John’s Secret Dreams

The Life of John Lennon

Contributors

By Doreen Rappaport

Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Formats and Prices

Price

$8.99

Price

$9.99 CAD

Format

Trade Paperback

Format:

Trade Paperback $8.99 $9.99 CAD

A picture book biography of one of the most iconic musicians of all time.

John Lennon’s influence on music and culture is legendary. From a young age, he dreamed of fame and fortune. When he achieved it as one of the Beatles, he recognized the need for a deeper meaning. His inner search for happiness shaped his life and brought new dimension to the world of rock ‘n’ roll.

Doreen Rappaport and Bryan Collier present John Lennon’s life through a combination of narrative and song lyrics, cut-paper collage and watercolor art-capturing the energy and the essence of a man whose vision and creative genius continue to inspire people today.

  • "This beautiful and stirring tribute will surely send readers to bookshelves and the music stores to learn more about the man."
    School Library Journal
  • “Rappaport and Collier combine a spare, poetic text and watercolor-and-collage illustrations to introduce readers to John Lennon and as varied references as Lewis Carroll, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, the war in Vietnam, and the civil rights movement. A lively, if unusual, take on the pop-culture icon, whose music is as fresh today as it was then.”
    Kirkus Reviews
  • “This ambitious picture book reveals plenty of research and an affinity for the subject. Formatted in brief lines the text describes pivotal moments in Lennon’s life, interspersing lines from his songs in larger colored type.”
    Horn Book

On Sale
May 10, 2016
Page Count
48 pages
ISBN-13
9781484749623

Doreen Rappaport

About the Author

Doreen Rappaport’s nonfiction and historical fiction books have been acclaimed for their meticulous research and varied literary styles. She is the recipient of the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, DC, lifetime achievement award for the writing of nonfiction. Her many award-winning biographies include the Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Honor Book Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Bryan Collier; Abe’s Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln, illustrated by Kadir Nelson; and Ruth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, illustrated by Eric Velasquez. Doreen lives in upstate New York and invites you to visit her online at doreenrappaport.com.
 
Tonya Engel is an award-winning artist and children’s book illustrator. Her personal, autobiographical work can be found in public and private collections around the world. She has received several awards and honors for her illustrations, including the 2020 Septima Clark Book Award for Rise!: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou by Bethany Hegedus, and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award Honor Book for Your Legacy: A Bold Reclaiming of Our Enslaved History by Schele Williams. She lives in Houston, Texas, and invites you to visit her online at tonyaengel.com.

Learn more about this author

Bryan Collier

About the Illustrator

Bryan Collier has illustrated more than twenty-five picture books, including the award-winning Trombone Shorty, Dave the Potter, and Knock Knock: My Father’s Dream for Me, as well as City Shapes, and Fifty Cents and a Dream, and has received four Caldecott Honors and six Coretta Scott King Awards.  He lives with his wife and children in Marlboro, New York.

Learn more about this illustrator