Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane

Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane. Carole Boston Weatherford. Illus. by Sean Qualls. New York: Henry Hold and Company, 2008. 26 pages. $16.95 (Hardcover). ISBN 978-0-8050-7994-4. Grades K-3.

John Coltrane’s ears helped make him famous. No, it wasn’t because they were unusually large. It was because they were always open, always listening.Before John Was a Jazz Giant introduces readers to the young John Coltrane and how sounds of his childhood influenced his unique musical style. He heard his Daddy strumming his ukulele, he heard steam engines, and he heard the words of his grandfather as he preached on Sundays. John Coltrane heard it all, and Carole Boston Weatherford turns all of these sounds in to a rhythmic, flowing and informative story for children. Weatherford describes every sound with flowery detail and precision, much like John Coltrane must have heard it while still ensuring readers will understand the meaning. Sean Qualls does not miss a note with his illustrations as his acrylic collages turn sounds in to images. Each page is alive as readers can almost see music’s movement due to his use of line and color. An extended author’s note gives a more in depth look at Coltrane’s career and lists of selected listening and further reading are also offered. This book is not only educational, but it encourages observation, creativity, and the arts. Highly Recommended