Palmetto Publishing, a United States publisher based in Charleston, South Carolina, has released Nora’s Song, a new children’s picture book by author Nort Salz and illustrator Siren Llunet. Subtitled “A Story of Strength and Courage,” the book follows a young girl who dreams of singing for her family but must first find the courage to face her fear.
Story and themes#
When her cousins arrive for a rare family visit, Nora and the other children turn the living room into a stage for a talent show. Nora is ready to sing “Over the Rainbow,” the song she and her beloved Grammie both adore. She has practiced, she knows the words, and she cannot wait to share it.
But when the curtain parts and she sees how many people are watching, the words she rehearsed slip away and the tune feels just out of reach. Whether Nora can find the courage to stay on stage, and how her family rallies around her in that fragile moment, form the emotional heart of the story.
“This story grew out of a real moment at a family gathering on the cattle farm my wife Janet and I ran. I watched a child face that kind of fear, and I saw what family support can do. I wanted young readers to know that courage is not the absence of being scared. It is choosing to try even when you are. And I wanted them to see the power of getting a little help.”
Nora’s Song is designed for children ages three to seven and the caregivers who read to them. It is positioned alongside picture books such as The Kissing Hand and Giraffes Can’t Dance, which help young readers process everyday fears. Salz’s own background as an educator and school principal shapes his understanding of what motivates and inspires children throughout the book.
Author background#
Nort Salz brings a varied background to children’s literature. After pursuing his boyhood dream of becoming an astronaut by earning an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering, he went on to take a graduate degree in education and spent years shaping young lives as a teacher and school principal before moving into business consulting and farming.
His path to writing picture books began one Memorial Day weekend at Steady Lane Farm, the cattle farm he ran with his wife, Janet, when he watched his young friend, Nora, summon the courage to sing in front of a crowd with a little encouragement from a loving grandparent. That moment became the basis for Nora’s Song: A Story of Strength and Courage. His background in education gives him a clear sense of how children experience fear, triumph, and the warmth of family support, themes that shine through in his writing.
When he is not writing, Nort can be found building stone walls and patios, helping out at the community food pantry and reading to his grandchildren, drawing endless inspiration from those moments together.
Availability and publication details#
Nora’s Song is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. It can also be requested at bookstores and libraries.
- Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
- Publication date: September 8, 2026
- ISBN-13: 9798318814860, 9798318814853
