About Solo's Song

Solo's Song began in 2016 when author Michael Kelly was struck with the thought: What if there was a poem about a trumpet named Solo? It could be called Solo's Song...

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Almost instantly, the story behind the title came to be. Pulling from lived experience, Michael wrote Solo's journey as a reflection of the impact bullying can have on kids, the different ways in which allies may show up for them, and what it takes to overcome struggle and believe in yourself.

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The result was an entirely unique children's book that marries the charm of picture books with the feel of a chapter book, packaged in a continuously rhyming, poetic verse. It's taken 10 years for this story to come to life, but the wait was well worth it.

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Solo's Song could not exist without the exceptional work of illustrator Ashley Casalino and the champions at Whistleslick Press. Under the care of Ashley, Solo went from and idea to the lovable trumpet we see today—not to mention the design of Ivory the grand piano, Big Brass the wise ol' trombone, the world of Big City, and the rest of the musical crew—while Whistleslick's dedication to helping new authors self-publish was the empowerment needed to bring Solo's Song to your bookshelf at home.

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If you'd like to hear more from Solo, Ivory, Snare and the rest of the musical crew, let us know. Contact us to share your thoughts, reviews, and ideas for what's next at Spilt Beans Books.