How Sweet The Sound: African-American Songs for Children - Softcover

Scholastic

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0590480340 ISBN 13: 9780590480345

Publisher: Scholastic Inc., 1948

About this title

From Booklist

Ages 3^-8. Stretching from spirituals to Stevie Wonder tunes, this outstanding, illustrated song collection "gives readers a glimpse at the history of Blacks in America through their music." The Hudsons include songs from Africa, spirituals, work songs, gospels, jazz, blues, play songs, chants, soul, and popular music--all of which are empathetically illustrated in oil wash on board. Between the lyrics and the illustrations, readers will get quite a feel for the history of African Americans. The illustration for "Kum Ba Ya," for example, shows an African boy whirling around in childish freedom as slave ships dock ominously in the misty background. Whether Cooper is depicting slavery, the civil rights movement, or scenes of daily life, he paints with reverence, infusing each scene with obvious love for and pride in his subjects. Melodies are provided in the back as well as recommendations for reading and listening. This title is a companion to Pass It On: African-American Poetry for Children (1993). Julie Yates Walton

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3?A collection of 23 songs complemented by beautifully expressive oil wash on board illustrations. Traditional selections such as "Kum Ba Ya," "Follow the Drinking Gourd," and "This Little Light of Mine" appear along with spirituals such as "Go Down, Moses," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," and "Get on Board, Little Children." Protest songs, street cries, and popular soul music (James Brown's "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" and Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday") round out the anthology. A brief history of each song and composer, when known, as well as the musical scores, are appended. Cooper's distinguished artwork has a soft-focused, dreamlike quality. An appealing invitation to "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing."?Barbara Osborne Williams, Queens Borough Public Library, Jamaica, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
• Publication date: 1948
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0590480340
• ISBN 13: 9780590480345
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Cooper Floyd
• Number of pages: 48