Elton John

I absolutely loved the Elton John, Little People, Big Dreams book by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and it won't be the first of this collection that I will be definitely adding to my book collection.

Its simply written, inclusive and is beautifully illustrated. I loved how the song titles were subtly woven through the text.
Detailing Elton's (or Reggie Dwight's) rise to fame and his dream of becoming a musician. There are a few words in there (that require a possible explanation to the class, (drag queen) that mean I'd pitch this at an older audience - year five onwards.

But nevertheless, it's gorgeous.

This was a cute and quick read for those trying to encourage their children to be open, accepting, and to go after their dreams.

I felt like the illustrations seemed to be a little lacking in cohesiveness. But they were very colorful like Elton John. I also really appreciated the fact that in the end they added in real pictures of him and some more adult friendly biographical information.

Great for kids and adults to enjoy.

Ah! The newest addition to the <em>Little People, Big Dreams</em> series by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara made me <em>so excited!</em> I've always loved Elton John and his music. He's such an exceptional, amazing, and talented man. I honestly consider myself extremely lucky to have been alive during a time in which Elton John existed. With lovely illustrations from Sophie Beer, the 50th book of the series is one that belongs on everyone's shelves.

<b>Learning Something New</b>

One of the things I love about Sánchez Vegara's books is that I always seem to learn something from them. I may really like, respect, and appreciate a great many of these people but I admittedly do have gaps in my knowledge about their lives and careers. And it was so much fun to learn small tidbits about Elton John's life and rise to fame. I had no idea before reading this that <em>Your Song</em>--one of my favorites--is his first big hit!

These stories are also so inspiring. Any child reading them is sure to find motivation from the life experiences of these people. Elton John, born Reginald, is definitely someone worthwhile for kids to admire. I loved learning about the struggles he faced and how he overcame them and I think a great many children will, too.

<b>The Look</b>

Every <em>Little People, Big Dreams</em> book has a similar illustration style, but with the fact that each is illustrated by a different person, you're bound to see a variety of styles. I'm a pretty big fan of what Beer has done with our favorite artist. Her artwork very cleverly captures Elton John's style and is gorgeous throughout. The illustrations are all bright and colorful, ready to entrance and engage children of any age.

Honestly, Sánchez Vegara could not have chosen a better artist to focus her 50th book on nor a better artist to portray him.

<b>And You Can Tell Everybody</b>

Of all the books in this series, I can honestly say that this is the one I'm most excited about. I had such a fun time reading it and I really hope that a large number of adults and children feel the same way. And hey, Christmas is just around the corner (only two-ish months!), so it's definitely worth considering.

One last thing, I should note that this book does discuss AIDS and, in particular, references someone important to Elton John who did die of it.

<em>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</em>

I love this series.

And what I really love about this series, and this book in particular, is how things are explained so easily to very young children, including the fact that Elton John is not only Gay but married with children as well.

The colors are bright. The story is simple, yet to the point, and should get kids to want to know more about him.

Nicely done.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

This is a great book! My kids are both musicians and really love the classics, so they enjoyed this book very much.

I got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
I love this book series, and especially love how varied the people featured are! (Both when it comes to country of origin and what they have become famous for) I also really think the art style compliments the whole vibe of Elton John.
A really nice story, and I feel like a lot of the key elements are there.

This little children's book boils down the impressive biography of Elton John to a few crucial facts and events, and it does so pretty successfully. The visuals are just stunning - the illustrations are full of colour and character, which goes perfectly with Elton's persona.

Elton John is such an interesting person, so no wonder the authors of the series decided to add a story of his life to the collection. I've never ceased to be amazed by his journey, and I hope this publication will inspire the younger audience to follow their dreams and help others along the way.

Another adorable and informative entry into the Little People Big Dreams picture book series! In this book kids learn about a shy boy from England named Reggie. Reggie used music as an escape and was talented on the piano from an early age. When he was a young man, in the late 60's Reggie teamed up with a lyricist and the two created hit songs. Reggie created the stage name Elton John and bedecked himself in colorful glasses and creative outfits. He went on to become one of the top selling solo performers ever and was even knighted by the Queen of England.

This is another inspiring story for little kids who may feel a bit different and let's them know what success can be had if they follow their dreams. The illustrations are charming and colorful with lots of little details for kids to explore. There is a timeline at the end of the book that shows important moments in Elton John's career along with real life photos of him.

What a fun book for children about Elton John! I loved the colorful illustrations and the author does a great job of succinctly summarizing Elton John's life and impact. The story was a little rushed, but enjoyable. I think parents who are fans will enjoy reading this one to their kids!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this ARC.

Once again, this series does a unique and special job at giving children the opportunity to learn about important people from various walks of life. As opposed to just going basically parallel to the ROCKETMAN story, Vegara keys in on John's philanthropy, finding love--just two quick examples that make this worth a purchase, even for adults, because these make for superb coffee table books.

The illustrations are colorful to the max, becoming of John's style, and there's plenty to look at past the story.

Yet another fine work in this series. It's going on my list of to-buy books.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group--Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the advance read.

This book was so cute! I love Elton. I would love to see him in concert. My parents got the chance 35 years ago. I loved all the color and the uplifting story. He has had a fascinating life with lots of ups and downs but he has stayed positive and is such a great role model for young people in the LGBTQ community.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another absolutely lovely addition to this collection.

I really enjoy these books, despite being aimed at children. The illustrations are lovely and it is so nice to get to know about the worlds most well known people.

I definitely recommend and I can’t wait to read more books in this collection in the future.

I love this biography series for children and Elton John has been a favorite musical artist of mine since I was a child (not to mention growing up watching Ryan White's story unfold on the television and watching his funeral), so I was excited to see this book was available. The illustrations are okay but don't do Elton justice and there is one line that truly makes me angry. Vegara writes: "He had thousands of spectacular glasses and the most amazing wardrobe a drag queen would long for." Elton John is not and has never been a drag queen, nor do all drag queens dress as outlandishly as Elton did on stage during his early years. Children will not understand why this sentence can rub adults wrong, so I can't knock the book for that, but it soured the book's enjoyment for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Another fantastic mini bio of the life of the incredibly talented singer and composer, Elton John. I loved that the book shared moments of his life i didn't even know. I hope this inspires children to be trailblazers and live their dreams.

Elton John is the newest lead in this latest edition of the Little People, BIG DREAMS series by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara. This series is such a delight and the perfect way to educate not just kids but everyone about historic and cultural icons.

John is an English singer, songwriter, pianist, and compose who has sold more than 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. This book follows Elton John from his partnership with Bernie Taupin and his solo career to his depression and his advocation for the LGBTQ+ community.

Sophie Beer illustrates this installment and does a fantastic job. Beer's art style was so adorable and her art definitely further helped tell John's story. This book taught me even more about an influential person who's songs I love. I love collecting these books and am so thrilled to add this one to the rest of my collection.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Elton John by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara is the latest addition to the Little People, BIG DREAMS series that has continued to enchant me. The series speaks to young children who have very big aspirations and, this time around, it is the Rocket Man himself whose profile inspires the success and happiness that comes from following your dreams.

As a child growing up in London, young Elton (then Reginald) began to play his grandmother's piano, and very quickly realized that he could reproduce complex compositions by ear. When he much later met Bernie Taupin, who had a remarkable talent for writing lyrics, the two joined forces to give the world some of the most memorable music of the last five decades. Throughout his phenomenal journey of success, Elton often felt sad and lonely, but he eventually found his true love, and created the family that he had always wanted. The story is brought to life by colourful and quirky illustrations that encapsulate and celebrate the iconic performer. This will be a treasured addition to any child's library.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children's Books for this ARC.

I loved the Elton John rendition if 'little people, big dreams'. He's a fantastic person for kids to learn about. Its also a perfect entryway to allow kids to discover his music.

Such a beautifully vibrant insight into Elton's early life and career with Elton's love of charity and his incredibly supportive husband playing their part too!

I have always enjoyed Elton Johns music so I wanted to see what this book had to offer. I was not disappointed. The book starts out in a storybook format explaining his life from a child until adult hood. I had never heard his real name before and did not realize he had teamed up with a writer. These books do not disappoint. .

LOVED this one!

The story was told beautifully and the illustrations were so colorful and mind stimulating!

This was a really sweet read about Elton John. The illustrations were bright and colorful, and the story was easy to follow and inspirational. This would be a great engaging read for young children, especially those who love music.

Absolutely adored this sweet little glimpse into Elton John's life. Children and parents will love this story. The illustrations are fabulous and the book highlights the biggest impacts Elton John has made on the world. Encouraging children to be open, accepting and to chase your dreams! This book will be a must have gift for any Elton John fan with children.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Elton John is another fantastic installment in the Little People Big Dreams series by the amazing Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara. This book is a young childs condensed and child friendly auto biography about Elton John and his life and how he has made an impact on the music industry. These books are amazingly inspirational for children and encourage them to not only pursue their dreams but to also never give up on them.
The illustrations are fantastic and so lifelike to Elton John all the way through!

I love this book series. I also am a big fan of Elton John. The book is an interesting story for young readers to learn about Elton. He has had such a long career and accomplished so much. He lived a different life, too. This is great for children to learn about different types of people.

Still, the pictures are the star! They are just magical and jump off the page. They bring the book to life. I loved seeing each page.

So, I am trying to find more books to read to young children. I would certainly recommend this one.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The ‘My First Little People, Big Dreams’ series provides informative and inspirational biographies about people who left a mark on this earth, no matter what difficulties they have encountered.
These stories are very short, but that’s because they’re books for children, so it’s totally understandable.
I think they are a very smart and wonderful way to introduce little children to such important figures.
This little book tells the story of Elton John, the most famous piano wizard who rocketed to stardom with his music. I like a lot Elton's music and it was really nice reading this book. I loved how he was portrayed in here and I'm so happy children have the chance to read about this exceptional figure.

We love Elton John. I loved the pictures in this book- the are bright and cheerful and tell his story so very well. There were a couple of things in the book that my daughter asked questions about, especially this phrase "Drag Queen" which helped usher us into a great conversation. We love all the books in this series as they are so well written and so lovely to look at.

The publisher made this available for review via netgalley. This is my honest review.

The Little People, Big Dreams series introduces young children to those from many fields and backgrounds. All take their subject from childhood and go on to show what they did in their adult lives. This time the story of Elton John is shared.

The book is engaging right from the start with its appealing cover and the illustrations continue to be just delightful throughout. Readers learn that Reggie, later known as Elton, found music to be central to his life. He played his first waltz (by ear) as a young child. From there, Elton went on to study classical music and, of course, later made his own music.

This title notes the contrast between Elton’s musical success and his inner sadness. His meeting with Ryan (adults may recall that he had Aids) and Elton’s promise to move forward in his life are acknowledged as is Elton’s husband David. All in all, Elton’s story is well told.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own. I give this one five stars.

Elton is the 50th book in the fantastic Little People, Big Dreams series (I know, I can't believe they've reached 50 either, bravo @quartokids!), and although we've only dipped a toe in so far we've loved reading about so many iconic people.

This is Elton's story, musical genius, LGBTQ+ icon, father, and husband, who has created a catalogue of incredible songs. As you'll know if you've read about Elton before or seen last year's brilliant biopic Rocketman, Elton's life hasn't been easy. He had, at times, a difficult childhood and faced mental health challenges during the peak of his career and Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara's retelling of Elton's life doesn't gloss over that which I love. It shows how everyone is human, even those who seem to have it all, and demonstrates how by focusing on his family and looking after himself Elton found true happiness. It's a lovely message to share with children, and although this is one for older kids (around 6+ I'd say) M and I have definitely enjoyed dancing round the kitchen to Elton's music!

I've also got to mention the glorious illustrations by @sophiebeerdraws and the rainbow of colours she uses which bring Elton's iconic costumes, songs and glasses to life. Get me some platform boots & specs, I'm ready to boogie!!

Do you know that Elton John is not his real name? Well if you don't, go read this book. As usual, the series is a compact biography for kids, so of course suitable for adults too! And Elton was not born genius, though he IS special, like any of us. So how does he become a super star with incredible talents?

I received an electronic ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books through NetGalley.
Sanchez Vegara has again written a delightful biography for elementary level readers. She presents Elton John's life from childhood through retirement from touring. Her simple to follow text pulls readers in so they are part of the action. She also includes a timeline and further facts at the end of the book.

What a fabulous vibrant telling of the life of Elton John! His personality shines through the pages, I could almost hear the music. This book teaches us that our dreams can come true. If I were to fault anything it would be disagreeing with the statement that his name wasn’t cool enough to be a star. In my opinion; it should be made clear that HE thought it wasn’t cool enough. Just a thought and a small distinction but with books geared towards younger readers it’s nice to be positive.

One of the most colorful and exciting in this series, and that’s saying something.

I love this series! It introduces young readers to important cultural and historical figures that they may not otherwise be familiar with. Elton John is a music icon, but children that have parents that do not listen to his music may have never heard of him. The author of this book introduced him to these readers in just the right way. I will be using this in my classroom.

Elton John is the 50th book in the Little People, Big Dreams series for children. Yet again, this is a wonderful addition to the series with a great storyline and illustrations. Thanks to NetGalley for my digital copy.

Charming and beautifully illustrated! This is the perfect way to share my love of Elton John with my nieces and encourage them to pursue their goals and dreams. Loved every page and how it was brought to life!

Once again the Little People, Big Dreams series has delivered. I love these books! Thank you for reminding me of Elton's birth name, and for teaching me the reason why Elton started playing the piano.

Thank you NetGalley for the DRC.

This series never runs out of diverse, colourful real-life stories to tell, does it? (big chef's kiss emoji)

Ahhh, Elton John. He is a living legend who has made music SO much cooler. Whether you've listened to his music before or have seen Rocketman, he's a super cool dude.

So, OF COURSE, I had to pick up this book. On top of it being from one of my fave children's picture books series that feature the best non-fiction content I've seen in a long time!

Elton John: Musician, Fashion Icon, real name is Reggie, best friend named Bernie, cool glasses, and overall cool guy. He's illustrated to be the sweetest, little nerd and he's just so cute. He's playing piano, auditioning, and learning his craft. This guy's story is told perfectly with the colourful artwork and beautiful illustrations. Honestly, these illustrations are WAY better than the previous instalments in this series. SO MUCH BETTER. SO COLOURFUL. I LIKE IT. ALL CAPS. STRESS THESE SENTENCES PLEASE.

Overall, this book is a must read from me!

Five out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Another charming book in the Little People, Big Dreams series. The illustrations are on point, astutely capturing the likeness of Elton John and some of his most iconic outfits and accessories. For such a short volume, Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara again does a great job of choosing pivotal events in John's life and career, presenting them in a way that progresses nicely and offering a picture of the artist's life that is accessible to the target audience.

Opinions: “Elton John” is a tender, enthralling story for young children to read with their parents. The story is appropriate and the pages are illustrated beautifully! This is definitely one to have on your shelf. Although simple and transparent, themes about perseverance and self-care are abundant and accessible to young readers. In short, “Elton John” is an adorable bedtime story that will stay with children for a long time.

My Favourite Thing: I love that young, and I mean young, children are being exposed to celebrities like Elton John. This will inspire a love for music among other things, like an eye for fashion! It also provides a foundation and understanding for our culture which fantasy and fiction wouldn’t provide. I strongly recommend “Elton John” to parents with small toddlers!

My Least Favourite Thing: On the other hand, and although I understand the inappropriate elements of Elton John’s life must be suppressed for the age level of the readers, I feel like glazing over his long history belittles his accomplishments and fails to teach readers about the more dangerous obstacles life can throw at you. If an author can’t explain in a simple, careful way why drugs, fame, relationships, and money can impact a person negatively, why share Elton John’s story at all?

Very colourful illustrations just like the personality. A beautiful book for everyone.This whole series is a must have for any library

Little People, BIG DREAMS is such an amazing series. I cannot praise it enough. It is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. Elton John is the 50th book in the series. He is an iconic entertainer: songwriter, singer, piano player, and performer extraordinaire that is revered all over the world. He is famous for his stunning flamboyant costumes and fancy glasses that his fans adore.

Elton began playing his grandmother's piano in Harrow, London. He had the ability to pick out tunes by ear and because of his innate talent ended up at the Royal Academy. He answered an ad in a newspaper which lead to a meeting with a lyric-writing friend name Bernie Taupin. Together they created music-magic. His fabulous music got the whole world's attention and Elton, with his amazing concerts and empathic loving heart, was a standout amongst his peers.

The illusrations are vibrant, colourful and quirky. They are a perfect tribute to Elton's music and story. The author has included a biographical timeline with photos and a deeper profile of Elton's life. I highly, highly recommend this book and the entire series.