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What was...?
What Was Woodstock?
On August 15, 1969, a music festival transformed one small dairy farm into a gathering place for over 400,000 young music fans. Although Woodstock lasted only three days, the spirit of the festival has defined a generation. This book explores the lasting legacy of the iconic festival.
Library Binding
First published March 22, 2016
34 people are currently reading
291 people want to read
About the author
Joan Holub
347 books1,236 followersNY Times bestselling children's book author:
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
September 13, 2019
"The year 1969 was an unhappy time in the United States. Many young people were angry about a far-off war in Southeast Asia. They felt misunderstood and ignored. They were looking for peace, love, and freedom. For three days, that's what they found at Woodstock."
"Jimi Hendrix was the very last to play at Woodstock. Music had gone on throughout the night, and it was now 8:30 Monday morning. Hendrix must have been exhausted. Many tired fans had already gone home to jobs or school. There were only about 35.000 people left. But Hendrix didn't care. He played his heart out. Those who'd left missed an amazing finale!"
"Jimi Hendrix was the very last to play at Woodstock. Music had gone on throughout the night, and it was now 8:30 Monday morning. Hendrix must have been exhausted. Many tired fans had already gone home to jobs or school. There were only about 35.000 people left. But Hendrix didn't care. He played his heart out. Those who'd left missed an amazing finale!"
January 23, 2016
This was very informative and easy to read. I gave it to my tween who had no trouble reading it and
understanding it. It has a glossary of slang terms, pictures of the actual festival and all the info you could ever want. I would recommend this book to everyone who would like to learn about Woodstock, no matter what their age.
understanding it. It has a glossary of slang terms, pictures of the actual festival and all the info you could ever want. I would recommend this book to everyone who would like to learn about Woodstock, no matter what their age.
August 5, 2019
It sounds like people had a good time but it is not the place for me. I need to be able to shower and go to an indoor bathroom.
January 23, 2016
Woodstock, is still today known for being more than a small town in Upstate New York. It became a place for three days where many of the young, frustrated by the perils that loomed over the country in the 60’s became a place of peace, freedom and love. The Woodstock Festival was created and visualized by a bunch of young idealist. Two who knew a lot of the culture at the time, especially 24 year old Music Promoter Michael Lang who wanted to start his own recording studio in Woodstock so musicians would not have travel to the city. With ideas comes the need for potential investors to back your project up, in 1968 , Lang met Artie Kornfeld, vice president of Capital Records. Though Kornfeld did not agree with Lang’s idea of creating a studio, they became friends.
What Lang and Kornfeld would come up with would be a idea of a lifetime, iconic. In 1969 Lang and Kornfeld would meet two business men roughly the same age as they were. They were not interested in so much of opening a studio in Woodstock but the marketing for their own studio they had in New York City. John Robert’s and Joel Rosenman new business so they thought, together with Lang and Kornfeld they came up with a company called “Woodstock Ventures Inc.” , the concert of a lifetime would be called “Woodstock Music and Art Fair” or soon shortened to just Woodstock.
What Woodstock would become is a concert of lifetime, it would take place in this small area in Bethel, New York. As young as 18 were being drafted to war, people feared communism would some how would soon be seen in the United States. A war well known and also one that still holds many regrets, resentment, anger, and many questions. So many lives lost, people, especially the young Baby Boomers just wanted peace, a place for a few days or hours to forget the turmoil of the war. That is what the Woodstock Festival brought. The festival also had its downs, for the co-founders and creators, money was lost , it would fall as one of the worst investments of a life time. After lawsuits, and payments made for damages and cleaning, their was no money left. It was great advertisement few the band’s that did show, it also proved you could gather people in weather that was not the greatest and still avoid a mass riot. Don’t get me wrong there fights but for astronomical size it could have been worse.
What Was Woodstock? By Joan Holub covers the ups and downs of a Era for so many was hard and dealing with was not easy. A war, where our soldiers came back changed, with lack of support from their own country. Also we were fighting our own problems, war, inside the United States, a civil rights war, a fight for equality, diversity, and more. Joan goes over the lingo used such as hippies, Peace out, Bummer, Flower Child, Off the wall, Psychedelic, and more. Joan also discusses briefly what was happening in the 60’s , the war, civil rights, change that was taking place, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Deaths of not one but two Kennedys who the country adored.
The author also discusses the history of the peace sign and the “look” or way of dress of a hippie. The book covers the ups and downs of one the largest outdoor music festivals that literally was thrown together but the Era itself. The book covers a lot on a topic that so much happened. The author takes important facts and even condensed covers a lot of material. This book I found to be impressive because I have read many on Woodstock, but they focus on how good it was, how special, the history it made. The author of What Was Woodstock? Does not just cover the ups of such a giant music festival, but focuses on the very beginning, about the men who started it, a bit of their background to the challenges they faced and had to overcome just to find a sight to hold it. With the focus being on the festival, author Joan Holub goes through the lingo, the dress, what the country was going through, and more.
I recommended this book to those who are just being introduced to the Woodstock Festivals history, to those who want to learn more even those who just want a refresher of the topic. Also there is a list of book suggestions that cover topics and the 1960s. This is a book that young readers will not only learn history but will also enjoy the simple illustrations to showcase a point or support and the 16 photos that are included from the Woodstock Festival itself. It’s a book I would recommend, for young readers to adults.
What Lang and Kornfeld would come up with would be a idea of a lifetime, iconic. In 1969 Lang and Kornfeld would meet two business men roughly the same age as they were. They were not interested in so much of opening a studio in Woodstock but the marketing for their own studio they had in New York City. John Robert’s and Joel Rosenman new business so they thought, together with Lang and Kornfeld they came up with a company called “Woodstock Ventures Inc.” , the concert of a lifetime would be called “Woodstock Music and Art Fair” or soon shortened to just Woodstock.
What Woodstock would become is a concert of lifetime, it would take place in this small area in Bethel, New York. As young as 18 were being drafted to war, people feared communism would some how would soon be seen in the United States. A war well known and also one that still holds many regrets, resentment, anger, and many questions. So many lives lost, people, especially the young Baby Boomers just wanted peace, a place for a few days or hours to forget the turmoil of the war. That is what the Woodstock Festival brought. The festival also had its downs, for the co-founders and creators, money was lost , it would fall as one of the worst investments of a life time. After lawsuits, and payments made for damages and cleaning, their was no money left. It was great advertisement few the band’s that did show, it also proved you could gather people in weather that was not the greatest and still avoid a mass riot. Don’t get me wrong there fights but for astronomical size it could have been worse.
What Was Woodstock? By Joan Holub covers the ups and downs of a Era for so many was hard and dealing with was not easy. A war, where our soldiers came back changed, with lack of support from their own country. Also we were fighting our own problems, war, inside the United States, a civil rights war, a fight for equality, diversity, and more. Joan goes over the lingo used such as hippies, Peace out, Bummer, Flower Child, Off the wall, Psychedelic, and more. Joan also discusses briefly what was happening in the 60’s , the war, civil rights, change that was taking place, assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Deaths of not one but two Kennedys who the country adored.
The author also discusses the history of the peace sign and the “look” or way of dress of a hippie. The book covers the ups and downs of one the largest outdoor music festivals that literally was thrown together but the Era itself. The book covers a lot on a topic that so much happened. The author takes important facts and even condensed covers a lot of material. This book I found to be impressive because I have read many on Woodstock, but they focus on how good it was, how special, the history it made. The author of What Was Woodstock? Does not just cover the ups of such a giant music festival, but focuses on the very beginning, about the men who started it, a bit of their background to the challenges they faced and had to overcome just to find a sight to hold it. With the focus being on the festival, author Joan Holub goes through the lingo, the dress, what the country was going through, and more.
I recommended this book to those who are just being introduced to the Woodstock Festivals history, to those who want to learn more even those who just want a refresher of the topic. Also there is a list of book suggestions that cover topics and the 1960s. This is a book that young readers will not only learn history but will also enjoy the simple illustrations to showcase a point or support and the 16 photos that are included from the Woodstock Festival itself. It’s a book I would recommend, for young readers to adults.
February 9, 2016
{My Thoughts} – Woodstock is an event that made music history. It took place in 1969 and brought many 18-23 year-olds together in an easier fashion. It also helped to bring many many bands out in the spotlight and helped them become more popular. Many more people then had been expected had attended. I am amazed at how great the outcome had been. So many people had come together for an event and hardly any violence had been recorded.
I don’t think I would have been one of the individuals that would have wanted to take part in Woodstock. However, it was a really big deal and I have heard a lot about it in the past. This book helped to fill in many of the gaps I’d been wondering about.
This book is great for anyone that is interested in learning more about history. History of music and how a bunch of individuals can come together and share a common bond without resorting to violence. I can see many children enjoying reading this book and then asking their parents etc if they were there or if they remembered it and things like that. I personally don’t know much about it other then what I’ve learned in books and things, but this book shared a lot of information I hadn’t of known and I am thankful for that. I always enjoy learning new things.
I don’t think I would have been one of the individuals that would have wanted to take part in Woodstock. However, it was a really big deal and I have heard a lot about it in the past. This book helped to fill in many of the gaps I’d been wondering about.
This book is great for anyone that is interested in learning more about history. History of music and how a bunch of individuals can come together and share a common bond without resorting to violence. I can see many children enjoying reading this book and then asking their parents etc if they were there or if they remembered it and things like that. I personally don’t know much about it other then what I’ve learned in books and things, but this book shared a lot of information I hadn’t of known and I am thankful for that. I always enjoy learning new things.
February 26, 2016
The "Who/What/Where" series has transformed the activity in our Biography section of the Lib. I get just as excited as my students do when a new one comes out. I have always had a personal interest in the events of the 60s, so I was excited to read this book. But I wondered how the author would handle all the "adult" topics of Woodstock. The market for this series is primarily 3rd-5th graders. Because of that, I felt that some of the references to drug use and the actual drug names were inappropriate for the younger group of students who love this series as well. I am not sure there was a way to avoid it, but is something of our culture that a third grader probably doesn't need to know a lot about.
This series does an amazing job with extra information that is pertinent to the subject matter of the book...dedicating extra pages to help explain certain concepts or historical events. Including 16 pages of photos inside is a wonderful bonus.
This series does an amazing job with extra information that is pertinent to the subject matter of the book...dedicating extra pages to help explain certain concepts or historical events. Including 16 pages of photos inside is a wonderful bonus.
July 26, 2019
I learned a lot of interesting things in this book.
January 23, 2016
Fun account of Woodstock that is appropriate for young ages.
March 14, 2016
Well written, fact-based book for kids who are interested in history, social movements, and music. Could spark some interesting conversations between grandparents (or great-grandparents) and kids.
April 25, 2016
I love all the hippie jargon in this one, groovy!
September 11, 2016
For someone wanting a quick primer on Woodstock, this is adequate and easily read in a single sitting.
January 20, 2017
It would have been groovy to go to this happening!
May 27, 2020
I knew nothing about Woodstock so I found all of this history quite fascinating.
*The town where Woodstock was originally supposed to happen got a bit panicky at the last second so the festival producers had to scout around for a new locale and found an open space on a private farm. They pretty much begged the farm owners and after agreeing to clean up the mess and fix the ruined farm land, the farmers agreed.
*Woodstock ended up being so huge that it was basically pointless to try and sell tickets. Hundreds of thousands more people showed up than expected.
*Despite all those people, it was actually fairly peaceful and they didn't have any major violent incidents.
*Some people in the nearby town felt bad for all these kids (mostly teens and young adults attended) so some brought in food to hand out. Most people were pretty surprised at how respectful the event was.
*Lots of famous guys sang, some in the middle of the night.
*They may have been peaceful but they left a giant pile of trash behind that had to be cleaned up.
*The town where Woodstock was originally supposed to happen got a bit panicky at the last second so the festival producers had to scout around for a new locale and found an open space on a private farm. They pretty much begged the farm owners and after agreeing to clean up the mess and fix the ruined farm land, the farmers agreed.
*Woodstock ended up being so huge that it was basically pointless to try and sell tickets. Hundreds of thousands more people showed up than expected.
*Despite all those people, it was actually fairly peaceful and they didn't have any major violent incidents.
*Some people in the nearby town felt bad for all these kids (mostly teens and young adults attended) so some brought in food to hand out. Most people were pretty surprised at how respectful the event was.
*Lots of famous guys sang, some in the middle of the night.
*They may have been peaceful but they left a giant pile of trash behind that had to be cleaned up.
November 17, 2019
“What Was Woodstock?” (What was... Series) by Joan Holub
I always wanted to know what was going on.
Made me want to look up on YouTube:
“Fixin to die rag” by country joe (p46)
Joe Cocker’s “With A Little Help From My Friends” (p80), and
Crosby Stills Nash and Young (p88)
"The year 1969 was an unhappy time in the United States. Many young people were angry about a far-off war in Southeast Asia. They felt misunderstood and ignored. They were looking for peace, love, and freedom. For three days, that's what they found at Woodstock."
"Jimi Hendrix was the very last to play at Woodstock. Music had gone on throughout the night, and it was now 8:30 Monday morning. Hendrix must have been exhausted. Many tired fans had already gone home to jobs or school. There were only about 35.000 people left. But Hendrix didn't care. He played his heart out. Those who'd left missed an amazing finale!"
…
I always wanted to know what was going on.
Made me want to look up on YouTube:
“Fixin to die rag” by country joe (p46)
Joe Cocker’s “With A Little Help From My Friends” (p80), and
Crosby Stills Nash and Young (p88)
"The year 1969 was an unhappy time in the United States. Many young people were angry about a far-off war in Southeast Asia. They felt misunderstood and ignored. They were looking for peace, love, and freedom. For three days, that's what they found at Woodstock."
"Jimi Hendrix was the very last to play at Woodstock. Music had gone on throughout the night, and it was now 8:30 Monday morning. Hendrix must have been exhausted. Many tired fans had already gone home to jobs or school. There were only about 35.000 people left. But Hendrix didn't care. He played his heart out. Those who'd left missed an amazing finale!"
…
November 3, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! I thought it did a good job of hitting key details and describing Woodstock's atmosphere and emotion. This book describes the emotional rollercoaster throughout the 3 days of the concert and how music was able to bring different types of people together to enjoy themselves during a tough period in history. I think this book would be a good continuous read-aloud book but this series would be good for independent reading for students who are interested in specific topics.
October 20, 2018
I love Who HQ! Stellar non-fiction books for curious minds of all ages. This one didn't disappoint.
Woodstock: Of course I knew it was an iconic music festival. I could've guessed a handful of the musicians who performed there. But until reading this, I really had no idea of the scale or the whole story. Fantastic info. Fun read. This one came with bonus, real photos at the end. Well done!
Woodstock: Of course I knew it was an iconic music festival. I could've guessed a handful of the musicians who performed there. But until reading this, I really had no idea of the scale or the whole story. Fantastic info. Fun read. This one came with bonus, real photos at the end. Well done!
June 21, 2017
it was good
May 11, 2018
Great information for a new generation of kids.
June 5, 2018
This book was so quick and informational. I never knew all this went down to make Woodstock happen! Its amazing!
February 7, 2020
That was a massive festival with great performers. This was a very easy read and real informative. I would have loved to see all those musician in one place.
December 30, 2021
History
If you want to read a book that gives some facts about the purpose of Woodstock this is the book. I was totally clueless about any of it. It was nice to see information I did not know as an adult.
If you want to read a book that gives some facts about the purpose of Woodstock this is the book. I was totally clueless about any of it. It was nice to see information I did not know as an adult.
Read
January 11, 2022It was very good. I learned a lot!
March 14, 2025
Informative, but not content for the 9-10 year old in my class.
May 22, 2016
This book is part of the Who, What, Where series of books written largely for the beginning reader and pre-teen audience. Woodstock is one of the most famous events in the 1960’s, one of the most tumultuous decades in American history. Not only does this book portray in words, drawings and photos, the Woodstock music festival, but it furnishes a birds-eye view of the history of the 1960’s. Well-written concise profiles of the Vietnam War, political and social change, and sixties slang are included. There are time lines of the sixties for the United States as well as one of events happening around the globe. An age appropriate bibliography for additional reading on these topics is also included.
Music promoter, Michael Lang conceived the concert idea. Desiring to open up a recording studio for young artists in Woodstock, about 120 miles north of New York City, he convinced Artie Kornfield of Capitol Records that this was a good idea. While playing a game of pool one night, they decided to raise money for their project by having a giant outdoor music concert. They needed a large space, security, lighting, outdoor toilets, food, water, a stage and lots of music bands. Problem after problem arose. Their plans fell through and the location was changed three times. Eventually, they contracted with a local farmer, Max Yasgur in Bethel, NY. They planned for 50,000 people, but 500,000 came. The roads were so clogged that people had to walk ten miles from their cars, and bands had to be flown in by helicopter. A thunderstorm threatened to destroy it, but the three day event in August, 1969 became a message of peace and hope for people young and old. Well-known artists like Jimi Hendrix and Joan Baez played as well as then unknowns like Santana and Credence Clearwater Revival. The organizers made no money. Despite its success, organizers wound up letting everyone in free because they could not manage to collect tickets.
Young pre teen readers will love this book. History, music and popular culture are woven together into a mesmerizing look at sixties people, places and things. Readers absorb a great deal of knowledge without even realizing it. Highly recommended for students, teachers, parents and all those baby boomers who lived through or have heard about Woodstock.
Music promoter, Michael Lang conceived the concert idea. Desiring to open up a recording studio for young artists in Woodstock, about 120 miles north of New York City, he convinced Artie Kornfield of Capitol Records that this was a good idea. While playing a game of pool one night, they decided to raise money for their project by having a giant outdoor music concert. They needed a large space, security, lighting, outdoor toilets, food, water, a stage and lots of music bands. Problem after problem arose. Their plans fell through and the location was changed three times. Eventually, they contracted with a local farmer, Max Yasgur in Bethel, NY. They planned for 50,000 people, but 500,000 came. The roads were so clogged that people had to walk ten miles from their cars, and bands had to be flown in by helicopter. A thunderstorm threatened to destroy it, but the three day event in August, 1969 became a message of peace and hope for people young and old. Well-known artists like Jimi Hendrix and Joan Baez played as well as then unknowns like Santana and Credence Clearwater Revival. The organizers made no money. Despite its success, organizers wound up letting everyone in free because they could not manage to collect tickets.
Young pre teen readers will love this book. History, music and popular culture are woven together into a mesmerizing look at sixties people, places and things. Readers absorb a great deal of knowledge without even realizing it. Highly recommended for students, teachers, parents and all those baby boomers who lived through or have heard about Woodstock.
December 25, 2020
This historical report on the world’s best-known music festival of the 1960s – Woodstock – recounts the proposal, planning, and performances that attracted over 400,000 people. The three-day festival began on August 15, 1969, and transformed a small dairy farm in upstate New York into an open-air venue for contemporary music and a gathering ground for the hippie movement from around the US. Famous musicians like The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young played day and night in an advertised celebration of peace, love, and happiness.
I was alive back in the day (19-years-old) and never even heard that the festival was happening. I really enjoyed rock-n-roll, but I doubt I would have attended even if I was aware it was happening. What a crazy event, but violence was almost non-existent and the “mob” was peaceful.
I was alive back in the day (19-years-old) and never even heard that the festival was happening. I really enjoyed rock-n-roll, but I doubt I would have attended even if I was aware it was happening. What a crazy event, but violence was almost non-existent and the “mob” was peaceful.
September 6, 2016
Kid's books on history...good writing. I still can't wrap my head around something like Woodstock being in a history book, but there's no denying that it had a major impact on the world.
This illustrated book tells the story of the concert: Who came up with it and why, how it was organized (or not organized), planned, promoted, and carried out, the experience of the townsfolk and fans as a whole, the bands- who they were, what they did, how they were catapulted into fame- and the legacy of this event.
I can't imagine anyone needing a glossary for hippie slang, but, then again, I'm not ten. Cool that there is one.
This illustrated book tells the story of the concert: Who came up with it and why, how it was organized (or not organized), planned, promoted, and carried out, the experience of the townsfolk and fans as a whole, the bands- who they were, what they did, how they were catapulted into fame- and the legacy of this event.
I can't imagine anyone needing a glossary for hippie slang, but, then again, I'm not ten. Cool that there is one.
March 24, 2017
I read what was the wood stock by Joan Holub.
The wood stock was a festival that had a lot of rock bands.
It was in wood stock New York.
The wood stock was a huge festival that was amazing for its time. It was a very peaceful festival the worst thing that happened was when they burned down food trucks because of their high prices.
This book for people that like history.
The wood stock was a festival that had a lot of rock bands.
It was in wood stock New York.
The wood stock was a huge festival that was amazing for its time. It was a very peaceful festival the worst thing that happened was when they burned down food trucks because of their high prices.
This book for people that like history.
September 4, 2016
If I were a student wanting to know more about Woodstock this is a good quick reference but so readable I would read it all. The photographs and drawings add to the book. The author also incorporates background notes for the reader. Geared for a young reader but interesting to all.
August 8, 2016
Groovy!
August 25, 2016
Another great read that introduces students to history.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews