A couple's youngest son is forced to leave his West African village because he chooses music over the more practical occupations of his brothers, but years later he returns to show the wisdom of his choice.
Angela Shelf Medearis was born in Virginia. Her family moved often, though, because her father was in the Air Force. She says that at each new place, "I knew there would always be a library, a friendly librarian, and my favorite books there to greet me. It made a new school and new friends much easier to deal with."
In grade school, Angela Shelf Medearis's teachers told her that she wrote well. She was thirty years old, however, before she decided to try to earn a living as a writer. She enjoys history, and spends a lot of time researching African-American history for her books. As a bonus, her research often leads to ideas for new books.