"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!