How James Earl Jones Found His Voice
Written by Kari Lavelle, Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Star Wars, The Lion King, and The Sandlot are some of the movies that James Earl Jones played a big part in. But before he was in movies, he had a challenge. As a kid, he stuttered. Kids made fun of him, so he stopped talking. This book tells the story of how he overcame the fear of stuttering in front of other people. I’m sure that played a big part in his eventual success in movies. With such a strong, deep voice, I never would have guessed that he had ever stuttered. What a great insight into a movie legend’s childhood. I read this out loud to students in grades 1-5 and they were all interested to see how the story ended. Plus, the art is beautiful and they loved the pictures.
Reviewed by Merri Rygg, Library Substitute, Granite School District
Review shared in 11/25/2024
Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 1-5
Ode to Grapefruit: How James Earl Jones Found His Voice
Written by Kari Lavelle, Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Alfred A. Knopf
40 pages
Release Date: July 30, 2024
ISBN: 9780593372760
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
