A spirited picture book biography about composer Aaron Copland and the birth of modern America
This is a story about music. But it's also a story about America.
Aaron Copland was born in Brooklyn in 1900 at the dawn of a new generation. In a community of immigrants, he had a front-row seat to the many ways that the United States was growing and changing. During this electrifying time, Aaron began making music as dynamic and innovative as the people and progress around him. While some didn't understand his style or appreciate his desire to break the rules in his compositions, he endeavored to create a sound that reflected the America he knew and loved.
Vibrantly brought to life by the words and illustrations of Veronica Mang, Copland: A Story About America is an ode not only to the composer known as the Dean of American music but also to a century of dramatic cultural and social change that created a new world.
Praise for Copland: A Story About America:
★ “In her joyfully, effervescent illustrations, multiracial, multicultural groups sing, dance, and march on the way to a final display of modern young music lovers who are the most diverse of all…A triumphant fanfare for a great American composer.” —Kirkus, starred review
★ “This engaging and thoughtful introduction to an essential American artist belongs in all public and school libraries.”—Booklist, starred review
★ “Well-suited to being paired with recordings of Copland’s music, this accessible biography effectively connects young readers to the artist’s life and the ongoing relevance of his work into the present day.”—School Library Journal, starred review
“Successful is Mang’s collaging of gouache, ink, and colored pencil art, with vibrant blossoms and patterns made with wavy-whirly brush strokes that are reminiscent of a budding spring, just like the newness and growth that Copland was eager to follow in his musical work.”—BCCB
“The gouache, ink, colored-pencil, and cut-paper illustrations… bring the composer’s activism to life… An approachable, timely, and inspiring introduction to the ‘Dean of American Music.’”—The Horn Book
Veronica Mang graduated from Parsons School of Design and works as a book designer. The Secret Spy Society series is her debut. She lives in Jersey City, NJ.
View titles by Veronica Mang
A spirited picture book biography about composer Aaron Copland and the birth of modern America
This is a story about music. But it's also a story about America.
Aaron Copland was born in Brooklyn in 1900 at the dawn of a new generation. In a community of immigrants, he had a front-row seat to the many ways that the United States was growing and changing. During this electrifying time, Aaron began making music as dynamic and innovative as the people and progress around him. While some didn't understand his style or appreciate his desire to break the rules in his compositions, he endeavored to create a sound that reflected the America he knew and loved.
Vibrantly brought to life by the words and illustrations of Veronica Mang, Copland: A Story About America is an ode not only to the composer known as the Dean of American music but also to a century of dramatic cultural and social change that created a new world.
Reviews
Praise for Copland: A Story About America:
★ “In her joyfully, effervescent illustrations, multiracial, multicultural groups sing, dance, and march on the way to a final display of modern young music lovers who are the most diverse of all…A triumphant fanfare for a great American composer.” —Kirkus, starred review
★ “This engaging and thoughtful introduction to an essential American artist belongs in all public and school libraries.”—Booklist, starred review
★ “Well-suited to being paired with recordings of Copland’s music, this accessible biography effectively connects young readers to the artist’s life and the ongoing relevance of his work into the present day.”—School Library Journal, starred review
“Successful is Mang’s collaging of gouache, ink, and colored pencil art, with vibrant blossoms and patterns made with wavy-whirly brush strokes that are reminiscent of a budding spring, just like the newness and growth that Copland was eager to follow in his musical work.”—BCCB
“The gouache, ink, colored-pencil, and cut-paper illustrations… bring the composer’s activism to life… An approachable, timely, and inspiring introduction to the ‘Dean of American Music.’”—The Horn Book
Author
Veronica Mang graduated from Parsons School of Design and works as a book designer. The Secret Spy Society series is her debut. She lives in Jersey City, NJ.
View titles by Veronica Mang
