Blues Journey

Walter Dean Myers
illustrated by Christopher Myers
Holiday House March 2003 0-8234-1613-5 $18.95
48 pages 8-1/2 x 11-1/2 Ages 4–8

Captivating, lyrical and informative, Blues Journey chronicles the history of the blues. Award-winning author Walter Dean Myers, and his son, fine artist and writer Christopher Dean Myers, collaborate to present a book for all ages.
          The origin of the blues in African music is explored, meshing “call and response” and the pentatonic scale. The blues evolved with the mixture of the African “call and response” and European English. It is a music form that emanates from the soul, rhythmically and poetically expressing African American life experiences. Africans were not allowed to read, hence music was emphasized more than lyrics with the instruments they made.
          The book is truly a journey, with page after page of haunting lyrics, lyrics filled with symbolism of the African and African American experience. It is also a delightful artistic journey. Hues of purple, brown and gray provide somber and expressive illustrations, reflecting the lyrics on each page and the world of the blues. While the topic at first glance may seem downtrodden, for those who have experienced the blues, this work is a delight.
          It is a book written for all ages, beginning with the historical and cultural background of the blues, moving through lyrics and illustrations, and concluding with a time line that begins in 1865 and goes through the 1960s. A Blues Glossary follows, explaining the symbolism used in the lyrics.
          Blues Journey is an educational experience for all ages. It is an excellent opportunity for intergenerational communication. It will speak to the depths of the souls of those who experienced the blues and delight those who have enjoyed the blues as a musical form.
          Blues Journey is an historical, musical, artistic and cultural journey. A must read for all ages. Be sure to take your turn at bringing the lyrics to life, singing your own version of the “blues”.

—Katherine Beecham

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