I wanted to give this more stars but it just ends and there isn't any explanation for the sudden resolve. Four pages from the end nothing has changed and then all of a sudden the whole situation is different. A whole chunk is missing.

Well I really enjoyed listening to this book, I did not love it as much as her previous series. So it was a little disappointing in that way but still look good listen.

Clayton loves spending time with his grandpa, Cool Papa, and his blues band, the Bluesmen. The two "sneak out" to play with the band when Clayton's mom works double shifts. One night, while reading Clayton to sleep, Cool Papa passes away and Clayton's life is turned upside down. Since his mom held anger and resentment toward her father, she quickly gets rid of all of Cool Papa's belongings. Luckily, Clayton still has the "blues harp" (harmonica) that Cool Papa taught him to play as well as his grandfather's porkpie hat. As things at school start to remind him of his grandfather, and after his mom takes away his blues harp, Clayton decides to find the Bluesmen and go on tour with them. This adventure to the city doesn't go as he planned, but does bring some good to him and his family.

Clayton's grief is so visible to the reader, but he doesn't open up to anyone about it. This is really a story of Clayton finding himself while also holding strong to the lessons that Cool Papa instilled in him.

Everybody gets the blues

Making it's rounds on multiple award short lists drew me to read this realistic fiction title. Although the text is beautifully written packed with rhythms that draw you in and keep you going the story line from the perspective of the mother hit too true for me. I was unable to fully enjoy the magic the author tried to build around the bigger than life bluesman musician grandfather. The plot is driven by the death of his grandfather that hits the reader hard in full detail in the first chapter. Clayton had a deep love for his grandfather for the music he played and the mysterious allure of being on the road as a bluesman for most of his adult life, and struggles to cope with his death. Flip side, through his mother's eyes; grandfather was a deadbeat dad, that spent more time on the road than he did at home, showing more love for music than his family. Top it off with slamming of the boy's father for being a banker, just angered me as an adult to really be able to enjoy reading the story from the perspective of a child. I found the responsible adults painted as boring and overbearing bad guys, and carefree wanderlust artists as some kind of savior tiring and annoying and not a message I want to drill home into the minds of children to recommend the title to any of my readers.

Clayton Byrd is what one might call an "old soul". Despite the fact he's still in elementary school, Clayton has spent the better part of his years with his grandfather--Cool Papa Byrd, a blues musician who plays with a group of other musicians- The Bluesmen. Clayton has played with them on the blues harp (or harmonica), and longs for the time when his blues are "blue" enough to take on a solo. Clayton's life changes drastically when Cool Papa dies in his sleep one night. His mother has little patience or love for the blues that she believes took her father away from her too often in her childhood. Now, Clayton no longer has his grandfather, and his mother has taken his blues harp and sold off all of his grandfather's things. Clayton feels lost, and decides he may have to take a trip-- on the NY subway system -- to find himself again.

This was a good book with some interesting characters and plot twists!

Loved the character of Clayton, but had a hard time relating with his mom and her decisions. I tried to remind myself that we all act out in our own grief and should get some leeway when faced with a life-changing loss, but I found myself mostly just frustrated with her. Otherwise, I recommend for ages 9 and up... especially musicians!

This white girl from small town/small city doesn't know blues and doesn't know subways, but I was pulled into the story of a boy grieving for his beloved grandfather. One of my fifth grade readers gulped it down in no time, and I read it the same way.

This was so stressful to read. The day of the yard sale, I wanted to throw the book, I was that angry at Clayton's mama. And I had to stop reading the book for the day, when I reached the chapter break where Clayton follows Train Ear and his friends down into the lower tunnels of the subway system. Of course being that engaged in the story shows how great a writer Williams-Garcia is. Her characters are immensely believable and her plot structures are precise. Reading her author's note about hip hop and the blues helped me understand why the musical elements of Clayton's story worked so well: Garcia-Williams did the work. Plus, she writes flawed mothers better than any other MG author today.

The only reason why I didn't give this book five stars is because it was a tiny bit short for my preferences. The ending felt rushed -- I wanted to hear about Clayton's days or weeks living with his father. On the other hand, this book is paced extremely well, with its laser focus on just a few days in Clayton's life and the effects that his grief for his grandfather has on his relationships.