Clayton Byrd just lost his grandfather, a blues musician/"magician". Clayton's Mama, Ms. Byrd, just lost her father, a man who was never around for her. Grief is a funny thing. Ms. Byrd wants to clear her home of Cool Papa's influence. The Blues were never good to her and her mother. Clayton wants to hold tight to the best friend he ever had.
When Ms. Byrd takes away Clayton's blues harp, he fights back. He skips school and heads out for the park where his grandfather and his friends played. On the subway, he meets beatbox street - or it is train? - performers and is bullied into joining them. Things only go down, down, down from there.
Clay is lucky to have a father (Mr. Miller) who wants, more than anything, to be present for his son. Throughout the book, Mr. Miller tries to support his family even though Clay's mother wants ultimate control.
Let me tell you, I cringed at Ms. Byrd's attempts to get Clayton to stop falling asleep in school, or playing his harmonica by using punishments. Any Mom you know ever do that kind of thing? This one did. And that control thing? GUILTY AS CHARGED!!!
So, though this book is written for kids, maybe it could be handed to control freak Moms on occasion.
Kids won't get that. They will feel Ms. Byrd's unfairness. They will understand that Clayton just can't explain what's going on inside him.
Clay's adventure gone wrong will appeal to young readers, too. So many of us got to "act out" and "break free" just by reading about others who could.
Here is another book about grieving, loss, and recovery from that pain. The world is never the same again. It's also a coming of age-ish story. Good thing Clay has parents who love him and can change just a little when it's important.
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