Ode to Grapefruit

April 8, 2024
Via this intentionally paced picture book biography of American actor James Earl Jones (b. 1931), Lavelle (We Move the World) relays a story about finding one’s “important. Imperfectly perfect” voice. It begins in a classroom, in which students are portrayed with various skin tones, and where Jones’s stutter interferes with his reading aloud. Though his words flow when he speaks to farm animals at home, he’s eventually “done talking” and remains silent for eight years, listening instead. A high school teacher reads poetry that intrigues him, and a shipment of grapefruit inspires Jones to write a poem of his own—and to read it to the class. With patience and practice, Jones slowly cultivates a voice that becomes globally recognizable. Collage and watercolor illustrations from Collier (Maya’s Song) employ circles that highlight Jones’s arc toward speech, and a moving classroom portrait shows other students with segments of the poem’s grapefruit subject
in their mouths. Told in measured prose, the biography builds to a moment of
triumph that ushers in a “voice, low and booming, beyond the dark side of fear.” Creators’ notes and information about stuttering conclude. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Elizabeth Bennett, Transatlantic Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt.

May 1, 2024
Poetry helped acclaimed actor James Earl Jones cope with stuttering as a child. At home, behind the hay barn, James' voice "flowed," and all the animals listened. Talking to people, however, wasn't so easy. Reading aloud at school was an ordeal: "Heart racing. / Kids laughing. / Mouth trying. / Voice blocking." As James got older, his stutter persisted. Finally, he decided to stop talking altogether--for eight years. But he listened, wrote, and learned. In high school, Professor Crouch encouraged his students to recite poetry, and James balked. Alone, however, he uttered the "irresistible patterns of poetry," even composing poems himself. One day, a shipment of grapefruit offered a sensory feast, inspiring a poem that Professor Crouch insisted James read aloud to prove his authorship. Asserting himself, James recited "Ode to Grapefruit" without a hitch to his classmates, who "cascaded into applause." James continued to share his resonant newfound voice through acting, debate, and public speaking. Eventually, his "legendary sound" would be known worldwide. Lavelle, a speech pathologist, notes that though James still stuttered occasionally, he "knew his voice was important. Imperfectly perfect"--a particularly heartening sentiment for readers experiencing similar difficulties. Staccato sentences vividly reflect instances of blocked speech; Collier's subdued yet striking watercolor and collage illustrations capture James' discomfort and hard-won confidence. Backmatter includes an author's note with further biographical details, as well as separate information about stuttering. A testament to poetry's expressive powers. (illustrator's note, sources) (Picture-book biography. 6-8)

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June 1, 2024
Grades 1-3 Drawing from the renowned actor's memoirs, Lavelle presents a young farm boy whose stutter forms no obstacle when he is chattering to livestock but keeps him nearly silent in public situations. James is always a good listener, though, so at a highschool teacher's urging, he begins reading poetry aloud to himself. Inspired by the cadences of Longfellow's Song of Hiawatha and by the delicious scent of a peeled grapefruit, he writes a poem of his own, "Ode to Grapefruit," and goes on to read it to his class--an experience that breaks down his reserve and leads not only to early awards in public speaking but to the life-changing realization that, despite the occasional stutter, his voice is his own: "Imperfectly perfect." In his signature mix of paint and collage, Collier portrays Jones progressing from downcast shame to glowing triumph. The author, a speech pathologist, caps this thought-provoking account with an afterword expanding on his subject's experiences both with that teacher and with racial discrimination.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2024
School is a challenge for young James Earl Jones (b. 1931) due to his stutter. Hoping his teacher will not call upon him, the future celebrated African American actor remembers the last time he tried to read aloud: "Face burning. / Heart racing. / Kids laughing. / Mouth trying. / Voice blocking." As Jones grows older and his stuttering continues, he reasons that if he did not talk, he would not stutter. Instead, he listens. He listens to the news, his aunt's and uncle's music, and his mama's stories; at school, he listens, and he learns. In high school, an influential teacher introduces him to poetry. Captivated by its rhythms, James finds his voice, reciting and eventually writing his own verses, including "Ode to Grapefruit." His teacher encourages him to read it aloud, and, confronting his fears, he performs his poem in a "voice deep and smooth." Subsequently, Jones's distinctive voice leads to a successful career on stage and screen. Lavelle, a speech pathologist, sensitively captures the anxiety that may accompany the disorder and insightfully conveys the power of poetry. Collier's expressive art, rendered in collage and watercolor, compellingly portrays the subject's struggles and triumphs. Back matter includes information about stuttering, author and illustrator notes, and selected resources. Pauletta Brown Bracy

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
School is a challenge for young James Earl Jones (b. 1931) due to his stutter. Hoping his teacher will not call upon him, the future celebrated African American actor remembers the last time he tried to read aloud: "Face burning. / Heart racing. / Kids laughing. / Mouth trying. / Voice blocking." As Jones grows older and his stuttering continues, he reasons that if he did not talk, he would not stutter. Instead, he listens. He listens to the news, his aunt's and uncle's music, and his mama's stories; at school, he listens, and he learns. In high school, an influential teacher introduces him to poetry. Captivated by its rhythms, James finds his voice, reciting and eventually writing his own verses, including "Ode to Grapefruit." His teacher encourages him to read it aloud, and, confronting his fears, he performs his poem in a "voice deep and smooth." Subsequently, Jones's distinctive voice leads to a successful career on stage and screen. Lavelle, a speech pathologist, sensitively captures the anxiety that may accompany the disorder and insightfully conveys the power of poetry. Collier's expressive art, rendered in collage and watercolor, compellingly portrays the subject's struggles and triumphs. Back matter includes information about stuttering, author and illustrator notes, and selected resources.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)