Sam Cooke’s Classic ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ Inspires New Picture Book — See Inside! (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Illustrator Nikkolas Smith and the cover of ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’.Photo:Vanessa Crocini; Little Bee Books

Vanessa Crocini; Little Bee Books

The cover of ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’.Little Bee Books

Little Bee Books

“We recognized the importance of introducing this iconic song to younger generations in a format that speaks to them directly,” Cooke-Johnson continues. “This book is not only a celebration of Sam’s music, but also a tool for instilling values of hope, perseverance, and the belief that change is possible.”

Interior pages of ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’.Little Bee Books

“A particular challenge in this book was to have constant moments that juxtapose the depths of injustice and racism with the hope of a just and equitable society, or the first steps towards it,” Smith says of the illustration process.

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“My hope is that this book can act as a supplement to Mr. Cooke’s timeless anthem for freedom, reminding us how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go in order to bring about the change that every person deserves.“

A Change Is Gonna Comewill hit shelves on Sept. 2 and is now available for preorder, wherever books are sold.

source: people.com