The Story of the Saxophone. Lesa Cline-Ransome. Illustrated by James E. Ransome. 2023. [March] 40 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: The story of the saxophone doesn't begin with Dexter Gordon or Charlie Parker. This story isn't told by Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins. It didn't start on a New Orleans street corner with Sidney Bechet. It began in 1814, far, far away, across the seas, in Dinant, Belgium. The story began with a young boy named Joseph-Antoine Adolphe Sax, the only son of an instrument maker. Everyone called him Adolphe.
Premise/plot: Nonfiction picture book. Picture book biography. Music appreciation. Narrative nonfiction. This one is the story--starting with its invention--of a musical instrument--the saxophone.
My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I don't know that I find the opening sentences super compelling. But once the focus turns to the past, I found myself hooked. I enjoyed reading about the ups and downs--the trials--of this newfangled, "new" noise-maker. It wasn't always appreciated or accepted. I liked seeing Sax's determination and gumption. I liked seeing his hardwork pay off. I liked tracing the journey of the saxophone from the past to the present.
© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers
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