Run. Sing. Dream.
A Celebration of Courage, Voice, and Vision
A lyrical tribute to changemakers past and present, Run. Sing. Dream. empowers young readers to discover their own courage, raise their voices, and shape a brighter future.
From Rosa Parks to Greta Thunberg, from James Baldwin to Malala Yousafzai, the world has been shaped by those who found the courage to stand, speak, sing, and dream. In Run. Sing. Dream., Linda Sue Park brings together a stirring collection of voices — activists, artists, leaders, and visionaries — who refused to be silent in the face of injustice. With spare, poetic text and vibrant illustrations, this inspiring book celebrates the many forms bravery can take: a quiet act of resistance, a powerful song, a determined march, or a single dream carried forward. At once a moving tribute to history’s changemakers and a call to action for readers of today, this book invites children everywhere to ask themselves one vital question: What will you do to be brave?
Reviews
“In this incisive social justice primer, Newbery Medalist Park and Henderson (The Dream) frame the legacies of 40 luminaries whose acts continue to shape the world, including groundbreaking figures such as Harvey Milk, Maria Tallchief, Tammy Duckworth, Wangari Maathai, and Greta Thunberg. Across spreads that foreground two to six individuals, spare lines pair a first name with an active verb and an evocative illustration, recreating a pivotal moment. “Rosa sat” attends an image of a bespectacled woman clutching her purse strap as comparatively tiny figures gesture alongside her; on the opposite page, “Martin marched” shows the lower half of a larger-than-life figure striding alongside a crowd of protestors. Occasional vignettes incorporate a connective line of text; alongside a page that portrays “Ruby braved,” accompanying words note, “It’s hard to be brave.” Each illustration, rendered in its own monochromatic palette, employs a tight hatching that adds visual depth and dimension. In this thoughtfully crafted introduction to activism, pared-down text and visuals invite endless questions, discussions, and calls to action. Brief biographies of each figure and an author’s note conclude. Ages 7–10.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
“A sweeping portrait featuring some of history’s bravest changemakers. Newbery Medalist Park relies on straightforward, lyrical phrases and powerful visual metaphors as she dedicates each page to just one or two individuals at a time: “Rosa sat. Martin marched.” … Thoughtfully crafted backmatter fills the gaps, offering concise, engaging paragraphs about each featured changemaker. The book is visually captivating, inspiring, and informative all at once. … Featured individuals represent a broad and diverse range of backgrounds and accomplishments. Henderson’s dynamic illustrations possess a textured richness with softly layered pencil strokes that create a dreamlike sense of movement across the pages. Bold manipulations of scale place monumental figures amid tiny details, while compositions move fluidly between close-up and panoramic views, emphasizing the relationship between a single person and the change they inspired. Warm, almost otherworldly hues lend the artwork a reverent quality that allows history, memory, and hope to shine through. History meets possibility in this profoundly empowering read.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)
“Linda Sue Park’s Run. Sing. Dream. is a creative picture book celebrating a diverse group of 40 heroes. Newbery Medalist Park (A Single Shard) keeps the details purposefully sparse, offering short sentences about each individual, such as “Rosa sat. Martin marched,” accompanied by capsule descriptions of each person at the end of the book. Those poetic phrases, it turns out, are just enough.
The ingenuity of this book is that it works on two levels, making it suitable for preschoolers as well as elementary students. The simple text makes it easy enough for the very young to comprehend (with or without the biographical details). For both audiences, the narration serves as a rallying cry for its audience to consider ways in which they might be able to live their lives. The book concludes: “All of them, brave. What will you do to be brave?” (Earlier, the narration acknowledges “It’s hard to be brave.”) Older readers will enjoy guessing people’s identities or learning more about those mentioned, such as Ruby (Bridges), Rachel (Carson), Autumn (Peltier) and Temple (Grandin).
Nik Henderson’s illustrations are bathed in a variety of muted tones, managing to capture an air of solemnity while also teeming with action. We see, for instance, a close-up of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legs striding forward. We don’t see his face or upper body; this is much more than a parade of famous faces. At Martin’s feet, Henderson shows a swath of (much smaller) people marching and protesting, forming a sort of moving silhouette. These small images of accompanying activists can be seen in a number of illustrations, reminding readers of how inspiring these leaders have been to so many people.
In an author’s note, Park—a Newbery Medal winner—discusses the difficulty of choosing her 40 subjects, hoping that discussions about omissions “could be the start of a rich conversation leading to countless connections.” She adds: “May this book be a catalyst for a lifetime of learning for readers of all ages and an inspiration for the activists of the future.”
Don’t miss Run. Sing. Dream., a clarion call to young dreamers, highlighting exemplary trailblazers who have changed our world.“ (Alice Cary, BookPage, “10 most anticipated children’s books of fall 2026“)