Before legendary actor James Earl Jones was recognized for his memorable, smooth voice, he was just James--a stutterer who stopped speaking for eight years as a child...and ultimately found his voice through poetry.
Before there was Mufasa...Before there was Darth Vader... There was a young boy names James Earl Jones, who spoke with a stutter and dreaded having to talk in class.
Whenever James tried to voice his thoughts, his words got stuck in his throat. But James figured out a solution for his shame: if he didn't speak, he wouldn't stutter.
And so he was silent...until he wrote his own poem, Ode to Grapefruit, and found a love for poetry.
Lyrical text, stunning art, and compelling backmatter about stuttering pair together for a remarkable picture book about how a boy who refused to speak for eight years learned to manage his stutter through poetry--and grew up to become an EGOT-winning performer with a voice few could forget.
Author's note. Illustrator's note. About stuttering. Selected sources. Full-color illustrations were created using watercolor and collage.
Title alpha Ode to Grapefruit: How James Earl Jones Found His Voice
Level Biography Elementary Plus
Pages Count 48
Genre Nonfiction
Topics James Earl Jones (1931-2024). US actors. African American actors. Stutterers and stuttering. Childhood. Perseverance. Speech disorders. Poetry. Performing arts.
Trim Size 11" x 9 1/2"
JLG Span Winter
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2024-07-29
JLG Release Date Nov 2024
Minimum grade 1
Maximum grade 4
Reading level Elementary
Format Print
Biography Elementary Plus (Grades 1-4)
Biography Elementary Plus
Biography Elementary Plus (Grades 1-4)
For Grades 1-4
Fascinating biographies and autobiographies will allow your elementary readers to look into the lives, thoughts, and accomplishments of the individuals who have shaped our world. And with 14 books per year, they'll discover a remarkable person each month.