ALA Booklist (Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2015)

In this contemporary autobiography, Andrews pays tribute to the New Orleans neighborhood of Tremé and the culture and community that propelled him into becoming the Grammy Award nominated musician he is today. Like other stories of artistic achievement, this is one of determination and passion. Young Troy, nicknamed Trombone Shorty by his brother, forms a band with his friends using homemade instruments, until one day Troy finds a real trombone to call his own. But this story breaks from the motif of individualism to recognize that family, community, mentors, and friends are always part of life's journey. It reminds young readers rticularly boys of color at they can follow their dreams and lean on people who will nurture and guide them. Andrews' journey is perfectly complemented by Collier's illustrations. Sharp panels of color and image, perspective that dips and soars, and layers of mixed-media collage unite to feel like renditions of brass band music itself. The author's note fills in the gaps in the story and reaffirms the importance of people and place. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit the Trombone Shorty Foundation.

School Library Journal (Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

Gr 1-4 "Where y'at?" Troy Andrews, aka Trombone Shorty, opens his book with this phrase, letting readers know that it's New Orleans parlance for hello. In this stunning picture book autobiography, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Andrews shares the story of his early years growing up in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans. Andrews desperately wished to emulate the musicians in his family and those he saw performing all over his city, so he and his friends made their own instruments out of found materials, played in the streets, and marched with bands. When one day he found a battered, discarded trombone bigger than he was, Andrews finally had a real instrument to play, and he practiced day and night, acquiring the nickname Trombone Shorty from his older brother. The moment Bo Diddley pulled Andrews on stage to play with him during the New Orleans jazz festival was a turning point, and he hasn't stopped performing since. Collier's beautiful watercolor, pen-and-ink, and collage artwork picks up the rhythm and pace of Andrew's storytelling, creating an accompaniment full of motion and color. Each spread offers a visual panoply of texture, perspective, and angles, highlighting the people and the instruments. Andrews's career is still on the rise, his music gaining an ever wider audience, and this title will be an inspiration to many. VERDICT Coupled with a selection of Trombone Shorty's music, this work will make for fun and thoughtful story sharing. A must-have. Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA