jB

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. ( )

This book is a biography of Ray Charles, starting with when he was a young child all the way to when he became a famous performer. ( )

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 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. ( )

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 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. ( )