Listen - How Evelyn Glennie, A Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion

"Losing my hearing made me a better listener."

This is a beautifully illustrated inspirational book about an incredibly talented, differently-abled lady Evelyn Glennie. Evelyn is a young girl born in Scotland in the 1960s. She loved and played music as a young child and her parents too encouraged her musical talent.

Title: Listen - How Evelyn Glennie, A Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion

Author: Shannon Stocker

Illustration: Devon Holzwarth

Publisher: Dial Books

To learn more about this author, please go through her website here. To know about other books and works of this wonderful illustrator, please visit his website here.

When she was around 8 years old, she started losing her hearing and becoming deaf. Everyone suggested she go to a deaf school and forget about music. Her doctor thought that she would never play music again.

However, Evelyn didn't agree with the doctor, stood up for herself, and stuck to a traditional school. In this school, a kindhearted, perceptive, and open-minded teacher Mr. Forbes, helped in times of need and encouraged her. He helped her discover the true sound of music with just her body and not using her hearing aids. She was able to "listen" to those sounds of music using other parts of her body because she was a gifted musician.

The book opens your eyes to new ways of perceiving and appreciating music. It proves that someone's disability can be redefined and reworked into a gift. Just keep dreaming and believing!

Evelyn fought against the stereotypes and fixed mindsets on the abilities of differently-abled persons. The vibrant, inspiring, and stylistic illustrations are well-suited for the mood of the story. 

This story would be a good read for elementary-aged kids. 

Well, it would be an inspiring read for all humans!

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