Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp!: A Sonic Adventure

by Wynton Marsalis, Paul Rogers (Illustrator)

The creators of Jazz ABZ are back for an encore! With infectious rhythm and rhyme, musical master Wynton Marsalis opens kids’ ears to the sounds around us.

What’s that sound? The back door squeeeaks open, sounding like a noisy mouse nearby — eeek, eeeek, eeeek! Big trucks on the highway rrrrrrrumble, just as hunger makes a tummy grrrrumble. Ringing with exuberance and auditory delights, this second collaboration by world-renowned jazz musician and composer Wynton Marsalis and acclaimed illustrator Paul Rogers takes readers (and listeners) on a rollicking, clanging, clapping tour through the many sounds that fill a neighborhood.

Genres: Picture Books, Music, Storytime, Childrens, Fiction, Jazz, African American

40 pages, Hardcover

First published October 9, 2012

About the author

Wynton Marsalis has been described as the most outstanding jazz artist and composer of his generation. He has helped propel jazz to the forefront of American culture through his brilliant performances, recordings, broadcasts, and compositions as well as through his leadership as the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC). Wynton Marsalis is the music director of the world-renowned Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, which spends more than half the year on tour. He also hosts the popular Jazz for Young People concerts and helped lead the effort to construct JALC's new home, Frederick P. Rose Hall, the first education, performance, and broadcast facility devoted to jazz, which opened in October 2004.

Wynton Marsalis was born in New Orleans in 1961. He began his classical training on the trumpet at age twelve and entered the Juilliard School at age seventeen. That same year, he joined Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, the acclaimed band in which generations of emerging jazz artists honed their craft, and subsequently made his recording debut as a leader in 1982. Since then, he has made more than forty jazz and classical recordings, earning nine Grammy Awards. In 1983, he became the first and only artist to win classical and jazz Grammys in the same year and repeated this feat in 1984. His rich body of compositions includes the oratorio BLOOD ON THE FIELDS, for which he was awarded the first-ever Pulitzer Prize in music for a jazz composition.


Wynton Marsalis is an internationally respected teacher and spokesperson for music education and has received honorary doctorates from dozens of universities and colleges throughout the United States. Britain's senior conservatoire, the Royal Academy of Music, granted Wynton Marsalis honorary membership, the Academy's highest decoration for a non-British citizen. In France, the Ministry of Culture awarded him the most prestigious decoration of the French Republic, the rank of Knight in the Order of Arts and Literature. He also was appointed as a U.N. Messenger of Peace by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1991.


JAZZ A B Z is Wynton Marsalis's first book for children. A resident of New York City, he is the father of three boys.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun story that shows how music is everywhere if you simply listen to the symphony all around you. I really liked how things began, the narrative flowed well with the sounds as it seemed very much in keeping with what a kid might notice in his daily life, but toward the end things seemed to get a bit jumbled with more sounds than story. Maybe it was just me--or maybe that was the point and it just didn't really work when I read it aloud. Still, I would recommend it as a way of showing how everyday life can inspire music.

[Josie B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I paired this with "Mr. Brown Can Moo" for a rhyming, noisy storytime focused on phonological awareness, the ability to hear the smallest sounds in words. The children loved repeating and improving on the sounds Imitated in the book. I would love to hear Mr. Marsalis read this!

[Tia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art is lovely

This book was just okay. I wanted more and misunderstood what it was truly about. It's about sounds and rhymes.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! a sonic adventure by [Wynton Marsalis], illustrated by [Paul Rogers], is a rollicking picture book tour of a busy, noisy New Orleans reighborhood, focusing on sounds.

Rogers' detailed illustrations were done in ink and finished digitallty. Lots of details make it clear this is New Orleans, such as the title page cityscape, a Saints newspaper headline, a Jazz fest poster, and the letering on a bass drum. Musical instruments are featured including a saxaphone, trombone, tuba, clarinet, bass drum, violins, washboard, drum set, piano, bass, kazoo, and trumpet. My favorite images are house, sax, church, mostorcycle, trio, and train.

Jazz great Marsalis' rhyming, rhythmic text should please, and make this a fun read-aloud choice. Font sizes vary and sometimes curve or slant. Many sound words appear in red, contrasting with the black or gray text. Phrases like 'gets the mood" and "laid back" are descriptive and fun. Both everyday and musical sounds appear.

This made me smile with illustrations of buzzing flies, cat and mouse, and an itchy back. I really enjoyed the way Rogers gave the book that distinct New Orleans feel and look. On my last New Orleans trip I was lucky enough to see Marsalis' father play and sing at the cathedral. This book brought back those memories and more.

Useful for sounds, music, and instrument themes. Recommended for school and public library collections. For ages 4 to 8, librarians, teachers, sounds, music, instruments, New Orleans, and fans of Wynton Marsalis and Paul Rogers.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

With several visual and textual references to the sights but especially the sounds of New Orleans, this picture book illustrates just how much music surrounds in our daily lives. The ink illustrations that were finished digitally allow those sounds to receive attention as they move across the book's pages. A boy begins his day by opening up a squeaking back door and hearing the sounds of his home and neighborhood. Music can even be found in the simple act of buttering toast or the sounds made by a barber's clippers gliding along the boy's smooth pate. And when the sounds all come together on the book's last pages, WOW! This is a great readaloud title filled with several examples of onomatopoeia for budding writers and musicians.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of things (trucks, water faucets, etc) make sounds - and some create a rhythm of their own. The reader of this story will need to practice making the rhyming sounds of brrrumble and rrrrumble and grrumble, and tluuck, tluck, tlawck, tlock, tlaack. tlack, tlick (pizzicato violinists) and many others before trying to read this in front of a group. If you've got a vocal group, this would be a great call-response read for preschoolers.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love the idea of this book, that there's music all around us if we listen. I tend to like books better that have an actual narrative to them, and this one is mostly just sounds, but I enjoyed it much more than I usually do other books like it. The illustrations are great, and I like the changes in font size to describe the volume of various sounds. Very fun...

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 4 out of 5]

5* art
4* concept

An awesome book for teaching about sounds. I wish I was better with sound effects, dang it! Squirt is all about different noises and loves to identify them, so this was a lot of fun. Incredible illustrations, too.

[Cheryl]

Read aloud to self, then read K's review... does this get more chaotic at the end, or does it turn into an ensemble jazz piece?

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun exploration of the noises around us!

Ages: 2 - 5

Cleanliness: a picture of the bottom half of a naked child is shown - nothing visible.

**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This very jazzy picture book will have your toes tapping along in no time. It’s the story of a young boy who sees the noise, music and rhythm in everything around him. From the squeak of the back door to the rumble of trucks on the highway, it all makes the music that surrounds him. Throughout the book, real musical instruments are also woven into the loose storyline. There are bass drums, his sister’s saxophone, violins, a trombone, tubas, and even a full band or two. Coming from Marsalis, readers will not be surprised that the final instrument in the book is a trumpet, right before all of the noises and music come together at the end.

Read the rest of my review on my blog, Waking Brain Cells.

[library lola · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Wynton, but there are some really unfortunate flaws in this book. First is that it is impossible for young readers to read alone. It is best suited for a 7-8 year old. Second is that it contains multiple grammatical errors. Although this goes along with the jazzy and playful tone of the book, I still don't want my children reading, "I huz-huzz-huzzah a kazoo when I GETS the mood".

The words are fun, the illustrations delightful, but they can't fix those two major flaws and that ruins the book for me.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO FUN to read out loud! Written by jazz musician Wynton Marsalis, it introduces children to the sounds and rhythm of music by associating it with many every sounds in the world around us. What a brilliant way to help children build connection to music and instruments! And the illustrations and text layout are so fun!

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compares natural and mechanical sounds with the sounds that instruments make. Interesting comparisons with lively ink and color illustrations.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do you convey the idea of sounds through only words? Marsalis, the renowned jazz musician and composer, makes a terrific effort here with an astounding collection of onomatopoeic verses describing the output of musical instruments and everyday sounds.

[Onomatopoeic things sound like or suggest just what they mean. Common onomatopoeias include animal noises such as oink, meow, roar, and chirp.]

Two-page spreads contain large colorful fonts for the sounds depicted:

“Big trucks on the highway RRRRUMBLE.
Hunger makes my tummy GRrruMBle.”

The narrator, a young boy of color living in New Orleans, describes a typical day:

“Chrrrick chrrrick chrrrick chrrrick — buttering my toast. Krrrick krrick krrrick krrrick - quick where it itches the most."

The final spread features a veritable symphony of sounds in an implied loud and noisy crescendo.

Illustrator Paul Rogers uses joyful images to fill in some background for us and to add some jazz references for afficionados. In an interview about the book, Rogers said:

“The drawings are hugely influenced by the great Cliff Roberts, especially his illustrations for Langston Hughes’ First Book of Jazz from 1955. One of the early decisions I made was to have the story take place in New Orleans, Wynton’s hometown and a city we both love. This setting made it believable to have music on the street and all around the neighborhood.”

Evaluation: Kids aged 3 and up and/or their parents reading to them will have a blast sounding out the words in the book. They will also learn there is music everywhere - not just from instruments. Additionally, they will add to their vocabularies and word recognition skills.

[John Warner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only tag of the 2022 Ultimate Popsugar Reading that I thought would be a challenge for me was the one regarding a onomatopoeic title, but then I discovered a children's book by Wynton Marsalis entitled, Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp!: A Sonic Adventure. The young protagonist in this illustrated chldren's book discovers jazz-like sounds all around him as he walks the neighborhood. After I purchased it to share with my grandchildren, I discovered it being read on You Tube with the sounds translated into jazz.

[Beth Kakuma-Depew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read-aloud to a multi age group. I divided the different grades into making different sounds. The 1st and 2nd graders like tapping their pencils on the desks. Next time I will have a different group do foot tapping for the bass sounds.

One warning word: if you are gonna read this book aloud, you need to have a good sense of rhythm, cuz the text does not QUITE provide one. With some tweaking of the lines, I was able to make it fit the beat I was comfortable with. But then again, I am not a musician, of jazz, rap or hip-hop, so probably if your talents lie there, you could make it work better.

Mostly this story ended in a jazz-like mix of sounds that riled up the kids. Good for a group that has a lot of energy looking for an outlet.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

diverse picture books (toddler/preschool ages 18 months and up; music / community).
* Prominently features diverse characters: Yep! Lots of African-Americans, including the main character, and a diverse cast throughout.
* Great choice for toddler storytime: short, rhyming text full of fun sound effects. Encourages participation (making sounds) and has a rhythmic quality that can promote movement, tapping along. Large, clear, colorful illustrations suitable for sharing with crowds.
* Book works well with the proposed "community" theme: Sure, but only because the theme can be so broadly interpreted.

[Lizzy Schaner · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the squeak of his sneakers to the rumble of a passing train, the book highlights the many different sounds we encounter in our daily lives. Through colorful illustrations and playful onomatopoeias, the book encourages children to actively listen and engage with the world around them.

What I love most about "Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp!" is its celebration of diversity and inclusion. The book features a diverse cast of characters, including people of different races and ages, and it encourages readers to embrace and appreciate the unique sounds and voices of the world around them.

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young Black boy romps through the pages of this picture book, reveling in all the sounds of the world around him. A delightful rhyming read chock full of onomotopoeias, instruments, and celebration of the all the interesting noises there are to hear.

Themes: Music, Sounds, Rhymes
Age range: Toddler through Preschool

[Maeve · Rating 2 out of 5]

A young boy explores his town and experiences a wide range of noises...from his squeaky front door to the buzz of a barber's clippers, and everything in between.

The story jumped around a lot (from out in the street to in the house) and the transitions were jarring. While the illustrations are amazing, the rhyming felt forced and it was difficult to find a good rhythm/cadence in the text.

[Veronica McFarlin]

The book explores different sounds made by different things, like actions and instruments. There's a lot of rhyming throughout and onomatopoeia. I probably wouldn't include it as a read aloud because of all the sound words, but I think it would be great to put on a shelf for kids to read because they can read most of the book by imitating the sounds that each thing/action makes.

[Jarrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a Wynton Marsalis fan for at least 3 decades now, and have enjoyed his music and style throughout those years. Hearing him in interviews and during concert footage, this book captures his unique style. I also really enjoy the fonts used throughout as they remind me of my childhood in the 70s.

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the idea of the music formed by everyday sounds, but I've seen it done a little more... smoothly? I don't know how to express it exactly. But with more of a story or a thread tying together all the sounds? At any rate, it's not a bad book, but wouldn't be my first choice for a music/jazz storytime. But I wouldn't exclude it either.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a good book about the use of onomatopoeias, you'll find nothing better. This book was truly exceptional, as was Marsalis's previous book about the history of jazz. Though he'll always be world renowned musician, this librarian is more excited by his books.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that explores the sounds of various instruments and household items. The number of sounds got a bit overwhelming for me (especially because they're each a phonetic sound, so it's lots to remember), so if I tried to use this in storytime, I'd probably condense a little.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love this book. My youngest was obsessed with it for a while and now my oldest likes trying to read all the fun sounds. It’s a joy to read and play around with the different phonetic sounds we can make

[Dewi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sesuai dengan namanya : sonic adventure, pembaca plus pendengar bisa menikmati ilustrasi dan suara Wynton Marsalis di buku ini. Anak jadi ikut terkikik mendengar Wynton menirukan berbagai suara dalam buku ini.

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story full of onomatopoeia.Some of which are hard to pronounce! But, would still be a good book for storytime, with some practice. Written my Wynton Marsalis, the main character is a Black boy. This could be paired well with some instruments, and music by Marsalis.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute read-aloud about the music of everyday life. My child had some difficulty reading it on her own, as the font changes and unusual grammar were challenging for her. But, a fun picture book for a parent to read to a child.