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Kenya's Song

Author Linda Trice
Illustrated by Pamela Johnson
$7.95 US
Charlesbridge
90 per carton
On sale Feb 01, 2013 | 9781570918476
Age 4-8 years
Reading Level: Lexile 520L | Fountas & Pinnell N
Sales rights: World
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Kenya’s homework is to pick her favorite song and share it with her class. Sounds simple, but for Kenya, it’s anything but. With all that beautiful music in the world, how can she possibly choose? Her family and friends try to help by offering their favorite songs as choices, but it’s no help to Kenya. While those around her have made some great suggestions, Kenya has a hard time calling any one of them her favorite.

For inspiration, Kenya accompanies her father to the Caribbean Cultural Center where he plays music. Kenya hears music from Cuba and Trinidad, Haiti and Puerto Rico. She hears music in all different languages—French, English, Spanish. But still, Kenya can’t decide which song she likes best. Finally, Kenya makes her decision—one that will surprise readers while inspiring them to listen to the world around them.
"Daddy’s home! Daddy’s home!” Kenya gave her daddy a big hug.

“Will you help me with my homework?” she asked him.

Daddy put his music bag on the piano. “What do you have to do?” he asked.

“We have to tell the class what our favorite song is,” Kenya said. “I don’t have one.”

“You should pick this one,” Kenya’s big sister, Mosi, said. She sang a song about a town full of silly people. Everybody laughed.

Then Mom sang a song about a happy family. She had such a beautiful voice. By the end of the song, the whole family was singing the chorus together.

“Those are your favorite songs,” Kenya said. “I need to find my own.”

“Start with your favorite music,” Daddy said. “What is it?”

“Jazz, of course,” Kenya said. “Jazz like you play, Daddy.”
Copyright © 2013 by Linda Trice (Author); Pamela Johnson (Illustrator). All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Kenya’s homework is to pick her favorite song and share it with her class. Sounds simple, but for Kenya, it’s anything but. With all that beautiful music in the world, how can she possibly choose? Her family and friends try to help by offering their favorite songs as choices, but it’s no help to Kenya. While those around her have made some great suggestions, Kenya has a hard time calling any one of them her favorite.

For inspiration, Kenya accompanies her father to the Caribbean Cultural Center where he plays music. Kenya hears music from Cuba and Trinidad, Haiti and Puerto Rico. She hears music in all different languages—French, English, Spanish. But still, Kenya can’t decide which song she likes best. Finally, Kenya makes her decision—one that will surprise readers while inspiring them to listen to the world around them.

Excerpt

"Daddy’s home! Daddy’s home!” Kenya gave her daddy a big hug.

“Will you help me with my homework?” she asked him.

Daddy put his music bag on the piano. “What do you have to do?” he asked.

“We have to tell the class what our favorite song is,” Kenya said. “I don’t have one.”

“You should pick this one,” Kenya’s big sister, Mosi, said. She sang a song about a town full of silly people. Everybody laughed.

Then Mom sang a song about a happy family. She had such a beautiful voice. By the end of the song, the whole family was singing the chorus together.

“Those are your favorite songs,” Kenya said. “I need to find my own.”

“Start with your favorite music,” Daddy said. “What is it?”

“Jazz, of course,” Kenya said. “Jazz like you play, Daddy.”
Copyright © 2013 by Linda Trice (Author); Pamela Johnson (Illustrator). All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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