The Sweetest Sound
A story of family, faith, and following your heart
For ten-year-old Cadence Jolly, birthdays are a constant reminder of all that has changed since her mother skipped town with dreams of becoming a singing star. Cadence inherited that musical soul, she can’t deny it, but otherwise she couldn’t be more different – she’s as shy as can be.
She did make a promise last year that she would try to break out of her shell, just a little. And she prayed that she’d get the courage to do it. As her eleventh birthday draws near, she realizes time is running out. And when a secret recording of her singing leaks and catches the attention of her whole church, she needs to decide what’s better: deceiving everyone by pretending it belongs to someone else, or finally stepping into the spotlight.
In a story filled with whimsy and hope, Sherri Winston inspires readers to embrace the voice within.
For ten-year-old Cadence Jolly, birthdays are a constant reminder of all that has changed since her mother skipped town with dreams of becoming a singing star. Cadence inherited that musical soul, she can’t deny it, but otherwise she couldn’t be more different – she’s as shy as can be.
She did make a promise last year that she would try to break out of her shell, just a little. And she prayed that she’d get the courage to do it. As her eleventh birthday draws near, she realizes time is running out. And when a secret recording of her singing leaks and catches the attention of her whole church, she needs to decide what’s better: deceiving everyone by pretending it belongs to someone else, or finally stepping into the spotlight.
In a story filled with whimsy and hope, Sherri Winston inspires readers to embrace the voice within.
Praise
"[A] rich and winning first-person story about a deeply introverted black girl who nearly loses her gift because of her understandable but undermining fear. Readers will be rooting for both Cadence as she claims her gift and the community who supports her."
—Kirkus Reviews
"[T]his book -- much like Cadence -- absolutely blossoms."
—Booklist
"The Sweetest Sound is a gorgeous song of a book - a story about faith, confidence, finding your voice, and singing out loud to lift up the people around you. I only wish I could hear Cadence Mariah Jolly sing for real. She's a character who will stay with me for a long, long time."
—Kate Messner, author of The Seventh Wish and All the Answers
Praise for President of the Whole Sixth Grade:
A Children's Indie Next pick
"Winston's humorous prose captures the spirited preteen voice of an honors student with sass, quick wit, and great ideas... A whip-smart, funny, and fast-paced outing equally suited to returning fans and readers who are just meeting Brianna for the first time." B>Kirkus Reviews
"Brianna's determination and follow-through make her a great role model, but the true value here is the very real depiction of the ebb and flow of middle-school friendships and the difficulties that come with growing up. An important resource for anyone who's ever been in Brianna's shoes." —Booklist
A Children's Indie Next pick
"Winston's humorous prose captures the spirited preteen voice of an honors student with sass, quick wit, and great ideas... A whip-smart, funny, and fast-paced outing equally suited to returning fans and readers who are just meeting Brianna for the first time." B>Kirkus Reviews
"Brianna's determination and follow-through make her a great role model, but the true value here is the very real depiction of the ebb and flow of middle-school friendships and the difficulties that come with growing up. An important resource for anyone who's ever been in Brianna's shoes." —Booklist