Dylan L. Meyer - "Before John Was a Jazz Giant" by Carole Weatherford



"Before John Was a Jazz Giant" by Carole Weatherford is a children's book about the early musical life of legendary jazz tenor saxophonist, John Coltrane. The book starts with Coltrane as a little boy, and shows his many musical inspirations, like his mother singing hymns while cooking, or his father playing ukulele. It also reveals more about his personal life about growing up in Jim Crow America and the relative poverty he had growing up. This book is a fantastic addition to any music book library for several reasons. First, it brings the concept of the virtuoso down to a personal level, showing young children that they too can be just like Coltrane. Second, the book is highly relateable because of the first reason and because of the fact that the settings and scenes in the book are similar to many children's lives, making this a powerfully connectivic book.