American Hip-Hop

November 1, 2012

Gr 6 Up-From bluegrass to blue-eyed soul and bubblegum pop to hip-hop, readers discover the exciting evolution of music in America. Origins, influences, controversies, and artists are presented in a writing style that is engaging and accessible. Revealing quotes by artists are highlighted. Musical terms such as "melisma," "grunge," and "punk" are worked in seamlessly and defined in the texts as well as in the glossaries. "Must Download" playlists (which include songs that span styles and decades) appear throughout each title, encouraging readers to listen to the best music in each genre. Every title is packed with color and black-and-white photographs, snazzy fonts, and vivid sidebars. The indexes are not thorough (e.g., Pearl Jam has its own page, but the band is not in the index), but the books are short and well organized enough that this, most likely, is not a problem. This informative set will be useful for reports and of high interest to reluctant readers.

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.