Steel Drumming at the Apollo

Review
By Kate Messner

As an English teacher, I’m always looking for ways to bring nonfiction to my reluctant readers. These are kids who haven’t discovered reading for pleasure, and many of them are boys. If I’m lucky, I can sell them on a novel by Walter Dean Myers, Joseph Bruchac, David Lubar, or Jack Gantos…but nonfiction? Good luck. That’s why I was so excited to see a review copy of Steel Drumming at the Apollo from Lee & Low Books. . . . As soon as I read the premise of this book, I was hooked – a group of city high school kids who get to play at a place so rich in history and so symbolic of the Harlem Renaissance. . . . And these kids can play! Their story will be an inspiration to other city kids who dream of making it big. Steel Drumming at the Apollo is a terrific choice for kids who need a fun, accessible introduction to nonfiction. They’ll be singing its praises and dancing along as they read.
Kate Messner
Author, Spitfire