Hello, I'm Johnny Cash - Hardcover

Neri, G.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0763662453 ISBN 13: 9780763662455

Publisher: Candlewick, 2014

Synopsis

A stirring look at the early life of Johnny Cash, from his harsh but music-filled childhood to the first flush of stardom.

There’s never been anyone like music legend Johnny Cash. His deep voice is instantly recognizable, and his heartfelt songs resonate with listeners of all ages and backgrounds. G. Neri captures Johnny’s story in beautiful free verse, portraying an ordinary boy with an extraordinary talent who grew up in extreme poverty, faced incredible challenges, and ultimately found his calling by always being true to the gift of his voice. A. G. Ford’s luscious paintings of the dramatic southern landscape of Johnny Cash’s childhood illuminate this portrait of a legend, taking us from his humble beginnings to his enormous success on the world stage.

About this title

About the Author

G. Neri is the author of Ghetto Cowboy, winner of a Horace Mann Upstanders Book Award. He also wrote Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty, which received a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, and Chess Rumble, awarded a Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award. G. Neri lives in Florida.

A. G. Ford has illustrated many picture books, including Goal! by Mina Javaherbin and Desmond and the Very Mean Word by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. A. G. Ford lives in Dallas, Texas.

Reviews

Gr 3–5—Even those who aren't fans of musician Johnny Cash will appreciate the beauty of this biographical picture book. Written in free verse, with colorful, realistic illustrations done in oil, this title poignantly portrays the powerful influences of poverty, religion, family, and music on Cash's life. When Cash was too young to work in the cotton fields, his father bought him a radio to keep him company. The boy could never turn it off, learning hundreds of songs that he sang to anyone who stopped by to listen. It became clear he had a gift that was meant to be shared with the world, but hard work to earn money for the family and a stint in the Air Force delayed that dream. This is a biography of one musician as well as a tale of how the determination to pursue a dream can pay off. The oversize format suggests Cash's larger-than-life impact and image, but it also pulls readers in. Additional information is provided at the back, including more in-depth details about his life, a discography, and the ways in which the sociopolitical eras he lived through, such as the Great Depression and the birth of rock 'n' roll, impacted his music. This is a real tribute to the Man in Black, written in an easily accessible, engaging manner that demonstrates the qualities he possessed that make him a hero to so many.—Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID

Edition details

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0763662453
• ISBN 13: 9780763662455
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Ford A.G.
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40