How Sweet the Sound
by Kwame Alexander; illus. by Charly Palmer
Primary, Intermediate    Little, Brown    48 pp.
1/25    9780316442497    $18.99

In a reverent celebration of African American music, Alexander’s lyrical free-verse text flows through different eras and genres of sound. This musical tour begins in Africa: “Listen to the fireside chorus / of the motherland / to the talking drums / dancing beneath the golden sun / that beat a bold tapestry / of yesterday’s stories / and tomorrow’s dreams.” From there, the exploration honors the hymns and hopes of enslaved people, gospel music (“Listen to the Amazing Grace / of the Jubilee Singers / to the joyful noise / of Sunday morning gospel / and Let the Church Say /Amen. Amen. HALLELUJAH!”), the blues, jazz, soul, rock and roll, hip-hop, and rap. Palmer’s vibrant double-page acrylic paintings burst with color and movement, making a rewarding connection to the music; the full-bleed images are rich with resonance and meaning. Extensive end notes provide helpful information about the musical history, artists and movements, and cultural connections alluded to in both the text and the illustrations. A stunning homage to “the soundtrack of America / a symphony / of refuge and redemption.”

From the March/April 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.