The Boy Who Said Wow

by Todd Boss, Rashin Kheiriyeh (Illustrator)

Overview

Inspired by the beautiful true story of a nonverbal boy moved to speech at his first Mozart concert, this picture book is a testament to the power of art and the boundless joy it can bring.

When Grandfather comes to take his grandson to a concert, Ronan is quiet as they leave the house, quiet in the car, and quiet at the concert hall. But when the performance is over and the beautiful music fades out at last, Ronan opens his mouth...and lets out a great big WOW!

Not any old WOW, but Ronan’s very first WOW! That one word fills up the hearts of Ronan’s family, the musicians, the audience, and—when the recording goes viral—the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534499713
Publisher:	Beach Lane Books
Publication date:	04/02/2024
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Todd Boss is an award-winning producer, writer, and innovator whose lyrics have been performed at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and around the world. He has published four poetry collections, and his work has appeared in The New Yorker, Poetry, The London Times, American Poetry Review, Best American Poetry, and on National Public Radio. The Boy Who Said Wow is his debut picture book. Visit him at ToddBossOriginals.com.

Rashin Kheiriyeh has a master’s degree in graphic design and a doctorate in illustration and has illustrated more than eighty books in half a dozen languages, including Welcome Home by Aimee Reid and Story Boat by Kyo Maclear, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. She was a 2017 Maurice Sendak fellow and is a lecturer at the University of Maryland. She was born in Khorramshahr, Iran, and now lives in Washington, DC. Visit her at RashinArt.com.

Editorial Reviews

"The story is beautifully told with just enough well-chosen words.... An unusual picture book that tells a memorable story."

2/15/2024 - *STARRED REVIEW* Booklist

"Visually, the book soars... Boss’s use of sound effects (“Zimmity Zimmity Zum”) make this a pleasing read-aloud."

May/June 24 Issue - HornBook

2024-01-20
Music moves a nonverbal child to speak.

The narrator explains that Ronan was “born quiet. Some days he hardly says a word.” Today, when Father and Mother suggest outings to the beach or park, he’s quiet. But he looks up when Grandfather bursts in and proposes attending a concert. With refreshing optimism, Grandfather proclaims it “an adventure,” though Ronan’s parents worry about the “challenge” and “risk” of taking him to a performance. And when Ronan, his dog, and Grandfather reach Symphony Hall, an adventure it is. When the music starts, Ronan is swept away in a whirl of notes. Collectively, the instruments sound like “a sky full of stars,” sending him and his cheerful pup into a space-themed reverie. Boss notes that “the darker instruments sound cool and frightening” and the lighter ones sound “warm and friendly” but does not name the instruments, a missed opportunity to deepen readers’ understanding of the music enthralling Ronan. Audience and orchestra members alike are moved to laughter and applause when the music stops, and an awed Ronan utters his first “WOW!” Kheiriyeh’s endearing, pastel-hued cartoon illustrations convey Ronan’s astonishment and joy. Though an author’s note explains that the story is based on an actual nonverbal child’s experience of a Mozart piece in 2019, details such as Mother’s pearls and housedress and Grandfather’s finned car evoke a bucolic 1950s setting. Ronan and his family present white; background characters are racially diverse.

A heartwarming testament to music’s emotional power. (Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews