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Week 6’s CLSC Young Readers selections to explore melodies of friendship, identity

The Singer And The Scientist by Lisa Rose
Solo by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess

With this week’s CLSC Young Reader selections, avid readers across the grounds are tuning in to the transformative power of music.

At 12:15 p.m. today on the porch of the Literary Arts Center at Alumni Hall, young readers and children’s literature enthusiasts are welcome to come together for a discussion based around this week’s CLSC Young Reader selection, Solo, by Kwame Alexander and, if time allows, the early reader book: The Singer and The Scientist, by Lisa Rose.

Written in verse, Solo follows the story of Blade, a 17-year-old boy and aspiring musician who tries to navigate the pressures of being the son of Rutherford Morrison, a washed-up rock star struggling with drug addiction. When Blade’s relationship with his girlfriend, Chapel, is jeopardized by her disapproving father, and a long-kept family secret is revealed to him, he finds himself disconnecting from his music and feeling more alone than ever. With a letter and a plane ticket to Ghana, Blade embarks on a journey to uncover his roots. Despite his struggles, music remains deep-rooted in Blade’s identity, linking him to his father and ultimately guiding him toward freedom and love amidst the chaos.

The book closely follows the Chautauqua Lecture Series of the week, “Exploring the Transformative Power of Music with Renée Fleming,” said Manager of Literary Arts Stephine Hunt.

“(The main character is) becoming famous because of his music, … trying to balance his own potential for a future with rock’n’roll, and its deeply ingrained history in the African American community,” said Hunt. “It’s a really beautiful look at how the history of rock’n’roll continues to uphold the African American experience.”

Hunt and Chautauquan Holly Marineau will be leading the Solo discussion and underscoring central themes and topics in the book so that those present can engage in the conversation — even if they haven’t read the book.

This week’s early reader book, The Singer And The Scientist, by Lisa Rose, is a picture book that tells the real-life story of the unlikely friendship between Albert Einstein and African-American contralto Marian Anderson. Illustrated by Isabel Muñoz, the book explores racial segregation in the 1930s, and the discrimination Anderson faced despite her talent.

In 1937, following her performance at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey, Anderson was denied a room at the Nassau Inn due to her race. Einstein, himself a Jewish immigrant who had fled Germany due to discrimination, invited Anderson to stay the night in his house, marking the beginning of a long-lasting friendship. 

The Singer And The Scientist looks at breaking down racial barriers and shows artists and professionals supporting each other in different ways, said Hunt. It explores the experiences with discrimination and prejudice that caused Anderson and Einstein’s fates to collide.

“I fully believe, especially after reading this picture book, that science has an art to it,” she said. “Both Solo and The Singer and The Scientist work really beautifully for this week, exploring the transformative power of music,” she said.

Following the book discussion, a Play CHQ event will be hosted on the Alumni Hall Lawn if weather allows, where kids of any age are encouraged to engage in activities and games related to the books.

Tags : Albert EinsteinCLSCCLSC Young ReaderIsabel MuñozKwame AlexanderLisa Roseliterary artsMarian AndersonSoloThe ArtsThe Singer And The Scientist
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The author Sabine Obermoller

Sabine Obermoller is spending her first year as an intern at The Chautauquan Daily as the literary arts reporter. She is a rising senior at Ohio University majoring in journalism and minoring in retail fashion merchandising. She is from Santiago, Chile, where her family and beloved dog Oliver still live. Sabine serves as the director of public relations for Ohio University’s student-run fashion magazine, Thread Magazine. In her free time she enjoys reading, crocheting, concerts, watching movies, and fangirling over various celebrities. Sabine will never say no to a Chai latte with almond milk.