Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix (edition 2010)

The amazing illustrations in this biography of a young Jimi Hendrix completely overwhelm the text. Steptoe has an uncanny ability to bring Hendrix's sound alive through color. ( )

My personal pick for the best illustrated book of last year. ( )

Beautiful multi-medium artwork, plays the rhythm of the story and the musical topic. ( )

This is the story of a young Jimi Hendrix , beautifully designed by Javaka Stepkoe. ( )

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards "honor African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults that communicate the African American experience." One Illustrator Honor Book was named in 2011, Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix, illustrated by Javaka Steptoe (daughter of John Steptoe), and written by Gary Golio. The narrative stops before Hendrix' untimely death, but an afterword and author's note address some of those issues. There are also a number of websites and books listed about substance abuse as well as about Hendrix, and a selected discography of music and video by and about him. Steptoe used mixed media, including paint, collage, and silkscreen, and in an illustrator's note, says,

"I thought about guitars--their sound, their vibrations, their look and feel--so I used plywood...I thought about how Jimi saw the world and how that differed from other people's views, so I painted Jimi one way and his surroundings another way. I thought about the depth and texture of his music, so I layered and used bright colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple--rainbow colors."

The subject matter and complex illustrations make this book more appropriate for older children. It would appeal to reluctant readers and could be tied into art and music curricula.

© Amanda Pape - 2011 ( )