Build a House

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.

Author: Rhiannon Giddens
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Published: 10/11/2022
Pages: 40
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 10.20h x 10.90w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781536222524
Language: English