Audio Pick--Blues Journey
From SLJ February 2006
Kirsten Martindale, formerly Menomonie Public Library, WI -- School Library Journal, 1/30/2006
1 cassette or 1 CD. 31:03 min. with hardcover book. Live Oak Media (liveoakmedia.com). 2005. cassette. ISBN 1-59519-429-0: $25.95; CD, ISBN 1-59519-433-9: $29.95.
Gr 2-6–Father/son talents Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers teamed up to create a beautiful exploration of musical blues (Holiday House, 2003). The elder wrote and Christopher illustrated this deeply symbolic tale. A collection of blues verse follows an in-depth introduction that studies the historical roots and the musical elements of blues. The call-and-response text is brought alive by narrator Richard Allen's enthusiastic rendition of the text, accompanied by simple blues instrumentation. Although this title will provide a wonderful introduction to blues music, it will be appreciated by those who have thoroughly studied the subject as well. The illustrations and text, sometimes paired with a hauntingly lonely harmonica, explore such subjects as poverty, lynching, slavery. and injustice. One verse reads: "Heard the top deck groaning, yes, and the ocean roar/ Heard my brother crying till I couldn't hear no more/ O Lord, O Lord/ Ain't it hard when your brother's crying/ And you don't hear him anymore?" The subjects are serious and sensitive, but perhaps the first verse in this collection ultimately sums up the books intention: "Blues, blues, blues/ Blues, what you mean to me?/ Are you my pain and misery/or my sweet, sweet company?" Appropriate for group or individual listening, this title is best utilized with adult guidance to help with the blues glossary in the back of the book. An essential addition to school and public library collections.
