AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

Inspired by the beloved song "American the Beautiful," Minor's book encourages children to treasure our nation's natural beauty and to create their own images to accompany the song. Minor begins by reading the original poem and sharing information about its author, Katherine Lee Bates. He also introduces Samuel Ward, who created the melody for the song. As narrator, Minor is firm and forthright. He modulates his voice to reflect the pace of the music yet always leaves time for contemplation. Background music is stately and builds toward a choral rendition at the end. Minor's watercolors are majestic, and the accompanying notes are edifying. A.R. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE/JULY 05]