Blues Boy: The B. B. King Story

From his childhood in the Jim Crow South to his triumphant reign as the King of Blues, Blues Boy tells the aspirational story of American music icon B.B. King. For readers of Trombone Shorty, When Marian Sang, and Drum Dream Girl. Includes a timeline, author’s note, and suggestions for reading and listening.

At twelve years old, Riley B. King borrowed fifteen dollars from his boss to buy a used guitar. Before long, he was playing his music for jubilant crowds all over the world. Blues Boy chronicles B. B. King’s inspiring journey from his childhood in the Jim Crow South to global stardom. It is a compelling biography about the widely known and celebrated American music figure as well as a beautifully illustrated picture book with themes of family, community, history, kindness, empathy, and justice.

Acclaimed author Alice Faye Duncan makes B.B. King’s story both accessible and inspiring for young readers. The text is sometimes uplifting and sometimes heart-wrenching, but always carries emotional depth, much like the music it celebrates. Illustrator and visual artist Carl Joe Williams provides artwork that is rich and distinctive, bringing B.B. King’s story to life on every page. Blues Boy will find a place on the shelf with books like Trombone Shorty and Radiant Child. Includes backmatter.

Williams’ oil and acrylic collage illustrations layer emotive portraits atop abstract shapes, intricate landscapes, and found paper like sheet music and newsprint. The stunning imagery evokes stained glass or panels of a divinely glowing triptych. . . . Duncan’s expressive prose echoes the lyrics of a powerful blues song, ensuring its pages will be read (or sung) aloud on repeat. A moving melody of striking visuals and soulful words. - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

A lyrical poem by Duncan opens the book, setting a poignant tone that mirrors the emotional depth of the blues, capturing its essence. Her assured prose throughout gently guides readers into the life of one of the genre’s most iconic figures. Through a rich interplay of soft and vibrant colors, expressive shapes, and soulful portraits, Williams’s art—crafted in oil and acrylic collage—amplifies the biography’s emotional resonance and brings King’s story vividly to life. - Horn Book (starred review)

In oratorical language that rises and falls like a fervent sermon, Duncan takes her subject from teased, stuttering child in the Mississippi cotton fields to renowned “King of the Blues.” In Williams’ paint-and-collage scenes—geometric patterns predominantly in pastel blues and greens—represent musical soundscapes behind the musician and groups of dark-skinned figures with reverently downcast eyes. - Booklist

Readers can follow along as B.B. King leaves behind small town Mississippi for the Memphis blues scene in this picture book biography. The text captures the feel and rhythm of King’s songs. A combination of oil, acrylics, and collage creates scenes of rural farm life and Beale Street, as well as images of King busking on a street corner or riffing on his electric guitar. Patterns of shapes and colors in the background give images the feeling of quilt patterns or stained glass. A thoroughly accessible and enjoyable introduction to a blues legend; highly recommended for elementary school collections. - School Library Journal (starred review)