Book-A-Day 16: Jimi Sounds Like A Rainbow

Jimi Sounds Like A Rainbow: 

A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix

Written by: Gary Colio

Illustrated by: Javaka Steptoe

A rock legend, a creative genius, and a mover and shaker of his time, Jimi Hendrix is known around the world for his artistry on the electric guitar.  But, how did Jimi get to the place of legendary fame in which he is remembered by so many?  How did he come to pick up a guitar as a child and then go on to cultivate his talent?  Earning a Coretta Scott King book honor, Jimi Sounds Like A Rainbow gives readers a glimpse into the life of a young Jimi Hendrix before he became famous and his unique way of looking at the world from a very young age.  Jimi connected sounds and colors and often created pictures of what he heard.  Taking the sounds of his world and pondering the thought, "Could a person use music like chalks and colored pencils?  Could someone paint pictures with sound?"  This book is a fascinating and interesting look into the childhood years of a rock legend that I think all children can appreciate.  

This book could be used several different ways to enhance teaching and learning.  This story embodies the concept of the growth mindset and being persistent even when the going gets tough.  At one point in the story it reads, "He practiced and practiced, training his ears and hands.  And each day he got a little better."  What a great line for kids to hear spoken out loud.  It would make for a great read-aloud to kickstart the school year and help foster the growth mindset in our students.  Of course, because it is a biography it could support a unit in which students are learning about the lives of famous people.  But, because this story really focuses on Jimi as a child it could be used as a mentor text for a "Before They Were Famous" biography unit.  Rather than students doing a typical biography project in which they find out about an entire individual's life, what if they explored famous people's childhoods?   Using the information students discover through their research they could highlight what they learn about the famous person as a child and make connections to themselves.  Build in critical thinking by having students ponder what it might be like if the famous person (as a child) were to move to Chapel Hill and attend your school.  What could we learn from them or what could they possibly teach us based on what we know about their early years.  Would they make a good friend - would they be a good student?  This information could then be compiled into a short "documentary" using any number of digital tools to create a "Before They Were Famous" presentation.   What a great way for students to recognize that people who reach stardom or legendary status were once kids too and it is often with much persistence and hard work they achieve great things.  And that is a lesson that all kids would benefit from exploring....that is the growth mindset!  

Check out the original music video for "All Along the Watchtower" or click here to learn more about the life and music of Jimi Hendrix. 

Author Gary Golio partnered with illustrator Javaka Steptoe (who I highlighted in an early blog post) to shine a light on the early life of the legendary Jimi Hendrix.   The end of the book includes both an author's and illustrator's note in which you get to learn more about each of these men and their journey with this project.  Mr. Steptoe's message was particularly interesting as he explains how he went through his own creative process in order to connect with the life of Jimi Hendrix.  He writes, "To really know about a person, you have to do things that they did, and see the things they saw.  So I listened to the music and watched performances on YouTube, I walked the streets of Jimi's hometown, Seattle, I read and thought about Jimi and talked to people who knew him, and I even fingered an electric guitar once or twice.  In that green and lush city of magic, I listened for Jimi and asked for his help as I explored.......I thought about how Jimi saw the world and how that differed from other people's views, so I painted Jimi one way and his surrounding another way."  Very cool!