I Am Mozart, Too: The Lost Genius of Maria Anna Mozart
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2022
Agent: Sandra Dijkstra
To everyone who has heard of my famous younger brother but has never heard of me.
I Am Mozart, Too is a picture book biography about Wolfgang's older sister, Maria Anna Mozart, who was a child prodigy and a secret composer, perfect for Women's History Month.
Nannerl and Wolfie love playing the harpsichord together. They are so talented, the Mozart siblings perform all over Europe for packed audiences in beautiful concert halls. Even Empress Maria Theresa requests that they stop in Vienna to play especially for her.
But then Nannerl does something naughty: She starts writing music of her own. Papa fumes. Girls are not allowed to compose! Girls belong behind the curtain.
While Wolfie’s solo career takes flight, Nannerl must settle for a life offstage. But it doesn’t stop her from pursuing her dreams in secret.
With vivid, sweeping art by Adelina Lirius, author Audrey Ades tells the powerful true story of a talented, ambitious girl who has been hidden from history—a girl who was and always will be a genius, too.
Reviews:
"Narrated by Maria Anna Mozart (1751–1829), known as “Nannerl,” this creative nonfiction narrative offers a glimpse into the older Mozart prodigy’s life, from early travels and performances with younger brother Wolfgang to their domineering father’s forcing her early retirement and subsequent marriage. Ades’s personal-sounding, contemporary prose focuses on Nannerl’s love for both music and her brother: “Wolfie and I practiced all day./ Two bodies. Four hands. One perfect purpose.” This empathically rendered portrayal of a lesser-known musical wunderkind, with fanciful gouache and digital art by Lirius that visualizes music’s flow, highlights the figure’s talent and passion while asking whether her legacy could have been more extensive. Back matter includes a note about creative nonfiction and artistic liberties, and more about patriarchy in 18th century Europe. Ages 4–8." - Publishers Weekly