Grammy nominated musician Valerie June's Somebody to Love: The Story of
Valerie June's Sweet Little Baby Banjolele is a children's book based on
the story of how June wrote the song "Somebody to Love" from her album
Pushin' Against a Stone. In the book, Valerie is a child given a toy
banjolele. A banjolele is a very unique four-stringed musical
instrument. It has a body like a small banjo, and the neck is like a
ukulele. At the beginning, the baby banjolele dreams that its voice will
soar and be heard all throughout the world, but very soon its musical
journey meets with challenges and doubts. The little banjolele just
could not play through a whole song! Valerie and banjolele want to play
with the other instruments at school, but the others make fun of the
banjolele saying " You're just a toy". Embarrassed the banjolele, once
more, can not finish the song. But "I have a dream, and I want to sing,"
the toy banjolele stubbornly refuses to give up. Finally, the toy finds
the courage, and belief, and love it needs, coughs out a last bit of
dust, and belts out a gorgeous a song. Valerie names the banjolele Baby
and both go on to perform all over the world together forever. Valerie
June the adult says of her banjolele: "As I traveled the world telling
the story of my banjolele, I always knew it would make an uplifting
children's book. It wasn't until I got a call from the President's
Committee on the Arts and the Humanities that I was encouraged to sit
down and write it out. One of the nation's most historical dreamers is
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As a black female artist, his message taught
me the power of dreams at an early age. He was a light for me. Each time
I've shared this story with students, I watch as their eyes light up
with wonder. It's been thrilling to witness that same light awakening
within them. Believing you can achieve your dream is a way to be an
inspiration for your community, like a great Nigerian proverb teaches
us, 'Thoughts and dreams are the foundation of our being.
