Freedom Song

Starred review from January 1, 2009
Gr 7 Up-Many books have been written about the Civil Rights Movement, but this one, with its unique focus, adds a new and captivating facet to the subject. Its premise is that music was the universal link that bound together the young and old, black and white as one, with a singular purpose: to seek equality and justice for all. The book is divided into chapters that represent the history of the Civil Rights Movement. "Sunday of Song," "Singing in the Churches," and "South Africa," for example, contain information about the factual events while including how the evolution of the music captured the mood and sentiment of the time. The importance of music in the lives of African Americans is described in depth: the instruments used; the types of songs, including field hollers, spirituals, gospel, and protest music, are examined for their impact on the movement in the past and up to the present day. The many clear, black-and-white photos give readers a real sense of the determination and courage that was shown. Images of the musicians and singers such as Woody Guthrie and Billie Holiday are shown alongside the songs they wrote. The accompanying CD allows students to internalize the words and their emotional impact as they listen. Overall, this informative and well-written book is an excellent addition to any collection."Margaret Auguste, Franklin Middle School, Somerset, NJ"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2009
Grades 6-9 Music was one of the fuels that fired the civil rights movement. Songs such as We Shall Overcome were sung at rallies and protests and became synonymous with the struggle. Turck examines this inextricable relationship in a book with plenty of interesting information; unfortunately, the organization makes it difficult to find these nuggets. The introduction sets theAmerican scene in the 1950s andchronicles the rise of the civil rights movement; this segues into information about the Childrens Choir, founded in Chicago.The narrativemoves onto Birmingham and back to Chicago. Then its off to Africa for the origins of gospel music. Chapterssuch as these are interspersed with pages entitled Voices of the Choir, in which individual choir members are profiled. The repetition is alsoadetriment, but probably few kids will read this all the way through, choosing instead to dip in here and there. The pluses include an attractive design with well-chosen black-and-white photos, an extensive list of resources, and a CD of movement songs by the Childrens Choir.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)