Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters
By Kyle Jackson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Picture book bio of blues great has dazzling art.
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What's the Story?
MUDDY: THE STORY OF BLUES LEGEND MUDDY WATERS follows the childhood and early career of the popularizer of electric "Chicago" country blues. Beginning with young McKinley Morganfield's upbringing in rural Mississippi, author Michael Mahin traces his journey from cotton fields to Chicago juke joints to Chess Records recording fame. Refusing to compromise on his traditional Delta sound, Muddy makes it big on his own terms, bringing attention to a nearly forgotten strand of traditional music that proved to be popular and relevant once more in the 1960s.
Is It Any Good?
Light on words but heavy in meaning, this biography really takes readers into the world of the Mississippi Delta in the Jim Crow South. Award-winning illustrator Evan Turk's vibrant watercolor, ink, and collage artwork evoke the gut-bucket sound and feel of the music and the electrifying energy of Chicago, one of the most important cities in black music history. Muddy is a great way to introduce young kids to the rich world of America's folk music traditions, and to expose them to a little bit of the history of a troubled time period and a remarkable individual.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what they learned about the blues in Muddy. Where did it come from? Why was this music important to African-Americans in the years after the end of slavery?
Why did so many people leave the South during and after World War II? Was anyone in your family part of this movement?
Try drawing a picture of your favorite musician or type of music. What colors will you choose to show what the music sounds like?
Book Details
- Author: Michael James Mahin
- Illustrator: Evan Turk
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Music and Sing-Along
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Atheneum
- Publication date: September 5, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 8
- Number of pages: 48
- Available on: Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: September 25, 2020
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