Skip to main content
Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Who is Bob Dylan

Who is Bob Dylan

by, Jim O' Connor, Illustrated by, John O'Brien
New York, New York, Grosset & Dunlap
102 pages, Chapter Book

As a product of the 60's, surrounded by HUGE fans of Bob Dylan, I felt it was my duty to review this children's biography of Bob Dylan.  I also hoped it would help me understand what makes him so interesting to so many people, and where the inspiration for his music came from.  I also really liked the drawing of Dylan on the cover

We learn that Bob was born Robert Zimmerman.  At an early age he became interested in music and taught himself to play the piano and the guitar, after just one lesson from his teacher.  He was inspired by artists such as Little Richard, with his flamboyant style and musical skill.  Once he became older, and went off to college, he spent as much time as he could honing his musical skills and becoming more well known around town.  As he became more famous, he became instrumental in the Civil Rights movement writing and singing songs, that inspired those fighting against racial injustice.  His famous song, "Blowin' in the Wind" is about those battles.  The meaning of the song, is that the answers we're looking for are sometimes right in front of us, if we just look.  After a life of writing music, performing and inspiring countless people, he was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2012. 

The biography is well-written for children, as it doesn't go into much detail, but gives enough information to make it interesting for the young reader.  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Mixed-Up Owl

The Mixed-Up Owl  Written by Marzena Sowa Illustrated by Joanna Lorno New York : Hippo Park, 2025. Picture Book. When Owl can't sleep at night, he heads off to see if any forest animals can help him understand why, and even more so, how to fix it!  Unfortunately, all the animals Owl runs into at night are asleep and all the animals he meets during the day are too rude or too busy to answer him.  Will Owl give up or will a chance meeting with a grumpy hedgehog provide all the solutions Owl was looking for? The premise of an owl trying to stay awake during the day because all the other animals around him do is very fun. Kids who know that owls are nocturnal will get a kick out of Owl's confusion and be quick to try to tell him what's going on.  Readers who don't know many facts about owls (or nocturnal animals in general) will get a brief introduction to the different ways animals sleep. The illustrations are charming, especially cute Owl and his expressive body langua...

Display: Be A World Traveller

Real Castles Around the World Written by Kaitlyn Duling Vero Beach, Florida : Rourke Educational Media, 2025. Informational. 48 pages Take a trip around the world as you read about the most impressive castles ever built! Explore fierce fortresses, castles that have inspired stories, uniquely colorful castles, and the history behind them all as you Travel to Real Castles Around the World! Part of the Travel to Children s Book Series, this 48-page nonfiction book explores castles both past and present, the kings that inhabited them, and knights that fought to protect them! Lower the drawbridge, cross the moat, and travel to real castles from all around the world as you learn about our magical history with fun-filled facts and vibrant photos. History Book Features: Before- and after-reading activities. Extension activity. Glossary About Rourke Educational Media: We proudly publish respectful and relevant nonfiction and fiction titles that represent our diverse readers, and are designed to...

Review: Grounded for All Eternity

Grounded for All Eternity By Darcy Marks New York : Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, 2022. Fiction. 375 pgs. Malachi, Crowley, and Lilith are just your average, normal, middle-school kids. That is, if you consider living in the suburbs of Hell and having black feathered wings normal. They want to enjoy their school free vacation, but Hell is on lock down after the soul of Reverend Samuel Paris, leader of the 1693 Salem witch trials, escapes. Malachi and his friends travel to Earth, looking for some fun, but accidentally bring the Reverend's soul with them to modern day Salem, Massachusetts. Chaos ensues, and Malachi meets many new types of characters, such as witches, angels, and humans. Malachi and his friends must work together to return Reverend Sam's soul to Hell, or else all of Salem will be destroyed. Or worse, be grounded for all eternity.  Read this book for the ultimate Halloween experience, and if you want to revisit the ...