From Bill Haley and His Comets to James Brown and his Famous Flames, this fun and fact-filled introduction to the pioneers of rock & roll will have you dancing in the aisles. These are fourteen original stars who created a brand-new sound almost fifty years ago—they influenced a generation of teenagers and inspired many of today’s most important musicians.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
In this sanitized compendium of 1950s rock stars, debut children's book writer George-Warren and Levine (Wig!) set themselves the task of translating music and personality to the page. Each spread features a capsule biography of a musician next to his or her portrait, painted on Masonite in an American primitive style and set in a found-object frame. Bill Haley comes first, along with his trademark "one, two, three o'clock, four o'clock ROCK" and a night sky full of "comets"; unfortunately, the writing is straight out of squaresville ("Although Bill Haley was a grownup, he sang about things teens liked and he spoke their language"). Little Richard appears against a glaring yellow background, and the text, which ripples out like sound waves from his portrait, trumpets his signature shriek: "A wop bop a loo bop a wop bam boom, tutti frutti, oh rooti!" Yet these immortal lyrics aren't as punchy in print, despite George-Warren's encouraging remark, "Wow, what a song!" Only a recap of Bo Diddley's signature beat ("Thump-a-thump-a-thump, a-thump-thump") suggests rock's catchy rhythms. The accounts politely bypass legend-making stories of Elvis's pelvis and Jerry Lee Lewis's scandalous marriage and only hint at rock's notorious racism and sexism; the volume cheers pivotal African-American artists like Chuck Berry and James Brown, but lets R&B singer LaVern Baker and rockabilly star Wanda Jackson represent all women rockers. Although oldies fans can appreciate Levine's homemade images, the set of icons resembles a quaint (and quiet) butterfly collection. This tame encyclopedia doesn't have much soul, and the uninitiated may wonder what all the fuss was about. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.From School Library Journal
Gr 4 Up-Fourteen of the originators of rock & roll are featured in this energetic, lighthearted introduction to the 1950s "musical earthquake-that shook everything up." Each double-page spread features a one-page biography facing a full-page portrait of a musician surrounded by whimsical items connected with the artist's best-known hits. Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Wanda Jackson, Ritchie Valens, and James Brown are among the performers profiled. Information includes the musicians' childhood musical backgrounds, how their careers began, short descriptions of their greatest hits and of any unique clothing or hairstyles for which they were famous, and a little about their accomplishments beyond the 1950s. An excellent introduction describes the roots of rock & roll. Old picture frames, some gilded and some simple weathered wood, are used to frame each mixed-media, folk-art-flavored painting. LaVern Baker's "Tweedlee Dee" is recalled by birds hopping across the page, while Jerry Lee Lewis is shown playing a piano from which flames, fiery musical notes, and one great ball of fire emerge. A wonderfully entertaining browsing book that will also fill a gap in most music collections.-Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding, fun book with great pics!,
By Jen in Indy (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Shake, Rattle and Roll: The Founders of Rock and Roll (Hardcover)
I ordered this book to be used as a guest book for a rockabilly wedding. The guests were instructed to write a little something and sign anywhere they liked. The bride and groom wanted something more interesting than the traditional guest book which gets packed away and never looked at again. This book was perfect! The written snapshots of the musicians were fun and informative and the artwork was lighthearted and non-conventional. This is fun for adults and kids!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great stories! Great music!,
By
This review is from: Shake, Rattle & Roll: The Founders of Rock & Roll (Paperback)
Renowned music journalist Holly George-Warren expertly tells the tales of the pioneers of rock and roll, illuminating hardscrabble aspects of each musician's early life. Kids and parents alike will appreciate how these colorful characters overcame obstacles and through hard work, help from friends and family, and opportunities seized, they changed the face of popular culture. Reading the stories to kids can help educate about both history and music alike.
Laura Levine's playful and highly original illustrations create an inviting landscape where one's imagination can soar.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Attention Teachers!,
By Muriel Rozin (New York City) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Shake, Rattle and Roll: The Founders of Rock and Roll (Hardcover)
Perfect book to parallel a unit of oral histories. Rock and roll-everyone has something to say about it. Students will get into the originality of the pictures. Parents and children can read together the well-written material about the hottest names in music history. It has everything to get students to the top of the new standards while connecting with their families and friends!
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First Sentence:
BACK IN THE 1950s, THERE WAS A MUSICAL EARTHQUAKE CALLED ROCK & roll that shook everything up. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Little Richard, Jerry Lee, New Orleans, Sun Records, Chuck Berry, Wanda Jackson New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
BACK IN THE 1950s, THERE WAS A MUSICAL EARTHQUAKE CALLED ROCK & roll that shook everything up. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Little Richard, Jerry Lee, New Orleans, Sun Records, Chuck Berry, Wanda Jackson New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
2
books
cite this book:
- John's Secret Dreams: The John Lennon Story by Doreen Rappaport in Back Matter
- Richie Valens (Billboard Biography) by John Bankston in Back Matter
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