“Bold, audacious, in a word, bodacious …” A joyful picture book biography introduces Sister Rosetta Tharpe and celebrates her singular musical talent, apparent from the time she was young. She started out playing guitar and singing gospel in church in a small Arkansas town as a child. “Little girl. Big guitar.” When her family moved to Chicago, Rosetta sang wherever her mother, a preacher, spread the gospel. As a young adult, Rosetta expanded her repertoire and her reach. “Mixing it up with beats from Gospel’s / Cousin Boogie-Woogie, / Cousin Jazz, / Cousin Swing, / Cousin the big, bad Blues” she sang and played in nightclubs. Eventually, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was making records, singing on the radio and TV, and touring the country and internationally. She was also inspiring younger musicians, who were “Diggin’ your licks, / Coppin’ your style.” An author’s note explains that Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s performances—an impassioned blend of distinctive guitar playing, vocal interpretation, and dynamic moves—influenced music across many genres, from rock-and-roll to the blues, gospel, country, and R&B; and influenced other iconic performers, such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Johnny Cash. The note, accompanied by a timeline, also includes details about her personal life and more about her career. The bright, bold, wonderfully composed illustrations are a perfect pairing with the smart, spirited text in this dazzling account. (Ages 7-10)

"A profile as bold and vivacious as the singer herself." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Terrific for all collections that want to inspire the musically inclined and highlight innovative pioneers." --ALA Booklist (starred review)

"Bolden uses alliteration, assonance, repetition, and rhythm to create an irresistibly musical text that effectively communicates the feel of Tharpe's music. Christie's lively illustrations. . . capture the physicality of Tharpe's performance style and the intensity of her sound." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Impressive offering about an often-overlooked figure in American music." --The Horn Book (starred review)

"The marriage of Bolden's words and Christie's pictures is almost as satisfying as Tharpe's songs." --New York Times Book Review

Perfect for fans of Trombone Shorty and Ada's Violin!

Award-winning author Tonya Bolden and acclaimed illustrator R. Gregory Christie deliver an inspiring true story about the life, career, and impact of twentieth-century blues and gospel singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who was a trailblazer for rock-and-roll. Includes a timeline of Sister Rosetta Tharpe's life, an author's note, and a list of sources.

Before there was Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Johnny Cash, there was Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

The godmother of rock-and-roll started as a little girl from Arkansas with music in her air, in her hair, in her bones, wiggling her toes. With a big guitar in hand and a big voice in her soul, she grew into a rock-and-roll trailblazer in a time when women were rarely seen rocking out. Her guitar picking was like nobody else's!

Boogie along with this rockin' tribute to the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Sister Rosetta Tharpe by Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author Tonya Bolden and Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator R. Gregory Christie.

A CCBC 2024 Choices for the Arts selection!