Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Age Range: k-2nd This book relates to children of this age because like Dexter, most children around this age start to develop their own taste, be it in music, sports, art, etc. Also the book opens up the outlet to empathize for others as it uses descriptive words to explain how Dexter feels about his music.
Plot: This book tells the story of a young boy named Dexter and his love for music. The book states that he loves 3 things specifically. Those things are,"His mama, the smell of pork chops frying, and the sounds of Johnny Cotton's clarinet." He often dreams of holding music in his own hands. Because there is no room in his family's budget to purchase him a clarinet, he decides to play the harmonica that once belonged to his father. When he first begins to play, he wasn't very good at all. As he practiced, he began to play better and better and soon enough found himself playing side by side with his favorite musician. They sway side to side playing the "Old Cotton Blues" in perfect tune with each other.
Characters: Dexter, Dexter's Mom, Johnny Cotton
Setting: the City, stoops and sidewalks
Theme: Practice makes perfect, hard work pays off, and using what you have in order to get what you want
Illustrations: Teresa Flavin appears to have used gouache on tinted paper to bring Dexter's moods and music to life. Good use of color and value are evident throughout the book.
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