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SYMPHONY FOR A BROKEN ORCHESTRA

HOW PHILADELPHIA COLLECTED SOUNDS TO SAVE MUSIC

A splendid example of urban renewal.

Does a room full of broken musical instruments mean the Philadelphia schools will go silent?

Not when Robert Blackson, the artistic director of Temple Contemporary—a center for exhibitions and public programming at Temple University—gets onboard, according to endnotes explaining the inspiration for the titular symphony, a music education nonprofit, and this book. The story opens with children, depicted with a multitude of skin tones and hairstyles, in classrooms and on the streets enjoying their instruments: “Philadelphia is full of NOISE.” Millward’s scribbly, digital illustrations and high-octane settings and colors have a childlike quality perfectly attuned to the subject. The sounds, rendered in black letters with yellow highlighting, dominate the designs; musical notes and bright squiggles pulsate across the pages. A young Black saxophonist bops along, passing a mural of Grover Washington Jr., but the sax is abandoned when the musician runs for shelter during a storm. The drummer sets down his snare to purchase a soft pretzel, and someone steps on it. A small child stuffs a sibling’s trumpet with toy animals, then comments that it “sounds like a fart.” But “just because / something is broken doesn’t / mean that it can’t also be beautiful,” and a performance using the discarded instruments is held—the fundraiser that occurred in 2017. Listeners can tune in on the Vimeo link provided. The concert and narrative conclude in a crescendo of joyful cacophony. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A splendid example of urban renewal. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-5362-1363-8

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Walker US/Candlewick

Review Posted Online: June 7, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2022

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LOVE IS TAYLOR SWIFT

Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties.

What is being a Swiftie all about? Finding joy in the things you love!

For Taylor Swift and her fans, love comes from baking tasty desserts, snuggling with pets, enjoying fireworks with friends, and attending concerts. Vibrant illustrations that evoke bright pop music are scattered with references to Taylor’s life, such as a red sports jersey (a nod to her high-profile relationship with a certain Kansas City Chiefs tight end) or a stack of friendship bracelets (which devotees know are commonly made by hand and traded at Swift’s concerts). Without this prior knowledge of Swift lore, this peppy picture book may feel like a somewhat superficial, though positive, list of ways to find happiness; some readers may wish the author had included messages about acceptance and self-love, commonly found in Swift’s lyrics. Still, the intended audience will welcome it as a joyful love letter to her fans. Pops of color splash across scenes of Taylor and a racially diverse set of friends doing their favorite things atop a stark white background. The star’s recognizable fashion style and facial features are spot-on, while most other featured characters feel more generic.

Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025

ISBN: 9781665973519

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Simon Spotlight

Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024

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THE BOY WHO SAID WOW

A heartwarming testament to music’s emotional power.

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)

Pub Date: April 2, 2024

ISBN: 9781534499713

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024

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