Unlocking the Truth: Three Brooklyn Teens on Life, Friendship and Making the Band

by Unlocking the Truth, Charisse Jones, Questlove (Introduction)

A rock band on the cusp of massive stardom, Unlocking the Truth is made up of three thirteen-year-old African American Malcolm, Jarad, and Alec. When not in school they spend their time as rock stars opening for the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Motorhead, and Guns N' Roses, and crowd surfing at Coachella. They are currently working on their soon to be released debut EP. The key to their hard work, dedication, passion, and focus on their art.

Part memoir and part guide book, the boys share the essential truths and principles, such as faith, determination and friendship, that led to their success and continue to drive them. The book will inspire and be a resource for kids looking to realize their own dreams, as well as parents who want to support their children's aspirations.
 

Genres: Biography

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 2015

Reviews

[Darcia Scates · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not good. Not juicy. Who told these youngsters to write a book? I think they may have more interesting stories to share as their life goes on. But right now this book is b.o.r.i.n.g.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting more of a traditional memoir, but was a little disappointed when I received was a larger book with glossy pages and lots of photographs and visuals. But once I started reading, I got sucked into the story of how three regular kids found success in the music industry through persistence, drive, and the support of others. The story jumps between the perspectives of the three band members as they explore topics such as faith, practice, fame, girls, and being yourself. I immediately started being inspired about lessons I'd love to do in my classroom with this book, such as exploring multiple perspectives in one piece of writing and how effective visuals (way beyond photos and graphs) can enhance non-fiction. I find that voice is a very tricky concept to communicate to students, but this book beautifully captures the voice of confident teens. My only complaint was that their voices were very similar, and other than their names at the beginnings of their sections (which typically were 1-3 pages), it was difficult to distinguish who was talking. I'd love to see distinct fonts or folio tabs that clarified the speakers on each page. This is a great addition to your classroom library and a wonderful starting point for lots of ELA lessons.

[Angela Couse · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although I appreciated the behind the scenes look at the band's hard work and effort from a very young age, I found this book to be very poorly written. There are three members of the band and in the book, their story is told from each of their perspectives. However, I had an incredibly difficult time distinguishing between each person as they all had the same voice, which did not sound like an authentic teen boy. Unless a child was interested in starting a band or Unlocking the Truth, I would not recommend this book.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting to have 3 young boy musicians story told in their own voices.