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On Beale Street
ROCK AND ROLL IS ABOUT TO CHANGE JOHNNY ROSS' LIFE.
Living in Memphis in 1954, Johnny's world is completely segregated -- until he starts sneaking out to Beale Street at night. Beale Street, with its music clubs, is on the wrong side of the tracks, but it's the only place Johnny can hear the blues, which is all he cares about. It's also near Sun Records, where Johnny finds himself working for Sam Phillips -- and witnessing history in the making when an up-and-coming musician named Elvis records his first song. Nobody has heard anything like it.
All at once Johnny is pulled into a storm of controversy around this new kind of music, just as racial tensions are reaching a breaking point. What started out as a part-time job and a way to get behind the scenes of a record label is now spinning out of control. As songs like Elvis's start rising up the charts, Johnny sees the power music has to bring people together -- while secrets from the past threaten to tear his black-and-white life apart.
In this searing, cinematic novel, acclaimed writer Ronald Kidd tells a coming-of-age story set against a backdrop of race conflict and the birth of rock and roll.
Living in Memphis in 1954, Johnny's world is completely segregated -- until he starts sneaking out to Beale Street at night. Beale Street, with its music clubs, is on the wrong side of the tracks, but it's the only place Johnny can hear the blues, which is all he cares about. It's also near Sun Records, where Johnny finds himself working for Sam Phillips -- and witnessing history in the making when an up-and-coming musician named Elvis records his first song. Nobody has heard anything like it.
All at once Johnny is pulled into a storm of controversy around this new kind of music, just as racial tensions are reaching a breaking point. What started out as a part-time job and a way to get behind the scenes of a record label is now spinning out of control. As songs like Elvis's start rising up the charts, Johnny sees the power music has to bring people together -- while secrets from the past threaten to tear his black-and-white life apart.
In this searing, cinematic novel, acclaimed writer Ronald Kidd tells a coming-of-age story set against a backdrop of race conflict and the birth of rock and roll.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 17, 2008
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About the author
Ronald Kidd
133 books35 followersRonald Kidd is the author of thirteen novels for young readers, including the highly acclaimed “Night on Fire” and “Monkey Town: The Summer of the Scopes Trial.” His novels of adventure, comedy, mystery, and American history have received the Children's Choice Award, an Edgar Award nomination, and honors from the American Library Association, the International Reading Association, the Library of Congress, and the New York Public Library. He is a two-time O'Neill playwright who lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 27, 2024
I didn't know much about Memphis and the beginning of rock 'n roll, so this was an eye-opening novel.
February 23, 2009
Johnny Ross is growing up in Memphis, Tennessee. It is 1954, and he is 15 years old. The Civil Rights Era is in full swing as the black and white communities in the city interact while also being clearly divided. An interest in music definitely seems to bring people of all types together, though, particularly as Elvis Presley, in the early years of his career, seems to draw upon influences from the music of both races.
Johnny has always had an interest in music, and he is really into jazz. Beale Street is the jazz center of the city as well as being the core of black culture. He finds himself heading down there often despite his mother's displeasure. It is there that he meets and befriends Elvis, which leads to taking a position as janitor and gofer at Sun Records.
While he starts to see positive interactions between the races, the city's harsh realities don't fade away, particularly when a burning cross is set up in the black community by the Ku Klux Klan and he is also forced to choose whether or not to remain close to his best friend, an African American teen his mother disapproves of.
Johnny explores the realities of his time as well as what really makes him the person that he is. In the process, readers get a better understanding of the Civil Rights Era and the birth of rock & roll.
I have always seen Kidd as a strong historical fiction writer for teens, particularly with his Monkeytown, which explored the Scopes Monkey Trial. The writing in this book is just as strong, and it is very easy to get drown in to Johnny's world and the challenges he is facing. I did think the ending was a little rushed, and I am not sure how many teens would really be drawn into the book since most of the songs and musical figures are likely to be unfamiliar to them. It would be worth their giving it a try, though.
Johnny has always had an interest in music, and he is really into jazz. Beale Street is the jazz center of the city as well as being the core of black culture. He finds himself heading down there often despite his mother's displeasure. It is there that he meets and befriends Elvis, which leads to taking a position as janitor and gofer at Sun Records.
While he starts to see positive interactions between the races, the city's harsh realities don't fade away, particularly when a burning cross is set up in the black community by the Ku Klux Klan and he is also forced to choose whether or not to remain close to his best friend, an African American teen his mother disapproves of.
Johnny explores the realities of his time as well as what really makes him the person that he is. In the process, readers get a better understanding of the Civil Rights Era and the birth of rock & roll.
I have always seen Kidd as a strong historical fiction writer for teens, particularly with his Monkeytown, which explored the Scopes Monkey Trial. The writing in this book is just as strong, and it is very easy to get drown in to Johnny's world and the challenges he is facing. I did think the ending was a little rushed, and I am not sure how many teens would really be drawn into the book since most of the songs and musical figures are likely to be unfamiliar to them. It would be worth their giving it a try, though.
September 9, 2010
On Beale Street by Ronald Kidd is an amazing book set in the time of Memphis’s worst racial segregation. The books main character, Johnny, lives in Memphis TN and witnesses many things, be they good or bad, that changes history forever. He finds himself working for a record company, Sun Records that records Elvis’s first song (hit) song. This new kind of music seems to be creating even more racial tension which sends Johnny out of control.
Music is what seems to be bringing the two races together, and this is what attracts Johnny to the wrong side of town. Beale Street. This is the place that is full of jazz, clubs and excitement. Although this seems fun for him, Johnny is not accepted here only because this is the side for African American people to come. He finds that this is his place to be but this only brings back memories of his past. Along the way, he finds friends that will help him get through this as he helps them. Johnny finds the true meaning of music and how it is so impactful.
This book is a great read for people who want a fun, exciting historical fiction book. It gives great history about Memphis TN with a twist. This book was great even though it was not much of a challenge, but I still loved it.
Music is what seems to be bringing the two races together, and this is what attracts Johnny to the wrong side of town. Beale Street. This is the place that is full of jazz, clubs and excitement. Although this seems fun for him, Johnny is not accepted here only because this is the side for African American people to come. He finds that this is his place to be but this only brings back memories of his past. Along the way, he finds friends that will help him get through this as he helps them. Johnny finds the true meaning of music and how it is so impactful.
This book is a great read for people who want a fun, exciting historical fiction book. It gives great history about Memphis TN with a twist. This book was great even though it was not much of a challenge, but I still loved it.
December 25, 2014
This story featured a true fact on the existing disparity seen between in races according to skin color, between the Negroes and whites. Johnny Ross may be white from his outlook, but he is everyone in the same light. He see different races as one unity, no outcast involved. Negros are his friends, and color is just skin-deep. He has the determination of acceptance, something everyone of us should learn from so that we socially accept everyone regardless of their races, and conjure ourselves into 'color-blind' community.
August 24, 2014
As a Memphian, I found this to be a fun little read. I love how the author researched a place and time that intrigued him, and he spun in this fictional twist of a story: the story of young Johnny Ross. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, storyline, and of course, all the familiarities of this place I call home.
November 10, 2014
On bale street is a book about a young boy growing up in the 1950s and he becomes friends with a black boy and back then blacks and whites didnt mix. They ended up being good friends but got into a lot of truble with eachother. He also met young else and found out alot about him. He and his black friend did get into some truble but noting they couldnt get out of. On Bale Street is a great read
August 10, 2011
eh, i'm never compelled by ronald kidd books, but i keep checking them out. they are just fine, they are easy reads to keep me on my goal for the year, but i'm never all that interested in the historic period. this one did have a fun twist, though.
January 24, 2009
About a white kid who hangs out at black clubs listening to music, the beginning of rock&roll. He becomes friends with a black kid and finds out they have something in common.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews