Illustrated by Jenin Mohammed
5 stars
A beautiful story of stopping to appreciate the world around you, sharing experiences, and changing perspectives. Told through rhythmic text, the book tells the story of Emmalene and Grandma Jean’s journey to church. On the way, Emmalene listens to the song of the city, but Grandma Jean doesn’t have time to listen. With a little coaxing, Emmalene shares the song she hears and teaches her grandmother to listen to the beauty all around them.
The illustrations are gorgeous. I really enjoyed the different fonts and colors used for the sound words. The song really came alive. Great range of emotions depicted such as joy, boredom, and frustration. There is also wonderful diversity in the artwork including wheelchair-users, characters with hearing aids, someone using crutches, and a range of skin tones. There are also depictions of the tools Emmalene uses such as a white cane and a braille book.
Great for discussing sounds and onomatopoeias. A fantastic story that is a song in itself.
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