Ray Charles

Ray Charles can do pretty much anything. That's what I got out of this book.Regardless of his blindness and any prejudice he faced as a black blind man, Ray Charles worked hard to overcome any and all obstacles. That is a lesson all people should take to heart regardless of age, skin color, disability, etc. The main reason I choose to classify this book as ages 8 to 10 was due purely to reading level. I actually believe everyone should take a page out of this book and have as much self confidence and drive as Ray Charles.

Ray Charles by Sharon Bell Mathis is a longer picture book appropriate for middle school children that could likely be read to fourth or fifth graders. It details the life of famous musician Ray Charles but often brings up the challenges he faced including his race and his sensory disability. This book is very important for instructing African American children about the civil rights movement and the inspirational story of a blind black man who excelled in his talent during an era of racial struggle, but it is also applicable to all middle school-aged children as it tells a great story.

Ray Charles, written by Sharon Bell Mathis and illustrated by George Ford, tells the extraordinary life story of a legendary musician. Ray Charles was born in 1930 to a low income African American family. He suffered from disease in both eyes at a young age, leaving him completely blind. However, being blind did not stop Ray from perusing his passion of playing jazz and gospel music. As a young child, his mother sent him away to St. Augustine School, which was better equipped to teach students with disabilities. Music class soon became his favorite part about school. While in music class, he learned how to read and write music using Braille. Ray began his music career by playing shows at jazz clubs, where a record label soon discovered show more him. Ray also formed a musical group called McSon Trio. Ray had his big break in the 1950’s with the release of his single “I Got a Women”, which was a number one hit.
Ray Charles is a well-written and inspirational tribute to the award winning singer, songwriter, and musician. George Ford’s illustrations accompany the text perfectly, capturing his triumphs and hardships. show less

The author presents the life of Ray Charles Robinson in this book. We learn about Ray Charles in a beautiful way since the author tells us about his life in story form. The author does not overlook the difficulty Ray had as a child but instead allows us to see/feel some of his pain. Although Ray Charles had a difficult childhood, he grew up to be a successful musician that was able to purchase anything he wanted. We learn that Ray Charles' disability did not hold him back. He would do many things a person with all senses was capable of doing. The reader is able to see how a poor African American man with a disability persevered during a difficult time in the United States and became a distinguished, honored musician. Ray Charles show more received awards from US presidents and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This is a great read aloud book for 1-5 since it lets the student learn about Ray Charles and his success regardless of his adversity.
A quote in the afterword caught my attention, " My eyes are my handicap, but my ears are my opportunity." This lets the reader see that they have many opportunities, especially if they have all of their senses.
The illustrator creatively used black/white/gray illustrations that let you feel like you may be seeing a black and white television. Even though the illustrations where not in color, we were still able to see Ray's emotions and actions. show less

Great book! Teaches history without it being boring to students. Very inspiring story to read to young kids. He overcomes his disability by never giving up on accomplishing his dream. Students learn to go after their dreams/goals despite what others may say or do to discourage them.

This picturebook biography tells the story of Ray Charles, the legendary musician. The book focuses on the struggles of Charles' life including blindness, bullies, death of loved ones, and discrimination. It tells of how he overcame each obstacle and how his strengths more than overcompensated for his weaknesses.

This book is all about the life of Ray Charles I didn't know much about him just that he was a blind musician. He was born completely normal, but then became blind. He faced many obstacles with his loss of sight, but never stopped trying to become the musical genius that he was. He played all kinds of music by writing and reading in braille. After his mom died when he was 15, he moved to Seattle, where he began his real career as a musician.I think this book would be cool to read to students to show them that even though obstacles will come their way, it shouldn't stop them from making something great of themselves.