Shake, Rattle & Roll: The Founders of Rock & Roll

Renowned music journalist Holly George-Warren expertly tells the tales of the pioneers of rock and roll, illuminating hardscrabble aspects of each musician's early life. Kids and parents alike will appreciate how these colorful characters overcame obstacles and through hard work, help from friends and family, and opportunities seized, they changed the face of popular culture. Reading the stories to kids can help educate about both history and music alike. Laura Levine's playful and highly original illustrations create an inviting landscape where one's imagination can soar.

Perfect book to parallel a unit of oral histories. Rock and roll-everyone has something to say about it. Students will get into the originality of the pictures. Parents and children can read together the well-written material about the hottest names in music history. It has everything to get students to the top of the new standards while connecting with their families and friends!

A really fun book to read to kids--I learned a lot too!

This is an extremely cool book, designed to introduce young readers to some of the founding artists of rock and roll.Holly George-Warren is one of my favorite rock writers (and also previously fronted the punk/polka Das Furlines), so I know I'm in good hands with HER.The illustrations by Laura Levine are brilliant and simple, in an "outsider art" style, depicting each artist (Chuck Berry, LIttle Richard, Wanda Jackson, Bill Haley) performing, and surrounded by symbols (and cymbals) of their careers, including famous song titles. The Jerry Lee Lewis picture has a piano keyboard as a frame.Kids will love it, and adults will enjoy the subtleties of the art. I'm probably going to keep one for myself, and give another to my young godson on his upcoming birthday.

This is a cool and funky book, well worth it to the parent of preschool rockers or aging rockers with kids. In fact, you don't need kids or to be a kid to love this book. If you know "poodle with a mohawk" and other Linda Barry hoozzaas, and you know who you are, then you will love this book. And you will look marrrveloouus reading it.