Gary Golio is the author of the New York Times bestseller “JIMI: Sounds Like A Rainbow”. As a child Gary spent a lot of time imitating his favorite comic book superheroes (Batman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Dr. Strange) before realizing that he was meant to be an artist.
He lives in New York's Hudson Valley with his wife, author Susanna Reich, a cat, and a fire-bellied toad.
Spirit Seeker: John Coltrane's Musical Journey
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by Gary Golio, Rudy Gutierrez (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 9 and up
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books (October 23, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0547239947
ISBN-13: 978-0547239941
Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.5 x 0.5 inches
JOHN COLTRANE PICTURE BOOK INTRODUCES KIDS TO JAZZ ICON
Sometimes, when you lose almost everything as a child, a lifeline appears
that restores your faith and re-ignites your spirit. For John Coltrane, that
lifeline was the saxophone, and the musical dreams it inspired. Spirit
Seeker: John Coltrane’s Musical Journey (Clarion/Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt)—written by NY Times-bestselling author Gary Golio (JIMI: Sounds
Like A Rainbow) and illustrated by award-winning artist Rudy
Gutierrez—captures John’s struggle from lost boy to musical leader, from
darkness to light. In words and images that reflect the depth of John’s joy
as well as his yearning for inner peace, Spirit Seeker tells the story of
how art and spirituality shaped one man’s talents, and gave him the courage
to share those gifts with the world.
Drawn along by saxophone greats like Lester Young and Johnny Hodges, John’s
life changed overnight when he first heard bebop master Charlie Bird Parker.
Still, the sadness that had clung to him since childhood—and his father's
death—led to drinking and drug use that finally brought his early success to
a standstill. In a moment of great courage, John remembered the words of his
grandfather, Reverend Blair, and cleansed his body of the deadly habits
weighing him down. Following a spiritual revelation, he set free his
enormous talent to soar like an angel of sound. With the creation of his
masterpiece A Love Supreme, he offered a timeless gift of gratitude to the
Divine.
For young people, Spirit Seeker highlights the importance of goals and
aspirations—particularly in the face of personal adversities—and showcases
the value of the Arts in providing a guide or roadmap for the future.
Golio’s sensitive, poetic text and Gutierrez’ intricate, expressive
paintings portray Coltrane as the multifaceted musical genius he was,
infusing his music with a new understanding of God and Spirit that should
spark fresh thinking in young minds.
When
Bob Met Woody: The Story of the Young Bob Dylan
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by Gary Golio (Author), Marc Burckhardt (Illustrator)
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 3, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316112992
ISBN-13: 978-0316112994
Product Dimensions: 9 x 0.5 x 11.5 inches
"Hey hey, Woody Guthrie, I wrote you a song..."
When Bob finished, Woody's face lit up like the sun.
Bob Dylan is a musical icon, an American legend, and, quite simply, a poet.
But before he became Bob Dylan, he was Bob Zimmerman, a kid from rural
Minnesota.
This lyrical and gorgeously illustrated picture book biography follows Bob
as he renames himself after his favorite poet, Dylan Thomas, and leaves his
mining town to pursue his love of music in New York City. There, he meets
his folk music hero and future mentor, Woody Guthrie, changing his life
forever.
Jimi:
Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix
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by Gary Golio, Javaka Steptoe (Illustrator)
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books (October 4, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0618852794
ISBN-13: 978-0618852796
Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 10.6 x 0.4 inches
Jimi Hendrix was many things: a superstar, a rebel, a hero, an innovator.
But first, he was a boy named Jimmy who loved to draw and paint and listen
to records. A boy who played air guitar with a broomstick and longed for a
real guitar of his own. A boy who asked himself a question: Could someone
paint pictures with sound?
This a story of a talented child who learns to see, hear, and interpret the
world around him in his own unique way. It is also a story of a determined
kid with a vision, who worked hard to become a devoted and masterful artist.
Jimi Hendrix--a groundbreaking performer whose music shook the very
foundations of rock 'n' roll.
Jimi Hendrix picture book trailer
