Heidi Tyline King

American Beach was a place of sun, music, family, and freedom. For MaVynee Betsch, it was also home. This picture book biography tells the true story of MaVynee, an African American opera singer who grew up loving the beach her grandfather helped create during the Jim Crow era, when many public beaches were closed to Black families. As MaVynee’s life carried her from the ocean shore to international stages, American Beach remained close to her heart. When the beloved community began to fade, MaVynee turned her powerful voice toward preservation. Her story introduces young readers to civil rights history, environmental activism, and the importance of protecting places that hold memory, dignity, and joy.