The Song Shoots Out of My Mouth: A Celebration of Music - Hardcover

Jaime Adoff; Martin French

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525469494 ISBN 13: 9780525469490

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile, 2002

Synopsis

Each word running fast across lips./A direct line to my hips, twist and shake./My voice another arm, another leg./My throat the Cape Canaveral of my soul.

This rockin' collection of twenty-four dynamic, original poems vividly captures a variety of musical experiences from the teen perspective. From playing in the school band to playing air guitar, from performing a favorite song to dreaming of stardom, the power of music is explored in passionate text and bold, energetic illustrations.

The rhythm and language of each poem reflect a different musical genre, including classical, hip-hop, jazz, folk, and reggae. Whether hitting drums "with more force/than a million recess bullies," rapping "no one can touch me, don't even try to front," or depicting the struggles of a garage band, this vibrant collection celebrates the importance of music for teenagers.

About this title

About the Author:

Martin French’s artwork has won numerous awards, including a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators. He lives in Oregon.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 7 Up-Adoff, a musician and the son of Virginia Hamilton and Arnold Adoff, debuts here with poems about music. His free verse is highly rhythmic and demands to be performed, like these opening lines from the title poem: "Each word running fast across lips./A direct line to my hips, twist and shake./My voice another arm, another leg./My throat the Cape Canaveral of my soul./Song shuttle/blasting off/into deep blue/soprano sky-." Jazz, rap, hip-hop, and Mozart are equally celebrated. Young musicians will also recognize their own lives in the poems about school bands and playing air guitar. Only musicians will get the pun poems "2#" (too sharp) and "Way 2b" (way too flat), though these terms are defined in the backnotes. These notes also contain a brief paragraph about each musician mentioned in the poems, along with "suggested listening" for each artist. Young teens will get the most out of these poems, with their raplike wordplay and puns, although the picture-book format might turn some of them off, and the poems are in tiny, cramped print. The splashy, colorful illustrations picture contemporary teens of various ethnicities. While many young adults may not be immediately drawn to the book's physical package, it should find a small and appreciative audience in most collections.
Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0525469494
• ISBN 13: 9780525469490
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 48