Coloring book features life story of Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A new coloring book is paying tribute to Aretha Franklin on what would have been the Queen of Soul's 80th birthday.

"She was a queen in every way. She was graceful. She was beautiful. She was the best at what she did," said journalist and author Cynthia Henley.

Henley and her husband Curtis Lewis published a coloring book to honor Franklin and tell her life story.

The couple said the pandemic delayed the release of "Aretha Franklin: Amazing Grace," but the book is finally here.

"It’s a long time coming. It is a big day," Henley said.

Lewis, who is a close friend of the Franklin family, said he wanted to share stories about the singer and the challenges she overcame.

"When she passed, it was like losing a member of the family," he said, "Aretha, she used to go to the library. She’s sung before kings, popes, presidents, and so on. But I was told when she went to the library to read to the children, she was nervous."

The couple hopes to share a message with not only children, but adults as well.

"That’s the thing that we want our kids and all kids, not just kids, but even adults to see – you can thrive regardless of whatever your circumstances," Henley said.

The goal is to get the coloring books into school systems.