The Cosmobiography Of Sun Ra: The Sound Of Joy Is Enlightening (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
I saw this book at the library and after reading other reviews, I wanted to read it too! Sun Ra was certainly an interesting person - deciding at an early age that he was from Saturn and just here to live among the earthlings! He created a very eclectic type of music, with the roots in jazz but adding classical tones to it. He travelled all over introducing his music to the world. Being from Saturn, made him not always conform to our standards - he had his own way of moving from place to place (often because he didn't pay for things), making his own clothes and of course his own music. I did put iTunes on in the background to get a feel for his music as I read this book. You will remember Chris Raschka from Yo! Yes?, one of the best read-alouds of all time. You will remember Sun Ra from your time on Saturn. Or will you? His music is prodigious and prolific. His persona is mystical and mysterious. Can this picture book begin to plumb the depths of THE Sun Ra? Yes. The joyful illustrations and willingness of the author to let us go along with the idea that Sun Ra hailed from Saturn, by way of Birmingham, Alabama, will set the stage for play and experimentation. There are so many avenues that a teacher could take with students reading this book. I'm imagining a kindergarten class with classroom instruments, enough tin foil and duct tape to make outfits before some impromptu tail feather shaking to "Moon Dance." Sun Ra seems to leave a lot of room in his music for others to join in. This book will make you want to take part. (I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you, Candlewick Press.)
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Read for Librarian Book GroupPleasantly weird.
—lia
