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The Sound that Jazz Makes
A symphony of sound and color, The Sound That Jazz Makes is an eloquently rendered celebration of a remarkable heritage. Author Carole Boston Weatherford's lyrical stanzas combine with the power of luminous oil paintings by Coretta Scott King New Talent winner, Eric Velasquez ( The Piano Man ) to trace the development of jazz. From African forests to wooden slave ships to Harlem nightclubs, the tragic and joyous legacy of the African-American experience gives jazz its passion and spirit.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
Carole Boston Weatherford
117 books428 followersCarole Boston Weatherford is a children's book author and poet who mines the past for family stories, traditions, and struggles. A number of CAROLE's books tell the stories of African-American historical figures such as Harriet Tubman, Jesse Owens, and Billie Holiday. Other books recount historical events such as the Greensboro Sit-ins and the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. CAROLE's books have received a wide variety of awards, including a Caldecott Honour for “Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom”.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 28, 2021
This is one of those books that will never the review it deserves because it is impossible for any review to equal the greatness that is the book.
Because this children's book is great. Even if you aren't a child and love music (and who doesn't love music), you should read this book. If you a musician or study music, you should own this book. The book traces the history and development of jazz, both the pictures and the words match the style of music.
So lovely.
Because this children's book is great. Even if you aren't a child and love music (and who doesn't love music), you should read this book. If you a musician or study music, you should own this book. The book traces the history and development of jazz, both the pictures and the words match the style of music.
So lovely.
March 26, 2019
Good pictures and story.
Read
October 18, 2020Carole Boston Weatherford uses historical events and original African American homelands to explain the evolution of the musical genre, jazz. From African homelands to slave ships to city nightclubs, the tragic and joyous legacy of African-American representation of jazz, its history and ancestral beginnings. This books illustrations follow Mrs. Weatherford's poetic explanations and fluid word usage very well.
As an author study, within african American studies, to multicultural or music studies, The Sound that Jazz Makes would be a great addition to any instructors library. This book can be used to teach the beginnings and evolution of jazz, used to research or discuss the elements of poetry, or about a piece of American culture that began with sorrowful and all to true slavery practices to dancing in a nightclub to the sweet sound of drums, saxophones, or pianos. I can see this book being used as an author study, author comparison, or book comparison with other works created to explain the evolution of jazz. I would personally read a poem or two a day and listen to some original jazz excerpts to help bring the history of jazz to life for my students.
As an author study, within african American studies, to multicultural or music studies, The Sound that Jazz Makes would be a great addition to any instructors library. This book can be used to teach the beginnings and evolution of jazz, used to research or discuss the elements of poetry, or about a piece of American culture that began with sorrowful and all to true slavery practices to dancing in a nightclub to the sweet sound of drums, saxophones, or pianos. I can see this book being used as an author study, author comparison, or book comparison with other works created to explain the evolution of jazz. I would personally read a poem or two a day and listen to some original jazz excerpts to help bring the history of jazz to life for my students.
March 23, 2010
For ages 7-9, this is a great recounting of the story of jazz. The rhyming verse carries the story from ancient Africa to present-day America. The illustrations are in a style that will appeal to younger readers, and the layout of the text beneath the illustrations is very accessible. The music content holds lots of possibilities for arts integration. Some of the specific music items mentioned include drums, kalimba, banjo, guitar, cakewalks, ragtime, the "drinking gourd," blues, gospel, as well as Satchmo, Harlem, Duke,and Birdland. A book that is a gateway to further explorations of jazz.
June 11, 2024
I want to highlight a remarkable non-fiction picture book by Carole Boston Weatherford, which can be found on WAKElet and Horn Book Reviews. This award-winning book beautifully combines the history of African heritage with the development of jazz. The story is told in poetic form and features incredible illustrations by Eric Velasquez. It has received accolades such as the Coretta Scott King New Talent Award and the Carter G. Woodson Book Award from the National Council for Social Studies.
Carole Weatherford takes readers on a non-fiction journey from the African homelands to the slave ships to America, tracing the evolution of jazz music. The book introduces rich musical vocabulary from African heritage, such as "kalimba and banjo," and delves into the roots and meaning behind the genre of music. This book is suitable for grades K-3 and is a wonderful read for music enthusiasts of all ages. It could also inspire students to write poetry and engage in discussions about diverse BIPOC themes. The story touches on slavery, providing an opportunity for meaningful discussions around systemic racism and its impact on black America.
I truly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to everyone. The author's beautiful poetic language and wonderful illustrations offer readers a deeper understanding of African culture. It evokes a range of emotions, including anger and sadness, as it sheds light on the painful history of a culture ripped from their homes and enslaved. I believe it's vitally important to prominently feature books like this that bring historical truths to life and challenge the falsehoods taught to us as children
Carole Weatherford takes readers on a non-fiction journey from the African homelands to the slave ships to America, tracing the evolution of jazz music. The book introduces rich musical vocabulary from African heritage, such as "kalimba and banjo," and delves into the roots and meaning behind the genre of music. This book is suitable for grades K-3 and is a wonderful read for music enthusiasts of all ages. It could also inspire students to write poetry and engage in discussions about diverse BIPOC themes. The story touches on slavery, providing an opportunity for meaningful discussions around systemic racism and its impact on black America.
I truly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to everyone. The author's beautiful poetic language and wonderful illustrations offer readers a deeper understanding of African culture. It evokes a range of emotions, including anger and sadness, as it sheds light on the painful history of a culture ripped from their homes and enslaved. I believe it's vitally important to prominently feature books like this that bring historical truths to life and challenge the falsehoods taught to us as children
June 29, 2018
From the African drums to the kalimba to the banjo to the guitar. The beautiful vastness of Africa to boarding the slave ships. The cake walks and ragtime allllll the way to Harlem to hip hop, The Sound That Jazz makes is a beautiful depiction of the evolution of Jazz music! This book is excellent! A must read for all music lovers.
June 27, 2017
Eric Velasquez' illustrations take this book into another kind of reading experience. Weatherford's poetry provides the framework of history, but the art brings it home and makes it all very real. I dare anyone to read this and not feel a barrage of emotions from fear, to anger, to hope, and to pride.
August 15, 2017
"Jazz is a downbeat born in our nation,
chords of struggle and jubilation,
bursting forth from hearts set free
in notes that echo history."
A rhythmical chronology of the history of jazz with heartfelt words and stunning illustrations.
chords of struggle and jubilation,
bursting forth from hearts set free
in notes that echo history."
A rhythmical chronology of the history of jazz with heartfelt words and stunning illustrations.
July 1, 2020
Beautiful Melody
The book is written with a bouncing rhythm that you can't help but to pick up. It tells an easy story with hard parts about the evolution of jazz and music of the African-American community. The story sings of the rich rhythm in our bones.
The book is written with a bouncing rhythm that you can't help but to pick up. It tells an easy story with hard parts about the evolution of jazz and music of the African-American community. The story sings of the rich rhythm in our bones.
November 27, 2017
Nice overview of jazz's historical roots in mostly picture book format.
May 2, 2019
The sound that jazz makes is an celebration of a remarkable heritage. Author Carole creates a children's book about a young African american that finds his passion for music.
January 1, 2020
Astonishing illustrations
April 19, 2020
10yr old
It’s Really good ,it shows truth behind what happen to people of African decent👍🏽👏🏽 suitable for kids to reach !
It’s Really good ,it shows truth behind what happen to people of African decent👍🏽👏🏽 suitable for kids to reach !
April 29, 2020
Baby enjoyed it
KU. Read it to my baby and he loved it. He was cooing and kicking and looking at the pages. Great illustrations.
KU. Read it to my baby and he loved it. He was cooing and kicking and looking at the pages. Great illustrations.
April 30, 2020
Gorgeous illustrations. The story is short and sweet, but still full of information.
Read
May 17, 2020great illustrations. very cool, illustrations are just so eye appealing
January 16, 2022
The book traces jazz’s history and its influence.
Read
July 18, 2016This was an incredibly clever riff on the classic cumulative rhyme “The House That Jack Built”. Each page has a quatrain with the rhyme scheme AABB. It really makes the book move along and sing.
The story follows the invention of jazz from Africa through the middle passage to slavery, the Jazz Age, and into the modern era with hip hop. It’s an amazing look at the history of a people through music. It isn’t cumulative in the way the traditional rhyme is, though, and this is where the genius of it comes in. It’s cumulative in its history. Each quatrain builds on the next because the history it presents builds on the history that came before. This also cleverly leaves a lot open for discussion despite the simple four-line text.
The illustrations by Eric Velasquez are beautiful. People glow. Their expressions are so full of life. Each page usually features more than on scene and he combines them seamlessly. Some appear in strips stacked on top of one another. Others are nested inside the larger illustration.
I highly recommend this one for collections that feature some jazz books or are looking to add a few, but also any school library that supports curriculum that studies African Americans. It’s such an engaging look at history that will work for a range of ages.
The story follows the invention of jazz from Africa through the middle passage to slavery, the Jazz Age, and into the modern era with hip hop. It’s an amazing look at the history of a people through music. It isn’t cumulative in the way the traditional rhyme is, though, and this is where the genius of it comes in. It’s cumulative in its history. Each quatrain builds on the next because the history it presents builds on the history that came before. This also cleverly leaves a lot open for discussion despite the simple four-line text.
The illustrations by Eric Velasquez are beautiful. People glow. Their expressions are so full of life. Each page usually features more than on scene and he combines them seamlessly. Some appear in strips stacked on top of one another. Others are nested inside the larger illustration.
I highly recommend this one for collections that feature some jazz books or are looking to add a few, but also any school library that supports curriculum that studies African Americans. It’s such an engaging look at history that will work for a range of ages.
November 7, 2013
This is lovely book told in a circular format about the history of Jazz. It begins with people from Africa and their musical history, the slave trade and the continuance of their culture through song and music. As freedom loomed the music developed into ragtime and finally Jazz. I thought the poetry was on target and engaging, the illustrations were perfect for the subject matter and meaningful for the text. I felt moved by the book and it ends with rap, a very important music for today's youth. Inspired book which knows what it is talking about.
November 24, 2012
This is one of my FAVORITE children's books in my classroom and such a GREAT book for music teachers to use to integrate reading into their curriculum. It has great history, great imagery, great rhyme and flow, and a great message. This book is a Carter G. Woodson Book Award Winner and a well deserved recipient.
March 25, 2017
This book describes the history of jazz music but also a lot of the important events in the history of African Americans since before they even arrived in what would become the United States. Well written in a poetic quatrain style. The Eric Velasquez illustrations are beautiful as his work always is. Great book, and not a very difficult read.
December 17, 2013
This book portrayed the history of music. This would be a good book to used when talking about musical influences.
May 27, 2014
This was such a wonderful introduction to the history of jazz. Required reading for the young music lover in your life.
June 9, 2015
Teaches in a way you want to learn.
It offers a clear concise history of African American music with a rhythm that echoes the music itself
Interesting and easy for every level.
It offers a clear concise history of African American music with a rhythm that echoes the music itself
Interesting and easy for every level.
August 20, 2015
A great book for kids as well as elders to use when listening to Jazz music, or when learning about African American heritage. I want to create a special Jazz playlist to go along with each section.
April 26, 2017
The Sound That Jazz Makes is an celebration of a remarkable heritage. Author Carole Boston creates a children's book about a young African-American that finds his passion in music. From African forests to wooden slave ships to Harlem nightclubs, the tragic and joyous legacy of the African-American experience gives jazz its passion and spirit.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews