Treemonisha, the daughter of freed slaves in the post-Civil War South, gets an education and devotes herself to lifting her people out of poverty and ignorance.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Gr 2-6--This oversized illustrated book is based on Scott Joplin's opera of the same name. Set in September, 1884, on an abandoned plantation in a remote, wooded corner of Arkansas, the story concerns the lives and hopes of former slaves. Treemonisha, born soon after emancipation, has been well educated, thanks to her parents' hard work and her own determination. Now a young woman recently returned from college, she clashes with the local conjure man, who has been breeding ignorance and superstition among her neighbors for his own profit. The excitement increases when he kidnaps Treemonisha and threatens to throw her into a wasps' nest. Because the motivations of the characters and the flow of action in Treemonisha are easily accessible to children, it translates well into a picture book. This retelling follows the opera's action closely, sometimes using dialogue from Joplin's libretto. Watercolor illustrations depict mysterious woods in muted fall tones and make effective use of expression and gesture to portray human emotion. The pictures are notable for their strong sense of movement, recalling the opera's energetic ragtime dance numbers. An introduction offers background information, while an afterword outlines Joplin's life and recounts the history of his only surviving opera. Standing on its own as a good story, this title provides an enticing introduction to an appealing and important piece of American music.
Margaret A. Chang, North Adams State College, MA
Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Education is the Key,
By "cgrog" (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Treemonisha (Library Binding)
It is indeed good news to see Scott Joplin's Treemonisha published as a children's book. In addition to its artistic qualities, Joplin hoped that his opera would promote social change among his people. Most were living in conditions not much better than slavery and he knew that the way to prosperity was through education, such as he had been privileged to receive. The idea that Treemonisha is about feminist issues is completely absurd. I don't have a friend whose father was a member of Joplin's band but I do know what Joplin personally had to say in the preface to the opera: "Treemonisha was the only educated person in the neighborhood, the other children being still in ignorance on account of their inablility to travel so far to school. Treemonisha, being eighteen years old, now starts on her career as a teacher and leader." Obviously education was the key to Treemonisha's status. That she is a woman simply serves to point out that education empowers all, black and white, male and female.
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Quite interesting. Illustrations are great,
By A Customer
This review is from: Treemonisha (Library Binding)
I enjoyed reading your book. A friend of mine, knowning that I had written the story also, and am awaiting its printing, brought me a copy. Your illustrator is very good. I enjoyed his work. Somehow, I got the impression that Remus becomes the leader of the village. Am I correct. If so, that is not what Joplin was about. He was about female leadership. That is why she asked the question to the crowd three times in three different ways. That is also why the opera was not picked up by the publishers. Woman sufferage was a sore topic at that time, and would not have created a reason for another million dollar block buster for them. Joplin was way ahead of his time in that aspect. I have a friend whose father was in Joplin's band, and she was able to give me added insight to the man. I'm glad you did the book. Nevilla E. Ottley
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
