"A profile as bold and vivacious as the singer herself." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Terrific for all collections that want to inspire the musically inclined and highlight innovative pioneers." --ALA Booklist (starred review)

"Bolden uses alliteration, assonance, repetition, and rhythm to create an irresistibly musical text that effectively communicates the feel of Tharpe's music. Christie's lively illustrations. . . capture the physicality of Tharpe's performance style and the intensity of her sound." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Impressive offering about an often-overlooked figure in American music." --The Horn Book (starred review)

"The marriage of Bolden's words and Christie's pictures is almost as satisfying as Tharpe's songs." --New York Times Book Review

Perfect for fans of Trombone Shorty and Ada's Violin!

Award-winning author Tonya Bolden and acclaimed illustrator R. Gregory Christie deliver an inspiring true story about the life, career, and impact of twentieth-century blues and gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who was a trailblazer for rock-and-roll. Includes a timeline of Sister Rosetta Tharpe's life, an author's note, and a list of sources.

Before there was Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Johnny Cash, there was Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

The godmother of rock-and-roll started as a little girl from Arkansas with music in her air, in her hair, in her bones, wiggling her toes. With a big guitar in hand and a big voice in her soul, she grew into a rock-and-roll trailblazer in a time when women were rarely seen rocking out. Her guitar picking was like nobody else's!

Boogie along with this rockin' tribute to the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sister Rosetta Tharpe by Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author Tonya Bolden and Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator R. Gregory Christie.

A CCBC 2024 Choices for the Arts selection!

Author: Tonya Bolden
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 02/14/2023
Pages: 40
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 11.30h x 8.70w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9780062994387
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 11/01/2022
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 01/01/2023
School Library Journal 01/01/2023 pg. 79
Publishers Weekly 02/06/2023
Booklist 02/15/2023 pg. 50
Horn Book Magazine 05/01/2023 pg. 155
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2023 - Outstanding, Noteworthy In Style