My Thoughts:
Why do I love picture books so much? Because picture books are magic and music and a visual respite. Another fact is that I LOVE the cello, especially the way its sound flows into the room and flies to the corners and windows, slinks along the floors. Then you have Yo-Yo Ma on his cello, Petunia. . .this picture book gives me all the feels. I actually read it aloud to my husband.
This is a book about unity and world peace, but it is also about the genius of Yo-Yo Ma and the worlds that were united in the making of Petunia.
The words flow like the river, and burble back to:
feet planted on the soil of one nation,
eyes gazing at the shores of another. . .
Finally, I read this picture book because I love Yo-Yo Ma, but I have an advanced readers copy from the publishers, Harper Collins, so I did not pay attention to the author and illustrator names until I finished the book and read it again, and then read it to my husband. However, the author, Joanna Ho, is also the author for my granddaughter's favorite book, Eyes That Kiss In the Corners. No wonder I loved it so much and immediately pre-ordered the book for my Isla. The beautiful multicultural illustrations are done by illustrator Teresa Martinez. Buy this!
From the Publisher:
Joanna Ho’s lyrical writing and Teresa Martinez’s vibrant art weave together to tell an inspiring story of Yo-Yo Ma, who challenges conventions, expectations, and beliefs in order to build bridges to unite communities, people, and cultures. A beautiful picture book biography to enjoy and share in the home and the classroom.
Before Yo-Yo Ma became one of the most renowned and celebrated cellists, he wanted to play the double bass. But it was too big for his four-year-old hands. Over time, Ma honed his amazing talent, and his music became a reflection of his own life between borders, cultures, disciplines, and generations.
Since then, he has recorded over a hundred albums, won nineteen Grammy Awards, performed for eight American presidents, and received the National Medal of the Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, just to name a few accomplishments.
Staying true to himself, Yo-Yo Ma performed at the US-Mexico border at the Rio Grande on April 13, 2019, as part of his multi-continent “Bach Project” tour to prove a point—through music, we can build bridges rather than walls between different cultures.
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