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Title details for We Are America by Walter Dean Myers - Available

We Are America

A Tribute From the Heart

by Walter Dean Myers
Multi-cast
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
2 of 2 copies available

What is it to be an American? In lyrical, soul-searching free verse and seamless, evocative paintings, the father-son team who presented Jazz, delivers a heartfelt and thought-provoking homage to this country. Reflective and non-judgmental, stretching across a tumultuous history, following dreams of and struggles for freedom, this is a masterful and stunning presentation of patriotism through poetry, quotations and depictions of myriad Americans—from Tecumseh to Abraham Lincoln to Jimi Hendrix—and the heart and soul of this land.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 22, 2013

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781430115519
      • File size: 16250 KB
      • Duration: 00:33:51

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      A chorus of voices welcomes listeners to Walter Dean Myers's and Christopher Myers's meditation on what it is to be American. Poems and quotes are delivered by a talented cast of narrators that reflect the diversity of the United States. Taken together, the words, thoughtful performances, snippets of music and sound effects, and illustrations form a moving and inspiring whole, painting an authentic and inclusive picture of a complex, ever-changing nation. This is an important audio program, and one that's ideal for hearing and reading together--as a family or in the classroom--and for inspiring discussion and sharing personal experiences. A foreword, read in the author's own deep voice, explains his impetus for writing WE ARE AMERICA ("No words here have been penned lightly, no flag waved mindlessly. This is simply my truest feelings for my country, my tribute to America."), and appendices at the end, also narrated, put the quotes in historical context and identify the people and events in Christopher Myers's evocative, mural-like illustrations. J.M.D. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from March 21, 2011
      The father and son team behind Jazz and other award-winning titles pays homage to the entire United States in a soul-searching, free-verse poem examining the people, ideals, and promise of America. The verse journeys along a rough historical chronology. "Before the ships came... My Lakota heart pounded the rhythms/ Of this sacred land." Following are dreams of and fights for freedom, and periods of unrest and abuse (slavery, Japanese internment), when "Like clumsy children we fell/ As we learned to run." Christopher Myers's evocative paintings often juxtapose different eras; a scene in which a firefighter turns his hose on a group of African-Americans melds into the Boston Tea Party. "We were willing to die/ to forge our dream," the accompanying verses begin. Like many passages, it has multiple interpretations. In opening, Walter Dean Myers writes, "No words here have been penned lightly, no flag waved mindlessly," and his introspective reflections offer proof. Closing notes explicate quotations that lace the pages and identify figures shown in the artwork. It's best appreciated by readers with some knowledge of American history, but few will be unmoved by this stirring and provocative collaboration. Ages 7â12.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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