Stocker, Shannon. Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion. Devon Holzwarth, Illus. Dial. 04/2022. 40pp. Biography. GRADES 1 – 4. $18.99. 978-0-593-10969-4. OUTSTANDING.
Evelyn Glennie grew up in Scotland surrounded by music, playing the piano and clarinet from a young age and dreaming of becoming a professional musician. When she started losing her hearing from a degenerative disorder, her doctor declared “she’s never going to be able to play music.” Evelyn soon realized that she could feel
the vibrations, rhythm, and emotions of the percussionists in the orchestra—and that she wanted to
play those instruments. In sharing Evelyn’s story, Stocker encourages readers to consider whether music
can “still swirl and whirl” even though “your ears can’t hear the strum, or hum, or thrum of a melody.”
Readers discover that there are more ways to listen than just using your ears, and will cheer for Evelyn
when she is accepted as a student at London’s Royal Academy of Music. Holzwarth’s watercolor,
gouache, and colored-pencil illustrations portray the swirling energy and emotions of the music and the
story. The layout, design, and word placement effectively convey the rhythm of the engaging text.
Evelyn “received the prestigious Queen’s Commendation for both music and academic excellence” at
the Royal Academy of Music, and went on to reach great heights as a musician, including two Grammy
Awards. In the author’s note, Stocker explains her own disability, and how Glennie’s work and
achievements inspire her when she faces obstacles. A captivating, important story of a deaf girl
smashing barriers and insisting that we listen using all our senses.
Mary Ann Scheuer—Independent