Review by Booklist Review
Meloy's ode to Pete Seeger celebrates his life as a performer, songwriter, union organizer, civil rights advocate, ship builder, sailor, carpenter, and environmentalist. He chronicles Seeger's life through the golden thread of his voice, citing his lyrics throughout the jaunty, rhyming text. As a young man, Seeger performed with his family (Go Tell Aunt Rhody); during WWII, he cheered soldiers with his banjo playing; and he reworked a labor movement song into the inspiring We Shall Overcome. For the Weavers, he popularized Goodnight, Irene, and he celebrated the seasons (Turn, Turn, Turn) until age 94. McClure's distinctive artwork employs black and gold layers of intricately cut paper, depicting scenes from Seeger's life and linking to his lyrics. Her work resembles woodcuts, complementing the folkloric style of the text. Although Seeger's Oh, Had I a Golden Thread is quoted but never fully explained, and his lyrics appear without attribution in the art, this makes a good introduction to Seeger and his many contributions to American music. A Recommended Listening list and time line are appended.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Meloy (the Wildwood Chronicles) and McClure's (The Great Chicken Escape) gorgeous, emotionally expansive book, the "golden thread"-a reference to Seeger's hymn of reconciliation, "Oh, Had I a Golden Thread"-becomes a literal and figurative narrative line that follows Seeger's life. The book traces his story from his beginnings in a family of traveling musicians to his global renown as a folk icon, activist, and writer-arranger of quintessential American songs. Meloy, who is also a member of the band The Decemberists, hails his hero in emphatic, lyric-like poetry. Recalling Seeger's testimony during the McCarthy era, Meloy writes: "Pete was then sent to a senator's court/ And thereupon angrily asked to report/ About all his doings and political leanings/ And did any of his songs have nefarious meanings?/ All this just to settle political scores/ But Pete, he just said: 'It's no business of yours.'/ Which it wasn't!/ Still isn't!" McClure, a masterful cut-paper artist, creates her images from sheets of black and gold and punctuates them with a continuous, undulating golden line inscribed with famous lyrics from Seeger's songs. The dynamic spreads evoke both the historic heft of vintage newspaper photography and the soaring beauty of righteous, joyous song. Ages 4-8. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4-In this unique picture book biography of the late folk musician and activist, the text is written as lyrics to a ballad. Decemberists singer/songwriter Meloy, author of the "Wildwood" series, writes of the musical legend in a style similar to Seeger's own rambling verse. In the manner of a tall tale he is described as a "Hammer bringer! River singer! Sailing soldier, lean bell ringer." While much of the text flows smoothly in this lyrical style, there are a few forced-rhymes, as well as moments where it feels more Seussian than folk song. McClure's artwork complements the subject with her signature style of impeccable and fluid cut paper. The vignettes capture Seeger's likeness and character, and are based on historical photographs and film. The cut paper is nearly all black and white; the only color is a mustard-gold that serves as the titular thread weaving its way through the illustrations as a representation of music and often containing written song lyrics. This title covers much of Seeger's long life, including his activism, musical career, blacklisting, and family. However, because of the limitations of 48 pages written in rhyming stanzas, Meloy does not go into great detail, making the book better for casual reading than information-gathering. (The reference to Goodnight Irene in the main text doesn't mention that this song was originally written by Lead Belly, though he is referenced in the illustrations, and referred to in the time line.) Additionally, while the back matter lists extensive recommended listening, no further reading is included, the bibliography only referring to two adult biographies. VERDICT This thoughtful and exquisitely-illustrated tribute to Pete Seeger comes on the tails of two more comprehensive picture book biographies, Leda Schubert's Listen and Susanna Reich's Stand Up and Sing. Purchase for larger collections or where Pete Seeger is a popular subject.-Clara Hendricks, Cambridge Public Library, MA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
With terrific enthusiasm for his subject, musician-author Meloy uses rhyming verse to tell Seeger's story, paying equal tribute to the singer's musical and activist efforts. The text is by turns clever, cute, and exhausting. Bannerlike gold bands emblazoned with song lyrics festoon McClure's striking cut-paper art in black, white, and gold. Recommended listening and notes are appended. Timeline. Bib. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A prose song celebrates Pete Seeger's inestimable contribution to American music and social justice.Meloy, musician and songwriter for the Decembrists, honors the long career of this remarkable activist in words that sing and soar in joyful homage. The text, presented as poetry or song lyrics, begs to be read aloud from its opening phrases: "I heard there was a golden thread / A shining magic thing / That bounded up our little world / I HEARD PETE SEEGER SING!" Meloy covers the big moments in Seeger's life: banjo-playing at union rallies and while in the Army in World War II, performing with the Weavers, the decade of McCarthy-era blacklisting, the Newport Folk Festival, the Hudson River sloop Clearwater. McClure's detailed, cut-black-paper illustrations, highlighted with ribbons of gold-yellow paper containing lyrics from Seeger's songs, have the look of woodcuts, lending folk-art and mid-20th-century flavors to the pages. Seeger's iconic tools, a banjo and his wood-chopping axe, appear as a crossed design on the cover. There is a warmth and energy in the use of just the two colors that leaves room for the narrative to convey, in the words of the title song, the "rainbow design" in Seeger's rich gift of music and advocacy. A timeline covering Seeger's nine decades, a list of recordings, author's and illustrator's notes, and an adult-directed bibliography offer additional depth.Positively joyous. (Picture book/biography. 4-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
