Myers, Walter Dean.  2003.  Illustrated by Christopher Myers.  Blues Journey.      New York:  Holiday House.  ISBN 0-8234-1613-5.
Summary	This is a chronicle of the African American experience told in blues lyrics.  The book starts with a history of the blues and concludes with a timeline and glossary.
Media	Myers used only white paint, blue ink and brown paper bags to create remarkable art that is haunting.
Literary Devices	Beautiful evocative music.  The cd which accompanies the book is a must for the tone and music of the singer. Metaphors, symbolism
Curriculum Connection	There are many lessons online to support this book. Perfect integration of music, history and language.
Rating	5Q  5P
Extras	WebQuest http://questgarden.com/author/create/preview.php?u=84795&l=84795-090715093955&pt=student&p=introduction Kennedy center for the arts has done an adaptation of the book. Teacher resources at ArtsEdge

 

 

Mary Smartt 8/2/09

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TOP TEN. Blues Journey by Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers, ill. New York, NY: Holiday House, 2003. ISBN 0-8234-1613-5

 

Annotation: Blues Journey plumbs the emotional depth within blues music’s rhythmic call and response lyrics, illustrating the literal and symbolic themes of the songs in strong, melancholy blue and brown hues.

 

Media: Blue ink, white paint, and brown paper bags.

 

Rating: 5Q/5P.

 

Curricular connections: Visual/Performing Arts, Poetry, Black History Month, History/Social Studies.

 

School level: Middle school or junior high, High school.

 

Themes: Blues Journey shows that there is both beauty and hardship can be conveyed exquisitely through art.

 

NP 07/17/09

 

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Blues Journey by Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers, ill. New York: Holiday House, 2003.

 

 

ISBN: 0-8234-1613-5

 

 

 

 

 

Through his original lyrics, Walter Dean Myers depicts the lives of those who wrote blues songs, using poetry to share the sad truths of slavery, failed loves, and sharecropping stories. His son’s dreamy illustrations round out the picture.

 

 

 

 

 

Media: blue ink, white paint, and brown paper bags

 

 

 

 

 

Artwork Discussion: Christopher Myers says of his artwork for Blues Journey that he wanted it to represent the spare structure of The Blues and, because of this, he chose to work on paper bags using only blue ink and white paint. He also chose this limited palette as a way to reflect the poverty of many Blues musicians, and how they often had to improvise. I think that the limited color combinations—and the focus on blue—give the work a sad, eerie feel that makes the words resonate even more.

 

 

 

 

 

Rhyme: Rhyme is used throughout the poems

 

 

Examples:

 

 

The root woman told me

 

 

that my day was coming soon

 

 

Soon’s a mule reads the Bible,             

 

 

And Christmas comes in June.             

 

 

 

 

 

The thrill is gone, baby, but love’s still got my heart

 

 

I can feel you in this music, and it’s tearing me apart.

 

 

 

 

 

Rhythm: The rhyme (living in a two-room shack/Ain’t nothing in your parlor,/a little less in back) and repetition (The thrill is gone, but love’s still got my heart/The thrill is gone, baby, but love’s still got my heart) in these poems combines to give each one a rhythm that stays in your head long after the words are read.

 

 

 

 

 

Rating: 5Q/5P

 

 

 

 

Posted by LA 4/5/8