Nina: A Story of Nina Simone

Born in 1933 in North Carolina, Eunice Kathleen Waymon loved playing music but quickly realized that being Black meant the road to success would not be easy. To hide her passion from her religious mother, she changed her name to Nina Simone and came to be a powerful voice for equal rights for all and justice for Black people. In this engaging picture book for elementary and middle school students, colourful images highlight a powerful social-justice message. In the classroom, the book lends itself as a read-aloud and may teach students about historical events and invite class discussions about self-awareness, access to resources, and external challenges one may face when trying to accomplish their goals. Nina Simone’s efforts to fight against discrimination and racial inequality could inspire students to write about how they could take action against social injustice.