Audiobook Review: Simon B. Rhymin’ by Dwayne Reed

Item: Simon B. Rhymin'
Author: Richetta

Posted September 27, 2021 by Richetta in Audiobook, Book Reviews, Young Reader / 0 Comments

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Audiobook Review: Simon B. Rhymin’ by Dwayne Reed

Simon B. Rhymin' by Dwayne Reed
Narrator: Dwayne Reed
Length: 3 hours and 24 minutes
on March 2, 2021
Genres: JUVENILE FICTION / General, Juvenile Fiction / Performing Arts / Music, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Homelessness & Poverty, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
Pages: 240
Format: Audiobook
Source: Libro.fm
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Eleven-year-old Simon Barnes dreams of becoming a world-famous rapper that everyone calls Notorious D.O.G. But for now, he's just a Chicago fifth grader who's small for his age and afraid to use his voice.
Simon prefers to lay low at school and at home, even though he's constantly spitting rhymes in his head. But when his new teacher assigns the class an oral presentation on something that affects their community, Simon must face his fears.
With some help from an unexpected ally and his neighborhood crew, will Simon gain the confidence to rap his way to an A and prove that one kid can make a difference in his 'hood?
Dwayne Reed is a Chicago teacher, whose viral back-to-school music video "Welcome to the 4th Grade" took the internet by storm. His debut novel, Simon B. Rhymin' , inspires young readers everywhere to use their voice to create change within their communities.

Book Cover of Simon B. Rhymin by Dwayne Reed — Support Local Bookstores and Purchase on Libro.fm

Review

My kids and I just finished listening to Simon B. Rhymin’ by Dwayne Reed. We enjoyed listening to it!!! It would be the first request as soon as my second grader jumped in the car after-school. The absolute highlight were the actual rap tracks that were embedded into the story. It included music and everything! Everybody was bobbing their heads! Loved it!

We rooted for Simon the whole story. We also loved the diverse side characters CJ and Maria. Some of the topics dealt with were shyness, stage fright, homelessness and bullying. The narration was on point! You almost forget an adult is narrating it.

This was a great debut by a fellow educator! If you have elementary or middle school students you should definitely check it out!

Synopsis

Eleven-year-old Simon Barnes dreams of becoming a world-famous rapper that everyone calls Notorious D.O.G. But for now, he’s just a Chicago fifth grader who’s small for his age and afraid to use his voice.

Simon prefers to lay low at school and at home, even though he’s constantly spitting rhymes in his head. But when his new teacher assigns the class an oral presentation on something that affects their community, Simon must face his fears.

With some help from an unexpected ally and his neighborhood crew, will Simon gain the confidence to rap his way to an A and prove that one kid can make a difference in his ‘hood?