Lean on Me
Song lyrics by Bill Withers • Illustrations by Rachel Moss
Akashic Books • LyricPop
The LyricPop series from Akashic Books turns well-known pop songs into uplifting children’s books. The series uses the song lyric as text, while an illustrator creates a story in pictures amplifying themes found in the original song.
Bill Withers’ classic tune, “Lean on Me,” has been used many times in movies and TV shows to underscore the power of friendship. Rachel Moss illustrates Withers’ words with the story of four friends growing up together. Moss shows the kids from their elementary school days through their high school graduation. Along the way, each of the characters faces a challenge that their friends and families help them through. One of the vignettes shows one of the kids trying to build a tree house. When her first attempt fails, her friends rally to her side, and with the help of their parents, build a strong and beautiful tree house.
Lean on Me provides a nice illustration that we’re all in this world together. When things get rough, we don’t have to face it alone. It goes against the “rugged individualist” mythology that’s been popular in American culture for so long. To me, that’s a good thing. The “I don’t need anyone” approach hasn’t worked out that well based on what I’ve experienced.
I hope the kids who read Lean on Me grow up to be adults working for a better world for all of us.
