Review by Booklist Review
Wells teams up with bestselling illustrator Knight-Justice in this gentle and moving picture book about a young boy experiencing housing insecurity. Danté and his mom lose their home in Luna Park and move in with Uncle Ron, Uncle Joe, and cousin Riley until they can get back on their feet. Danté and his mom are saddened by their circumstances, and Danté especially misses his friends and their old city pool. Their family gives them a big welcome and Danté and his mom soon cheer up when they hear music from the uncles--who play with the Jacktown Blues Boys--and Uncle Ron introduces Danté to the saxophone. After Danté expresses his frustration over losing their home and all that he's missing out on, Uncle Ron urges Danté to "Turn yo' blues into yo' muse." Danté continues to play all summer, pours his feelings into his music, and slowly comes to terms with his situation. The mixed-media illustrations feature multiple vibrant hues of blue along with unusual textures and patterns, including sheet music. Expressive and detailed facial features highlight and celebrate the characters' emotions. A tender story with a thoughtful message about coping and acceptance.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Wells and Knight-Justice's joyfully jazzy tribute to the blues, Danté and their mom, who must leave their house in Luna Park, move in with Danté's musically inclined uncles and supportive cousin Riley. Mourning their lost home and navigating the change, Danté is introduced to the saxophone--"Don't worry. Once you start practicing, you'll find yo' sweet spot," Uncle Ron says. Told to "Turn yo' blues into yo' muse," Danté pours his experiences into playing sax, and is soon ready to perform with his uncles for the whole neighborhood, an occasion that underlines a key theme: "It isn't perfect,/ but I keep playing." Paint and crayon effects embellish papercuts and printed collage to create layered images; humorously crooked, misshapen notes portray Danté's artless first blow on the saxophone, transitioning to more composed renditions as the child's skill--at navigating music and life--grows. The family reads as Black. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 4--8. (July)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Danté and his mother are forced to leave their home and stay with Uncle Ron until they get back on their feet. Danté recognizes that Mama's heart is as broken as his own when they're displaced from their beloved neighborhood, Luna Park, with its city pool and all Danté's friends. At their new home, Dante's uncles and older cousin greet them with open arms, big smiles, and welcome signs, but it's the sight of Uncle Joe playing his guitar and Uncle Ron blowing his saxophone that distracts Danté from his pain. As Uncle Ron teaches Danté to play the sax, the boy opens up about what's bringing him down, and Uncle Ron offers some words of wisdom: "Turn yo' blues into yo' muse." Danté practices playing his sax (named Luna after his old neighborhood) all summer, and as the book closes, he performs onstage. "It isn't perfect," he admits, but he keeps going--a thoughtful metaphor for his own experiences. Sometimes, Wells suggests, that's all we can do. The mixed-media illustrations, which incorporate textured papers and sheet music, make for a lively and cathartic journey through hardship and the challenges of learning to make music. Knight-Justice uses deeply saturated hues of blue to depict the sounds filling the room as Danté plays; she portrays this loving Black family and community with varying shades of brown. The result is an authentic introduction to the blues and the music's cultural legacy. A resonant tale of a boy dealing with change in his own way. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
