzas. Colpoys’ artwork matches the whimsy and sparkle of the narration as the child’s creativity flows, but they are still hesitant to read their poem aloud. A warm pastel palette brings to life a cliff and hostile landscape that symbolize the narrator’s anxieties as they struggle to speak in front of the class. Eventually the warmth and comforting tone and backdrop return as the student comes to realize that their voice is beautiful. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A patient and gentle reminder of the importance of each voice, no matter how small.