Can You Hear The Music?

A heartwarming and humorous children's book by 2021 Caldecott Honor winner, Karim Shamsi-Basha, and Dr. Nor Darwish, a family medicine practitioner.

Inspired by a viral cat video on the television show, Ellen, during one of her famous cat weeks. 'Can you Hear the Music?' celebrates our individuality and the importance of embracing our differences.

Join Mimo the cat on a delightful journey of self-discovery.

Mimo's ears are not flat like other Scottish-Fold cats. One day, she sees herself in the mirror and tries to flatten her ears with her paw, but they perk back up. Mimo tries again to no avail. A delightful video clip of this incident launched Mimo into stardom. Now, @mimothekitten profile on Instagram has 13,000 followers and more than 20 million views.

'Can you Hear the Music?' teaches children valuable lessons about self-acceptance and the beauty of diversity. Perfect for young readers, the book defines our differences as the brush strokes on the canvas of this beautiful life.

Karim Shamsi-Basha's children's book, Cat Man of Aleppo, won the 2021 Caldecott Honor among other awards. His work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Sports Illustrated, Coastal Living, People, Time, Southern Living, The New York Times and The Washington Post. Currently, Karim is a Food & Culture Columnist with nj.com and The Star Ledger in New Jersey. A single father to three precious children: Zade, Dury and Demi, Karim lives by the motto, Carpe diem, seizing life's treasured moments.

Nor Darwish, MD is a dedicated family medicine doctor. With seven years of experience in the medical field, Dr. Darwish just recently opened her own private practice in Staten Island. As a single mom to an adorable four-year-old son, Ayan, Dr. Darwish was inspired by his love for storytelling to write her debut children's book, 'Can you hear the music?' She combines her experiences as a doctor and a mother to celebrate acceptance, diversity and the importance of believing in yourself.

Introducing Salma Alhindi, a 19-year-old Syrian-American artist residing in New York City. Currently studying Architecture at the New York Institute of Technology, Salma has always pursued her passion for art and illustration alongside her academic pursuits. Her dedication shines through in her illustrations for this book, marking it as one of her most significant accomplishments to date. Salma hopes that through her narrative and artistic style, this book will captivate and inspire readers around the globe.

Follow Mimo on Instagram: @mimothekitten
Watch Mimo find her ears on the Ellen show: https: //youtu.be/puAW-LwfkqM?si=UXXO16xQT6ol556R