sorry, no link . . . from this morning's Journal News
(Westchester/Rockland, NY)http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/039924316X.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_V65773840_.jpgSeeger among kids book prizes winnersA book by
Pete Seeger about a young musician who loses his hearing was among the winners of children's book prizes announced yesterday by the American Library Association.
Seeger and co-author
Paul DuBois Jacobs received the
Schneider Family Book Award for "books that embody the artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences." Their book,
The Deaf Musicians, tells of a young boy who forms a jazz group with other deaf performers who communicate through sign language, becoming a sensation for their nightly subway concerts.
"I first thought of the story about 30 or 40 years ago," said the 87-year-old Seeger, who credited Jacobs with fleshing out his idea. "I hadn't known until then what signing was and when I found out I imagined what you could do with that."
warmest congratulations to Pete, a "Godfather of Liberalism" who is still doin' it up at age 87 . . . :)
The Deaf Musicianshttp://www.amazon.com/Deaf-Musicians-Pete-Seeger/dp/039924316X/sr=1-1/qid=1169559566/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-9634180-0821449?ie=UTF8&s=booksFrom School Library JournalKindergarten-Grade 3–Jazz! It's all about the rhythm and the sounds, musicians in conversation answering each other with notes and riffs instead of words. But what happens when one member of the band can't hear the notes anymore? Through this rhythmic story, readers meet Lee, who loses his hearing and is asked to leave his band. Luckily, he discovers a whole new world of music that exists in the mind and heart at a local school for the deaf. Christie's snazzy style matches perfectly with the book's vivacity. The expressive faces and bold use of color make the story sing. This is a great read-aloud that begs for enthusiastic performance and audience participation. Both uplifting and inclusive, it is a celebration of music and resilience.
Amazon Book DescriptionPoor Lee! He used to be a jazzman who could make the piano go yimbatimba- TANG—zang-zang. But now he’s lost his hearing, and the bandleader had to let him go.
So Lee goes to a school for the deaf to learn sign language. There, he meets Max, who used to play the sax. Riding the subway to class, they start signing about all the songs they love. A bass player named Rose joins in and soon they’ve got a little sign language band. And in no time they’re performing for audiences in the subway, night after night.
Living legend and Kennedy Center honoree Pete Seeger, renowned poet Paul DuBois Jacobs, and Coretta Scott King honor winner R. Gregory Christie present a jazzy riff on the power of music, overcoming obstacles, and all the different ways to hear the world. So, who will listen to a deaf musician? Everyone!