Josephine Baker

This lovely children's biography of Josephine Baker is bright, honest, cheerful, optimistic, and perfect for young readers. The book starts with her birth in St Louis, United States, and continues through her work on stage and screen, and in the French Resistance.

Dates are not included, and this is not an in-depth biography, but it is a great introduction for children to an amazing personality.

I adore the Little People, Big Dreams series, and, since looking into the titles in this series, Josephine Baker is one that I really wanted to learn more about and read! So, I was very excited to see it go up on NetGalley and just had to read it straight away.

So far, this has been one of my favourite books in the series; the illustrations compliment the story beautifully and are simplistic without being boring. It was fascinating to learn about a brave and inspirational woman who I hadn't heard of before.

This book is definitely aimed at older children; it covers some of the trickier periods of history to explain to young people, but, nevertheless, it is an important one for learning about race, the Second World War and following your dreams in the face of adversity.

Josephine Baker had great content and was age appropriate for children. I really loved that at the end there are actual photos and other biographical information as well.

I did not know anything about Josephine Baker before reading this book. Then Little People, Big Dreams brought me her. This book told me many things about her. She was a lady who has done many amazing things.

I think this is a great book to introduce to children about famous people. I wish I had such book when I was child.

This series is aimed at teaching children about people who had amazing dreams and how they accomplished those dreams. I like this series because it has such a wide variety of individuals that they are focused on. This allows children to learn about people that they may have never heard of.

I liked this book because of the amount of information in provided about Josephine Baker and the times that she lived in while keeping the book short and to the point.. It discusses important issues such as segregation and World War II. I like that it included information that did not just focus on Josephine Bakers dancing abilities, which is what I am familiar with. It included information about her being a spy, adopting children, having a variety of pets and marching. I think these little facts will hold the interest of students and encourage them to pick up more biographies.

I loved this book. Such a great summary of Josephine Baker's amazing, extraordinary life. She was definitely one of the most interesting figures in WW2. The illustration style is simple but elegant. Bakers life is told in a hasty way but as this is a children's book it's quite normal. Highly recommended. Can't wait to read this with my son.

This is a charmer of a book for young children, told by Vegara, and illustrated in charming simplistic color by Sorlet, it tells the spectacular story of Freda Josephine McDonald, a dirt poor girl from St Louis Missouri, who became known to the world as Josephine Baker, dancer, actor, and World War Two hero, who spoke out against racism and adopted a rainbow family of children to put her actions where her mouth was.

This book is part of a series (Little People, Big Dreams) aimed at young children, and relating the lives of outstanding people including:

Maya Angelou
Jane Austen
Agatha Christie
Marie Curie
Amelia Earhart
Ella Fitzgerald
Anne Frank
Jane Goodall
Audrey Hepburn
Frida Kahlo
Ada Lovelace
Georgia O’Keefe
Emmeline Pankhurst
Rosa Parks
Harriet Tubman
The list seems sadly more biased towards the arts than ever it is towards the sciences or engineering, or military or other public service, for that matter, but that really just reflects what a disproportionate influence celebrities have upon in modern society, doesn't it?

However, this book in particular tells a stirring story worth telling, and worth children learning, and I recommend it highly.

The <em>Little People, Big Dreams</em> series is a delightful way to introduce kids to people that they might not otherwise know about.

Josephine was an amazing woman, who left her native land, America, which was not letting her do what she wanted because she was Black, to go to France, where no one gave a damn that she was black, and she was able to make movies, go where she liked, and become a spy in World War II.

A truly remarkable woman, told in a very simple, accessible style.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-687" src="http://www.reyes-sinclair.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-03-at-11.24.44-PM.png" alt="Josiphone baker" /> <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-688" src="http://www.reyes-sinclair.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Screen-Shot-2018-07-03-at-11.24.30-PM.png" alt="josophone baker" />

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

I really love this series of books as it depicts the lives of interesting women with adorable drawings attached. I find Josephine Baker fascinating and adored this book! It felt bits were missed from her life story and this made elements of it feel patchy but it still gave a good overview of her life for younger readers.

This was an adorable children's book about an amazing woman, Josephine Baker. This book is a wonderful addition to this equally wonderful children's book series. The book will be a great addition to any library, I personally cannot wait for it to be published so that I can add it to my nieces' homeschool library. This book will make a great jumping off point for educators and parents alike when doing projects on movies and civil rights activists. Josephine Baker was simply incredible, she never let her skin color stop her in a time when segregation was still rampant. She is simply inspirational.

Book was received as an ARC.

Kudos to Quarto publishers and the author for another informative, appealing and enjoyable entry in the Little People, Big Dreams series. This time it is the story of Josephine Baker, a dancer and entertainer, who moved far from her segregated hometown to find renown in Paris and beyond. I discovered things that I did not know about Ms. Baker in this short book. While I knew about her performances and the large family that she created through adoption, I just now learned that she helped the French Resistance during WWII and was active in the Civil Rights movement.
This book will appeal to both children with dreams and the adults who encourage them. As always, the illustrations add to the appeal of the book.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for publishing these inspiring stories.

A fun and brief biography of Josephine Baker, highlighting her life from dancer in St. Louis to movie star to spy in the French Resistance! Baker's uplifting story of taking her limited opportunities and making them absolutely limitless is both inspiring and entertaining!
Another excellent illustrated biography for young readers highlighting a strong female role model in the Little People Big Dreams series!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is beautifully illustrated and vibrantly coloured book about a very important but lesser well known woman from history. This a perfect story to read to children as it is very visually pleasing and easy to read but also has an important message about what Josephine Baker achieved and how she overcame diversity. This is also suitable for adults like me who want to get a small bitesize chunk of some history in a beautiful package.

The illustrious Josephine Baker is perfectly described in this glorious bio with stunning illustrations. Baker overcame a childhood of deprivation and racial inequality to become a worldwide star on stage and screen. She also had a little-known career as a WWII Allied spy and opened her heart and home to 12 children from across the world. 5/5

Grateful to the Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children’s and NetGalley for the early copy, in exchange for my true review.

#JosephineBaker #NetGalley

Josephine Baker is a new young reader book in the series Little People, Big Dreams . Written by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara and illustrated by Agathe Sorlet, it's due out 31st July from Quarto publishing Frances Lincoln imprint. Aimed at younger readers, it's 32 pages, perfect for a storytime or classroom circle read. It's available in hardcover and ebook formats.

The text is inset into full color page illustrations and each page illustrates the accompanying text. The art is whimsical and simple (see cover) and very appealing. I absolutely loved that it's factually based and realistic and doesn't shy away from the reasons for Ms. Baker's emigration from the US or her life and activities without devolving into stridency or preachiness. The story is followed by a short biography with pictures of her life with ideas for further reading.

This is a perfectly charming little book. I enjoyed it very much and appreciate that this series takes on serious subjects in an accessible and digestible format for young readers.

Five stars for the format, subject matter, honesty, and charming presentation.

What a beautifully written and stylistically illustrated biography of Josephine Baker! I previously had reviewed another book in the Little People, Big Dreams series, Harriet Tubman, and I love this one just as much! The story of Josephine Baker was new to me, and I think about the road she helped pave for ballerina Misty Copeland as a dancer, and yet she did so much more as an activist! I continue to look forward to reading others stories about women in history! Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #JosephineBaker by Isabel @sanchezvegara

Well written with fantastic information as well as beautiful illustrations. It is a beautiful learning too as well as the complete package when it comes to a book.

I absolutely love the 'Little people, Big dreams' books and I'm delighted that they are publishing more and more of them. Josephine Baker's story is a lovely one which has been told well with beautiful illustrations. I didn't know anything about Josephine Baker prior to reading it but it is clear why Little people, Big dreams have produced a book about her - what an inspiration. I think having the short biography at the back is a great idea as it gives more information about her and would adults to further facilitate a conversation about Josephine Baker with a child who has read the book.

One of the things I always love and admire about children books featuring biographies of famous people is the ways in which important life stories are convened through easy yet meaningful words. The illustrations are always playing an important part though. This children book about Josephine Baker features admirably not only the character that the singer and first black woman to ever star in a film was, but also the complicated social and political environments she was part of, from the WWII to the struggle for civil rights in the USA. The collage-like illustrations are easy and suited to the jazzy times.

With colorful illustrations and brief but enticing text, this biography introduces readers to the life the ambitious Josephine Baker. A dancer, a theater and movie performer, a singer, and a spy during World War II. Her life was influenced by racial discrimination and war, yet she was amazingly successful. However, she had to leave the US for Europe in order to make her way. In a short book the author manages to introduce important social and historical understandings.

I reviewed this book for Lincoln Children’s Books. It’s part of the Little People, Big Dreams series and tells about the life of Josephine Baker. She was a famous dancer from St. Louis, but was also involved in the French resistance and fought for civil rights in the US. She was an incredibly strong woman with a lot of grit!

This picture book by Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Agathe Sorlet introduces children to the life of dancer and civil rights activist, Josephine Baker. In simple text, accompanied with bright, colourful illustrations, which complement the story well, it talks about her life under segregation in St Louis in the early 20th century, and how she climbed out of poverty through her talent as a dancer. It covers how she travelled to Paris and later became involved in the French Resistance during World War II and later the civil rights movement back in the USA. It also mentions her many pets, including a pet cheetah, which will probably help pique the interest of animal loving young readers.

Josephine Baker is the latest volume in the Little People Big Dreams series of books aimed at introducing children to inspirational figures from around the world whom they may not have heard of. This book could be a good starting point for talking to children about civil rights in general, the French Resistance, or more about the life of Josephine Baker.

Nonfiction for students with illustrations. Clear and easy to follow along for younger readers. Illustrations are engaging and allow kids into the past. These can be used for a variety of needs in a classroom or at home.

downloaded thru Netgalley honest review, etc.

Another excellent book from this series. This brief book serves an excellent introduction to the life of the fabulous Josephine Baker.

This is the first book I've read in the Little People Big Dreams series and I'll certainly be picking up more. Josephine Baker was a figure I knew very little, if anything about before opening this book and now I'm keen to learn more.

I loved the accessible story of her life with bright pictures which would make it engaging and exciting for young children. The language used was appropriate for all ages and provided a brief introduction to her life story and as an adult left me wanting to learn more. I think it's great that the back of the book gave suggestions for books to go and do just that.

The more 'grown up' summary of her life at the end of the bright story is a great addition. With photographs and more concise facts, an adult could pick this up and be able to add to the story when reading with children creating more of a conversation during reading time.

As a teacher, I can see this book being used in classrooms to teach history, geography and English, particularly in Key Stage 2, providing a starting point for further research.

I absolutely adore this series! It’s a great way for kids to learn about amazing people who did amazing things. Josephine Baker was an incredible woman and her story is so interesting. The art was super cute and I love how there are different art styles within the series itself.

If I had kids, I would definitely read the entire series to them. The books are educational but also very entertaining and interesting. I 100% recommend this book and the entire series.

*I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A gorgeous look at one of the world's most intriguing figures. A must read for any fan of the series of Little People ,Big Dreams.

I am becoming a huge fan of the "Little People, Big Dreams" series. There are so many great people, but many biographies go unread. This series peaks the interest of young readers with basic, simple facts about the person with the hope that they will do further investigation on their own.

In this book we learn a lot of facts about Josephine Baker and the times that she lived. There was a lot I learned as I read this book, so even though it is geared at children by keeping the information short and to the point, any age could read this book. It discusses important issues such as segregation and World War II. It included information from her life and did not just focus on her dancing abilities. It included information about her being a spy, adopting children, having a variety of pets and marching for civil rights. At the back of the book you will find actual photos and other biographical information as well. It also gave resources that the reader could use to find out more. A great addition to a school or public library. The pubisher, Lincoln Children's Books, provided me with a copy of this book to read, the opinions are my own.

Josephine Baker was an amazing woman!!! Not only was she a fabulous performer, Josephine was a spy during WWII, she was influential in the civil rights movement and an advocate for adoption and racial integration.


I adore this book series. Every child should have all of these books to look up to heroes and heroines in all shapes, colors, and sizes.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As you might expect from the title, this is a small bio on the famous dancer, whom I’ve heard described as the Beyoncé of her time. That made me laugh, but I suppose it has its point. The line “legs made for dancing, dazzling smile, free spirit: the ingredients that made her a star” encapsulates this perfectly.
Interesting point made that in France people of all races intermingled without a problem, though I find that farfetched. Still, it had to be better than in the States at that time, so I won’t belabor the point.
The artwork is simplistic, and some of the poses look impossible, but it’s more than good enough for the target audience.
This is the third of this interesting series about great women I’ve read, and I can unequivocally say I’ve learned probably as much about some of these special people as the kids that’ll read this.

I’d never heard of Josephine Baker, but thanks to this beautiful book, I have a clear understanding of her upbringing, the social issues faced at the time and her incredible achievements during her life.
As always, it’s complimented by stunning pictures, a biography and a list of further reading.

Josephine Baker stopped at nothing in her quest for true self expression and equal rights for all people. She was brave and unashamed to be who she truly was. For these reasons, she was an incredible role model for young women and her story deserves to be heard. These books are an asset to any child's library as they celebrate strong women who changed their worlds.

Such a beautiful way to tell this fantastic woman's life. The minimalistic and fun illustrations added to, while not distracting from, Baker's story. It is so important to show children how anyone, even a person of color during WWII, can do anything they set their mind to if they try.

'Little People, Big Dreams: Josephine Baker' by Isabel Sanchez Vegara with art by Agathe Sorlet tells the life of Josephine Baker in a picture book format.

Josephine Baker was born in St. Louis. Early in her life, she noticed that white people lived differently than she did. Josephine used her natural talent to leave St. Louis. She ended up in New York, but was still limited because she was a black woman, so she moved to France to become even more famous. Later in her life, she marched with Dr. King and she adopted children of many different races.

I loved the bright contrasting art in this volume. I also loved the way the hair was colored, and how Josephine almost always seemed like she was in motion. This was a fun entry in this series.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Quarto Publishing Group-Frances Lincoln Childrens, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

A stunning book about living together as one and fighting for what is right. A truly inspirational read. This is a children's must read!

The Little People, Big Dreams series has been incredible. I think that kids will love the entire series and it has been a way to teach children (and adults) about lesser known, impactful people in our world. It approaches the story of Josephine Baker in a very child-friendly way and spans her life and accomplishments. The illustrations perfectly match the text and the children will have moving and grooving just like Josephine throughout the book.

A short biography of Josephine Baker that highlights the good points in her life, her struggle as a black girl/woman in a white world, and her humanitarian efforts. It’s short and simple for the age it’s designated, and it works.

I just love this series! So informative, I will admit that at 34 years old I'd not actually heard of Josephine Baker, but what a story. I love the positive message but with a good mix of fact. The illustrations are fantastic

Loved this little book about a great woman!

The story is kept very cheerful, seemingly in tune to the vaudeville music that Josephine danced to, which is lovely. However, I do think the author could have at least hinted a bit at Josephine Baker's difficult childhood. She grew up poor, had to work to help pay the bills, even as a little girl, and only went to school till she was about 12 years old. These are things that make her rise to fame even more awe-inspiring.

I also think the author could have explained a bit more about the racism that was so prevalent in those days, rather than stick to a vague "the rules were different if your skin color was black".

The strong and vibrant colors that are used for the illustrations are a perfect match for this vibrant and unique woman. Visually this book is a real gem!

I didn't know much about Josephine Baker before this and I have become very intrigued.
She must have been a very courageous and strong woman to spy during WWII to aid the French resistance, as well as help fight for equal rights for African-American people in the USA and also a very generous and loving one, opening up her heart and adopting, not 1, not 2...but 12 children.

I'm off to have a look at the biographies mentioned at the end of the book!

Try to just read one of the books in this gorgeously illustrated series of biographies of amazing women from history. The perfect way to introduce children to heroines to admire and strive towards their talents and kindness.

5★
". . . when she celebrated her fifty-year career onstage, the world gave her a standing ovation.
It was a long way from St. Louis for little Josephine, but she had made it, in her own spectacular way."

Josephine Baker was a little girl, born in the middle of America in the early 1900s, who grew up to become an internationally famous dancer, a spy in the French resistance during WW2, a civil rights champion, and a mother to a dozen children adopted from around the world.

In a word, she was SPECTACULAR! This little children's book tells her story in bright, appealing pictures which should have kids trying to copy some of her dance moves. She was really something special. Today, I think she'd be a combination of Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie. Fabulous!

As with other books in this Little People, BIG DREAMS series, there are a few real photographs and historic details from her life at the end. This is certainly my favourite so far of the series. I like the lively illustrations of a lively lady and I hope it will inspire children to look for more about her as they grow up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for the preview copy. My Goodreads review included several illustrations with captions, tracking her story a bit.

Another wonderful book to share with my children about an important woman from history, as always the illustrations and content are accessible and beautiful. We can't wait for more!

What a pleasant surprise! A children's book about Josephine Baker! The makers of this series are doing such a great job gathering a variety of real-life heroines, and yet I didn't expect this exciting addition to happen! My favourite so far, because I learned a thing or two from it, and isn't that its purpose?

Great picture book for children with simple words for them to understand. I love this series and will be checkin other books.

This Little People, Big World series is outstanding! I have seen a few Littens on Litsy reviewing these books, and I simply knew I had to check them out. Sadly, my library doesn't have any of the collection... so you can imagine how excited I was to see this book on NetGalley. I have read about 3-4 others on NetGalley, and I simply adore them. I went into this book knowing nothing of Josephine Baker, but that's the beauty of these books.... they make you crave more knowledge about these amazing women of history. I can see this being an asset in classrooms all over the world. The books are short, sweet, and beautifully illustrated. They are colorful, and exciting and they make learning fun for young children. I hope I can find the whole collection for my nieces and nephews.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I truly appreciate it!

Another excellent addition to the Little People Big Dreams series.

Having read a number of these now, I have been delighted to see these begin popping up in local bookshops. Little inspirations for young readers.

This is such a vibrant children's book! My daughter really loved the simply yet bold images to look at while we read the story. Josephine Baker was a class act of a woman, one that deserves more stories, and it was great to see a picture book about her for children. The pictures go nicely with the story, and your child will have fun coming up with ideas for what the pictures mean.

Another in this fantastic series teaching both kids and adults alike about the many amazing women out there, and that you should always be willing to chase your dreams.

I just love this series of books! I want to buy each and everyone for my little family relations as I think they're insightful and glorious.