Somebody to Love: The Story of Valerie June’s Sweet Little Baby Banjolele

Even small instruments can carry far.

“Somebody to Love: The Story of Valerie June’s Sweet Little Baby Banjolele” is a familiar tale made fresh with an unusual and willful protagonist in The Baby, a banjolele. Valerie June writes in a rhythmic, lilting fashion about the loveable four-stringed instrument to evoke a playful mood reminiscent of “Toy Story” and “The Little Engine That Could.” The illustrations of Marcela Avelar are arresting, combining layered drawings with colorful abstract backgrounds.

The book begins as a song-filled young Valerie receives a banjolele that inspires her to sing in the Instrument Park. However, the personified instrument is not able to fully accompany its owner. Embarrassed, the banjolele is placed in a corner and forgotten.

It is unclear what inspires the banjolele to fight for its dreams in the middle of the night. However, once determined and with Valerie’s love, the instrument becomes The Baby, a star that goes on to shine with Valerie and sing for the world.

“Somebody to Love: The Story of Valerie June’s Sweet Little Baby Banjolele” is an uplifting children’s story. A love of music is not necessary to enjoy the “Zing, Ting, Ring” of the writing or root for The Baby. The author ends the book with snippets about real-life dreamers and global proverbs about dreaming in hopes that the dreaming will continue. “Somebody to Love” will doubtless move young listeners and readers to consider the gifts they might give to the world.