Ordinary Days

The Seeds, Sound, and City That Grew Prince Rogers Nelson

By: Angela Joy, Jacqueline Alcántara

Narrated by: Angela Joy

This program is read by the author and features sound design and special effects to enhance your listening enjoyment. Listen out for the mesmerizing guitar melodies and the sounds of rain.

A rhythmic, striking biography of legendary singer/songwriter/performer Prince.

Before he became a legend, he was just a boy…

On an ordinary day, you could see him. A young boy named Prince Rogers Nelson, who had parents who fought, nowhere to call home, and a collection of memories turned into sound: the shouts of anger, the purr of pigeons, the roar of cars down a busy Minneapolis street, and the whisper of cold wind on budding lilac bushes.

Other sounds joined in as he taught himself to play the guitar, piano, drums, and much more, leading to the day this ordinary boy began to make music—and became extraordinary.

Black Is a Rainbow Color and Choosing Brave author Angela Joy’s exquisite words create a tender, profound look into music icon Prince's early life and the moments that shaped him.

Ordinary Days also includes an extensive author’s note and playlist of recommended Prince songs suitable for young listeners.

A Macmillan Audio production from Roaring Brook Press.

Critic reviews

<p>"This poetic picture-book biography is a sensitively expressed tribute... Through its compelling poetry, this poignant perspective on Prince’s boyhood illuminates the moments that led an ordinary boy to become a musician of extraordinary accomplishments." —<i>Booklist<br></i><br>"The rhythm of Joy’s poetic text matches the rhythm of Prince’s early life... [this] telling of Prince’s childhood will resonate with young people who use art to find meaning in difficult days." —<i>Horn Book</i><br><br>"[A] lyrical tribute to the groundbreaking Black musician." —<i>Kirkus<br><br>"</i>Via emotional verse and lavender-tinged spreads, Joy and Alcántra capture the life and artistry of Prince Rogers Nelson (1958–2016) in this evocative picture book.<i>"</i> —<i>Publishers Weekly<br><br></i>"In this visually gorgeous, poetic homage to Prince, readers are introduced to a brilliant musician who often drew on his painful early childhood as inspiration for his work... [T]his is a noteworthy, introductory look at a truly astonishing musician." — <i>Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books</i> (BCCB) <br><br><i>"</i>This is a bold biography, finding inspiration from the subject and universalizing Prince’s creativity through a gentle approach. It’s perfect for elementary schools, especially as applied to music and art." —<i>School Library Journal</i></p>