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How Sweet the Sound

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How Sweet the Sound

By: Kwame Alexander, Charly Palmer - illustrator
Narrated by: Karen Murray
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About this listen

Featuring artists ranging from Miles Davis to Kendrick Lamar, dive into this celebration of the history of Black music in America by the award-winning author of The Undefeated.

Listen to the sound of survival, courage, and democracy—the soundtrack of America. Hear Billie Holiday's raspy, mournful voice, and tap your foot to Louis Armstrong's trumpet. Scream with James Brown and bop your head to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Can you spot the 80+ references to artists like Robert Johnson, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimi Hendrix, Whitney Houston, Lauryn Hill, and Beyonce?

Come dance to Kwame Alexander’s melodious narrative of the history of Black music in America, accompanied by the vibrant illustrations of Charly Palmer.

The book includes extensive back matter, providing even more context and history about the music and musicians.

©2025 Kwame Alexander (P)2025 Little, Brown Young Readers Literature & Fiction Multicultural Stories Music & Performing Arts

Critic reviews

* “Laced with powerful imagery, alliteration, and onomatopoeia…, [Kwame’s] verse begs to be sung…. Palmer’s distinctive illustrations offer the perfect accompaniment. A work whose lyrical and artistic genius only becomes more apparent upon rereads."—Kirkus, starred review
* “Palmer cranks up the visual energy with increasingly populous and sometimes kaleidoscopic images…. A “loud and proud” celebration of the roots and branches of a unique musical heritage.”—School Library Journal
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