Click here for the PDF version of this article
The Music in George’s Head
Suzanne Slade
Illustrated by Stacy Innerst
(2016) CALKINS CREEK
An Imprint of Highlights
hardcover, $17.95, 40 pp
ISBN 978-1-62979-099-2
The human imagination never fails to amaze me, but “The Music in George’s Head” is a book that goes far beyond the usual “human imagination.”
Suzanne Slade uses words to wiggle and slide while her illustrator, Stacy Innerst, matches those words with illustrations that wiggle and slide all over the pages…up and down…sideways and round with swoops and binges.
Gifted kids and adults often see things in unique ways. In the old days this wasn’t as understood as it is now. When George was young, “sometimes he was so busy listening to the beautiful music in his head, he didn’t pay attention to other things—like getting to school on time.” (Well, maybe it is understood these days, but still not always appreciated.)
Suzanne Slade gives us many examples of George seeing music in his mind.
“George set out to compose a dazzling, daring piece for the concert. One that showed jazz was exciting, Limitless. Free. He scratched his head and paced the floors—and scratched and paced some more.”
Now picture the words in the previous paragraph as cavorting all over the page with drawings of George conducting and puzzling and playing piano and going off to sell his music.
Every page is in black and white or blue-ish…like the blues he wrote.
“Then George sat down at the piano. A clarinet fluttered softly, like butterfly wings on a morning breeze. George smiled at the clarinet player.” (And why he smiled is another part of this imaginative story and a special page in the book showing the clarinet wailing!)
The author’s and illustrator’s notes, time line, and bibliography are worthy of attention, and even the book jacket is a piece of art.
“The Music in George’s Head” is a picture book written for kids and should be shared and given to children. However, only adults will appreciate the way this book is written and illustrated. It is a perfect gift for those who savor “magical words” and also has illustrations that are just as magical. Buy many copies for your adult friends who appreciate and love George Gershwin.
Elaine S. Wiener is Associate Editor for Book Reviews for the Gifted Education Communicator and can be reached at 17elaine@att.net.