Rock 'n' Roll Soul

by Susan Verde, Matthew Cordell (Illustrator)

Overview

New York Times bestselling author Susan Verde and Caldecott Medal–winning illustrator Matthew Cordell’s picture book Rock ‘n’ Roll Soul “encourages girls to let the music inside them come out. A rappa-tappin’ good read that will invite readers young and old alike to move, groove, and turn on their favorite tunes” (Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review).
 
With the school talent show coming up, a young music lover spends most of her time daydreaming about the perfect act. She notices the sounds around her, like the brrrrring of the school bell or the rappa-tappa-tap of rain on the windowpane. But the talent show is the place to reveal her own voice. Will she mix up some hip-hop beats? Will she command an orchestra of dozens, bringing the classics to life? Or, will she go electric, Jimi Hendrix style?
 
Marching out on the talent show stage to the beat of her own drum, this sweet and sassy musician ultimately chooses to be herself and sing her own song loud and proud, “I’ve got a rock ‘n’ roll soul!”
 
“Cordell, the 2018 Caldecott Medalist, never misses a beat. Whether capturing his uninhibited heroine bopping down the street to the music in her headphones or crunching her cereal in rhythm, his pictures are knowing and funny, and they crackle with visual electricity.” —Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683352815
Publisher:	Abrams
Publication date:	05/15/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	36 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

Susan Verde is the bestselling author of I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, I Am Human, I Am Love, I Am One, I Am Courage, I Am Me, The Museum, and You and Me, all illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, as well as the Feel-Good Fairy Tales books, illustrated by Jay Fleck, and Rock ‘n’ Roll Soul, illustrated by Matthew Cordell. In addition to writing, she teaches kids yoga and mindfulness. Susan lives with her three children and their menagerie of pets in East Hampton, New York. ; Matthew Cordell is the illustrator of the Eleanor series and many beloved picture books for children, including Bat and Rat. He lives in Chicago.

Editorial Reviews

03/12/2018
In Verde’s (I Am Yoga) latest, as all the student musicians at school gear up for the talent show, an exuberant girl makes her plans as well. She doesn’t play any instruments, but she’s confident in her talents: “I can make the music flow./ I can jam and put on a show./ I’ve got a Rock ’n’ Roll SOUL!” Actually, she’s genre-agnostic, paying tribute in the rhymes that follow to hip-hop, jazz, soul, folk, and classical music (“My body simply rises and floats/ when I’m part of those classical notes”). When the big day arrives, the narrator declares herself a “one-girl band” and announces to the packed house, “My greatest instrument is ME.” It’s definitely affirming and egalitarian, and the heroine’s appreciation for music is heartfelt—but young musicians (and their parents) may feel slightly miffed: there’s a lot more to musicianship than making a declaration. Fortunately, Cordell (Wolf in the Snow), the 2018 Caldecott Medalist, never misses a beat. Whether capturing his uninhibited heroine bopping down the street to the music in her headphones or crunching her cereal in rhythm, his pictures are knowing and funny, and they crackle with visual electricity. Ages 3–7. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"The pages are full of fun, abstract drawings featuring lots of color and detail."

School Library Connection

"Cordell’s loose, sprawling artwork almost pours off the page—just as the music pours from the narrator’s head—and it’s well suited to Verde’s short, ebullient, and energetic rhyming text. Have materials for making sound on hand (the cruder the better) as this will unleash many rock ’n’ roll souls."

Booklist

**STARRED REVIEW**
"This picture book encourages girls to let the music inside them come out. A rappa-tappin' good read that will invite readers young and old alike to move, groove, and turn on their favorite tunes."—Kirkus Reviews

"Cordell (Wolf in the Snow), the 2018 Caldecott Medalist, never misses a beat. Whether capturing his uninhibited heroine bopping down the street to the music in her headphones or crunching her cereal in rhythm, his pictures are knowing and funny, and they crackle with visual electricity."—Publishers Weekly

"Cordell’s loose, sprawling artwork almost pours off the page—just as the music pours from the narrator’s head—and it’s well suited to Verde’s short, ebullient, and energetic rhyming text. Have materials for making sound on hand (the cruder the better) as this will unleash many rock ’n’ roll souls."—Booklist

"The pages are full of fun, abstract drawings featuring lots of color and detail."—School Library Connection

From the Publisher

"Cordell’s loose, sprawling artwork almost pours off the page—just as the music pours from the narrator’s head—and it’s well suited to Verde’s short, ebullient, and energetic rhyming text. Have materials for making sound on hand (the cruder the better) as this will unleash many rock ’n’ roll souls."

Booklist

★ 2018-02-13
For every kid who makes a joyful noise from sunrise to sunset…and all the adults within earshot.A little tan-skinned girl, with her black hair in two puffballs, declares in Verde's rhyming text that she has a "rock 'n' roll soul," and when she performs in the school talent show, she brings the house down. No matter where she goes in her urban neighborhood or what she does, her steady companion, music, follows. Even when she sleeps, she dreams of music. In a six-page dream sequence, only the unnamed protagonist, dressed in an outfit for each occasion, appears in color while her audiences, admirers, orchestra (which she conducts), and marching jazz band (which she leads) appear in gray. Reminiscent in style and energy of Quentin Blake's illustrations, Cordell's watercolors pulse with life, movement, and lighthearted fun. Onomatopoeic words follow this kid everywhere ("Tap-a Tap-a Tap-a"; "chikk-a chikk-a"; "zoing oing toing") in scratchy, hand-drawn and -colored letters. Her single dad, who makes a brief appearance at home, clearly enjoys the musical exuberance of his daughter, who gets quiet only when she sleeps (and dreams of music). Though entirely lacking in conflict, this picture book encourages girls to let the music inside them come out.A rappa-tappin' good read that will invite readers young and old alike to move, groove, and turn on their favorite tunes. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews