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The Music In George's Head

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The Music in George's Head: George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue
Written by Suzanne Slade
Illustrated by Stacy Innerst
Calkins Creek, 2016. Informational.

George Gershwin collected sounds and music from wherever he went to fill his head. He heard classical music, blues music, jazz music, and the sounds of New York City and they filled his head with razzmatazz. Then, on February 12, 1924, George is scheduled to perform his masterpiece - he sits in front of the piano with no sheet music as the clarinet player slides up eighteen notes and he begins to play the music he had been collecting in his head.

The swirling text and illustrations (in blue, of course) sway and grow and twist with the sounds and music they are meant to be describing. The beautiful illustrations of this book should appeal to someone with no knowledge of George Gershwin and little interest in his music. Of course, this book will appeal even more to those who are familiar with Rhapsody in Blue and are able to hear the melody as they turn the pages.


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