Kwame Alexander is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 40 powerful, provocative books, including The Undefeated and An American Story. A recipient of both Newbery and Caldecott medals, he received an honorary doctorate from American University in 2024, recognizing his profound impact on literature and education.
This new ode to Black American musical history for readers ages four to eight begins with the talking drums of West Africa, which were forbidden during the enslavement of Africans in America out of fear that they could be used to organize an uprising. It travels through hymns, juke joints, blues, jazz, ragtime, reggae, rumba, and much more, with lyrical lines that convey the feelings generated by different musical styles, musicians, and events.
Compare, for instance, the patter of this passage about Billie Holiday:
Listen to the lady singing sentimental
the enchanting scat
the bebop
and the brooding bossa
to this moving description of call-and-response prayers:
Listen to the litanies that lifted
the insufferable weight off our world
to the spirituals that cleansed us.
Each page begins with the "listen to" motif and is supported by extensive back-matter that clarifies and builds upon earlier references. (See the excerpt about "star-spangled dignity.)
Charly Parker's illustrations, ranging from mellow to exuberant, are unfailing in their ability to show how this music brings us alive, restores courage, and fortifies democracy. The final page shows a musical score, an American flag, protestors with Hope and Peace printed on their t-shirts, and roses in bloom, accompanied by Alexander's proclamation:
Listen to the soundtrack of America
a symphony
of refuge and redemption
the sweet sound of a people
surviving and thriving
all the while learning
to love themselves
by singing it LOUD
and PROUD.
What a crucial reminder for us all to keep the sweet sound of the people alive, come what may!
