Additional information
by Megan Piphus (Author), Niña Mata (Illustrator)
In this empowering picture book by a groundbreaking Sesame Street Puppeteer, a shy girl finds her voice with the help of her favorite puppet.
At home, May loves to play pretend with her puppets, leading them fearlessly on all sorts of adventures. But at school, May is shy. When a class project offers the perfect chance for May to speak up, she has a unique idea for how to use her voice. With a little practice, a lot of imagination, and the help of a special friend, May is ready to let out her inner lioness! Based on the real-life story of Emmy-winning author Megan Piphus, the first full-time Black woman puppeteer on Sesame Street, and lovingly illustrated by award-winning artist Niña Mata, this tale of authentic self-expression will inspire young readers to embrace their own unique voices. Back matter features illustrated step-by-step instructions to make a puppet!Author Biography
Megan Piphus taught herself puppetry and ventriloquism at age ten by watching VHS tapes. Since 2020, Megan has played the role of Gabrielle, a 6-year old black girl Muppet, on Sesame Street. After training for a year to learn Muppet style puppetry with the cast of Sesame Street, Megan became the first full-time Black woman puppeteer to perform on Sesame Street in September of 2021. Megan is a mom of two young boys--Leo and Ty.
Niña Mata is the New York Times Bestselling Illustrator of I Promise by LeBron James and She's Got This by Laurie Hernandez. Niña's family emigrated from the Philippines when she was 6 years old, and settled in Queens, New York. Because her parents worked and went to night school, Niña spent a lot (like a whole lot) of time drawing. She studied Illustration at The Fashion Institute of Technology of NY. Niña currently lives in New Jersey with her husband, their daughter, and Tabi, the cat.
Number of Pages: 40
Dimensions: 0.4 x 11 x 8.7 IN
Publication Date: May 05, 2026
