Kenya's Song

by Linda Trice, Pamela Johnson (Illustrator)

Overview

Kenya’s homework is to pick her favorite song and share it with her class. Sounds simple, but for Kenya, it’s anything but. With all that beautiful music in the world, how can she possibly choose? Her family and friends try to help by offering their favorite songs as choices, but it’s no help to Kenya. While those around her have made some great suggestions, Kenya has a hard time calling any one of them her favorite.

For inspiration, Kenya accompanies her father to the Caribbean Cultural Center where he plays music. Kenya hears music from Cuba and Trinidad, Haiti and Puerto Rico. She hears music in all different languages—French, English, Spanish. But still, Kenya can’t decide which song she likes best. Finally, Kenya makes her decision—one that will surprise readers while inspiring them to listen to the world around them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781570918476
Publisher:	Charlesbridge
Publication date:	02/01/2013
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.20(d)
Lexile:	AD520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Linda Trice is an author, professor, and professional speaker. Her books include Kenya's Word and Charles Drew: Pioneer of Blood Plasma. Linda lives in the Bronx, New York.

Pamela Johnson is the illustrator of many children's books, including Living History Day (Harcourt), and If You Lived with the Indians of the Northwest Coast (Scholastic). She lives in Highland, California.

Read an Excerpt

"Daddy’s home! Daddy’s home!” Kenya gave her daddy a big hug.

“Will you help me with my homework?” she asked him.

Daddy put his music bag on the piano. “What do you have to do?” he asked.

“We have to tell the class what our favorite song is,” Kenya said. “I don’t have one.”

“You should pick this one,” Kenya’s big sister, Mosi, said. She sang a song about a town full of silly people. Everybody laughed.

Then Mom sang a song about a happy family. She had such a beautiful voice. By the end of the song, the whole family was singing the chorus together.

“Those are your favorite songs,” Kenya said. “I need to find my own.”

“Start with your favorite music,” Daddy said. “What is it?”

“Jazz, of course,” Kenya said. “Jazz like you play, Daddy.”

Editorial Reviews

Kenya's homework assignment is to share her favorite song with her class. Can she find the perfect one? A family full of music and laughter tries to help young Kenya find a song to share with her classmates. Her father takes her to the Caribbean Cultural Center, where rooms are dedicated to different countries. Kenya visits rooms filled with the music of Trinidad, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, yet she still cannot choose a favorite song. What will she present to her classroom? A follow-up to Kenya's Word (2006), this book cannot quite decide its focus. Readers learn the names of musical genres, instruments and the Caribbean nations represented in Kenya's neighborhood. The illustrations are adequate but provide scarce clues to each culture aside from brief references to dances or instruments. The musical theme for the story is obvious, yet it is missing melodic words or a rhythmic cadence to the lengthy text. Kenya's family, however, proves to be helpful, talented and full of joyful music, surprising her classmates with a new song. While this provides a glimpse of a loving family living in a multicultural neighborhood, it misses the mark to truly celebrate Caribbean music and diversity. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews