The Music in George's Head: George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue

K-Gr 4--Slade teams up with Innerst for this pleasant picture book biography of composer George Gershwin, with a focus on Gershwin's introduction to music as a child and the various influences that led to his unique musical style. The culmination of the story is the creation and performance of his grand composition Rhapsody in Blue, in 1924. Innerst's acrylic spreads are almost entirely done in blue and gray tones, with broad brushstrokes, scanned textiles, and paper adding texture; each scene is striking. Slade's narrative is highly readable and lightly peppered with musical onomatopoeia. She vividly describes the sounds of New York City and the "rattle-ty bang" of the railroad train that inspired Gershwin to write his famed piece. Rather than offering an overview of his relatively short life, Slade provides a deeper look into his creative process and the ways in which he melded classical, ragtime, jazz, and blues to create a sound purely his own. Key phrases inked in script among the typed words weave the illustrations and text together. Terms such as staccato are defined by their very placement and spacing on the page. A detailed author's note, time line, and bibliography add further depth to this well-researched work. VERDICT Readers will get a glimpse into Gershwin's mind and find the music within. Highly recommended for purchase.--Clara Hendricks, Cambridge Public Library, MA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Through evocative storytelling, expressive hand-lettered text, and dynamic paintings, Slade (The Inventor's Secret) and Innerst (Thomas Jefferson Grows a Nation) explore the making of Gershwin's acclaimed "Rhapsody in Blue" in an account that's as "lively, fun, and different" as the works the composer wrote. Slade describes how music captivated George from an early age, spending hours at the family piano, sneaking into concert halls to hear famous pianists, and selling his first song at age 17. Fittingly, Innerst uses swathes of indigo blue paint in images that seem to sway with the music George heard around him. Even the typography gets in on the action, changing colors, switching to cursive, or blaring words in capital letters to reflect the musical influences Gershwin drew on. "The notes were restless, untamed. The rhythms were wild. Unpredictable," writes Slade as the e at the end of unpredictable launches itself into the air, as if to prove the point. An afterword and timeline round out a rousing look at one of the defining contributions to the Great American Songbook. Ages 9-11. Author's agent: Karen Grencik, Red Fox Literary. Illustrator's agent: Susan Cohen, Writers House. (Sept.)

Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

* 'One of American music's masterpieces, 'Rhapsody in Blue, ' is introduced here along with its composer, George Gershwin.... Slade and Innerst... work beautifully together to create a book that builds to a crescendo just as 'Rhapsody' does. The swirling text wraps around the inventive (and mostly blue) art, both literally and figuratively, capturing the time period as well as the dazzling musical piece.... This is fitting celebration of a musical milestone—keep a copy of the song cued up for curious listeners." —Booklist, starred review

* "Slade teams up with Innerst for this pleasant picture book biography of composer George Gershwin... Innerst's acrylic spreads are almost entirely done in blue and gray tones, with broad brushstrokes, scanned textiles, and paper adding texture; each scene is striking. Slade's narrative is highly readable and lightly peppered with musical onomatopoeia.... A detailed author's note, time line, and bibliography add further depth to this well-researched work. Readers will get a glimpse into Gershwin's mind and find the music within. Highly recommended." —School Library Journal, starred review

* "Slade illuminates George Gershwin's creative process, from inception to premiere of "Rhapsody in Blue."... Innerst's acrylic-on-paper compositions, in a striking palette of indigo, sepia, and white, whimsically evoke both the period and the composer's creativity.... Bravo!" —Kirkus Reviews, starred review