Build a House

By Rhiannon Giddens, Monica Mikai (Illustrator)

A people stand firm, their music a beacon through history's trials and triumphs.

4.3/5 Goodreads · 333 ratings

40 pages

$17.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In a powerful tribute to resilience, a community's unwavering spirit is captured through music and art. As they face adversity, their songs echo the strength of their heritage. Will their voices rise above the challenges, honoring the past while shaping the future? This evocative tale, inspired by Juneteenth, invites readers to explore the enduring power of cultural legacy and the unyielding hope that sustains it.

From the publisher

Grammy Award winner Rhiannon Giddens celebrates Black history and culture in her unflinching, uplifting, and gorgeously illustrated picture book debut. I learned your words and wrote my song. I put my story down. As an acclaimed musician, singer, songwriter, and cofounder of the traditional African American string band the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Rhiannon Giddens has long used her art to mine America’s musical past and manifest its future, passionately recovering lost voices and reconstructing a nation’s musical heritage. Written as a song to commemorate the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth–which was originally performed with famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma–and paired here with bold illustrations by painter Monica Mikai, Build a House tells the moving story of a people who would not be moved and the music that sustained them. Steeped in sorrow and joy, resilience and resolve, turmoil and transcendence, this dramatic debut offers a proud view of history and a vital message for readers of all ages: honor your heritage, express your truth, and let your voice soar, even–or perhaps especially–when your heart is heaviest.

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