Review by Booklist Review
Yo-Yo Ma had achieved fame as a brilliant musical prodigy at age five, but in this insightful book, Howe doesn't just provide the story of Ma's life as a musician; he also discusses his lifelong interest in understanding music and its role in our lives. This book includes basic biographical information about Ma's childhood, and the decisions that led him to become one of the most widely known, respected, and beloved cellists ever. Always questioning the nature, purpose, and meaning of music, as an adult, Ma has reached out to musicians around the world, enabling friendships and collaborations based on his long-time interest in music from other cultures. In 2006, he was appointed a United Nations Messenger of Peace. Wong's illustrations, created with acrylics, crayons, and watercolors and digitally edited, are beautiful and engaging. While the book is accessible to young children, it may be more meaningful to somewhat older readers. Howe's plain-spoken but high-minded reflections on Ma's accomplishments will resonate with kids who admire the cellist, as well as the many readers who, though perhaps unfamiliar with Ma himself, are drawn to his ideal of uniting people around the world through their music.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Howe highlights the celebrated cellist's introspective nature, conveying questions that Yo-Yo Ma (b. 1955) has asked throughout his life, first as a young musician taught by his father--"What does it mean to be a cellist? To be a musician? To be a human being?"--and later when questioning his future: "Who am I when I am not the obedient son, when I am not the cellist everyone expects me to be?" In diaphanous multimedia spreads with velvety textures, Wong portrays Ma as a young boy struggling to get his cello case up the stairs of his family's Paris apartment, playing on television for the president of the United States, and then, in adolescence, slumped on his bed reading a comic book. Studying anthropology leads to further questions, a career choice, and to a realization: "I am a human being first, a musician second, a cellist third." It's a warm, musing biographical work that details a figure's desire to "bring people together in harmony and joy"--and invites readers to ask and answer questions of their own. Ages 4--8. (June)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--5--Young and old will appreciate this glorious new picture book on the life of cellist Yo-Yo Ma. What a beautiful and inspiring life--growing up in a musical family in Paris, at age four Ma declared his wish to play the cello. A bright, obedient, and sometimes silly boy, he worked diligently alongside his older sister under his father's tutelage to master musical theory as well as French and Chinese. When he was seven, his family moved to New York, and soon he and his sister were performing on television for the President of the United States. As Ma worked to have his cello express what was in his heart, he thought deeply about the question, "What is the purpose of music?" He also mulled over what it meant to be a cellist, a musician, and a human being. After studying anthropology at Harvard, Ma decided he would "spend his life not only performing for others but learning from others about their musical traditions and finding ways to bring cultures together through the music they make." Howe's story will move some readers to tears and make them think about the special gifts each person possesses. Wong's illustrations have a soft beauty that captures Ma's open-eyed wonder in the world and his journey from child prodigy to Earth's musical ambassador. VERDICT A heartfelt tribute to a master musician whose life has lessons for all of us.--Sally James
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Review by Horn Book Review
Readers may not know that Yo-Yo Ma (b. 1955), one of the most recognized cellists of our time and a trailblazer who delights in crossing cultural and musical boundaries, has struggled to find purpose in music. He could play an entire Bach cello suite from memory at age four and performed for President Kennedy when he was seven. But he also searched for meaning in music beyond technical precision, and this thoughtful picture-book biography focuses on that search. Wong's illustrations, rendered with "acrylic, watercolor, crayon, and digital editing," capture Ma's yearning with humor and empathy. In one scene, a teenage Ma reads comics on his bed with his cello propped up beside him. Big questions about the meaning of life appear in comic-style speech bubbles: are they spoken by Ma or by the cello? (A virtuoso musician's mystery!) This levity contrasts with an earlier scene of children playing baseball in the street while Ma and his sister remain inside, conveying just how much was sacrificed for rigorous practicing schedules. A tender depiction of an accomplished yet humble musician's quest to play with emotion and heart and to move within and beyond the world of classical music. Resources, a selected bibliography, and author and illustrator notes are appended. Julie Hakim AzzamJuly/August 2025 p.115 (c) Copyright 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
By age 4, Yo-Yo Ma can play an entire Bach suite from memory. Yo-Yo's parents are also musicians, and they encourage his and his sister Yeou-Cheng's musical talents from a very young age. Yeou-Cheng plays the violin, but Yo-Yo has his sights set on something bigger. Soon, his gift for cello takes Yo-Yo's family on a journey from their home in Paris to New York City, where Yo-Yo studies under some of the greatest cellists in the world. His world grows, and so does his talent. He becomes the principal cellist in a children's orchestra and performs at Carnegie Hall and even in front of the president. As he questions his identity ("What does it mean to be American and French and Chinese?"), his place in the world, and the interconnectedness of humanity, Yo-Yo finds his dedication to his music deepening into something that will ultimately shape his worldview. "Shy yet confident," he travels the world, bringing musicians together to learn from one another in a mix of cultures and styles. He uses his music to teach others, to protest injustice, and to attempt to answer some of life's greatest questions. Painterly, thoughtfully composed illustrations provide a remarkable depth of emotion and dynamism. Howe's lyrical prose is a finely tuned pleasure to read, from overture to encore. A harmonious tribute to one of music's absolute greats. (timeline, author's and illustrator's notes, resources, bibliography)(Picture-book biography. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
