The One About the Blackbird

Written by Melanie Florence

Illustrated by Matt James

Tundra Books

978-1-774882665

40 pp.

Ages 4–8

October 2025 

 

I don't know which song is the one about the blackbird, but I've been humming Paul McCartney's song from the Beatles' White Album ever since I read this picture book, and I could see why it had such an impact on young Jack. This is the story of Jack and the music that imbued his family life, and the connection he made with it and his grandfather. 

From The One About the Blackbird, written by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Matt James

Jack recalls being a kid with music all around at home, whether his grandfather was playing one of his many instruments—sax, guitar, trumpet, keyboard, drums—or spinning an LP from his extensive collection. The day his grandfather agrees to teach him to play the guitar, especially his favourite song, the one about the blackbird, Jack is thrilled. But, playing the song as well as his grandfather does not come instantly.

He struck the strings wildly, almost dropping the guitar at the loud, tuneless BROOOONG that honked out of the instrument. (pg. 15)

From The One About the Blackbird, written by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Matt James

Though it is hard, Jack perseveres and can finally play the song and others. And when he is older and leaves home, Jack plays for crowds worldwide. 

 

When Jack returns home, his grandfather has forgotten how to play that favourite song and even that he'd given his old guitar to Jack. But, when Jack plays the song for him, reconnecting the two to each other and their past, his grandfather remembers it as "the one about the blackbird."

 

Earlier this week, I reviewed a book about music bridging generations, and now we have another about the power of song to connect across time. But Melanie Florence, whose earlier picture books emphasize connections between young people and their Indigenous family (e.g., Missing Nimâmâ, 2015, Stolen Words, 2017, and Kaiah's Garden, 2024), makes music the bond between a grandfather and their grandchild. First, that bond comes from the grandfather sharing his love of music with a child, and then a grown man reminding his elderly grandfather of that bond. Regardless of who was teaching about the music, the message that, "If it was easy, everyone would do it" is repeated, both encouraging and uniting. Melanie Florence helps us see that change does not mean loss, just a reconfiguration that can be just as rich as the original.

From The One About the Blackbird, written by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Matt James

Matt James, illustrator of award-winning books including I Know Here (Laurel Croza, 2010), The Northwest Passage (Stan Rogers, 2013), and When the Moon Comes (Paul Harbridge, 2017), gets deeper into that relationship with his acrylic artwork that also includes textured elements. Whether the boy is hanging out with his grandfather, struggling to hold a guitar, or showing his grandfather how to move his fingers into position, Matt James makes us feel the effort of their attachment. The emotion in their struggles and their joys jump from the page, reflected in their faces, their body language, and their actions. 

 

Like the blackbird of that song, the boy, and later young man, learned to fly. He learned to take flight in song and in life, gathering knowledge at the feet of one who knew how. And when that knowledge wanes, as happens with time and age, that grandson helps his beloved grandfather hear the song again.

Totally Unrelated

by Tom Ryan
Orca Book Publishers
978-1-4598-0458-6
120 pp.
Ages 11-14
2013

Today a student at school asked me for a book that wasn't too long and had a bit of romance and a fairly straightforward, contemporary plot.  Any of the titles in Orca's new Limelights series would fit this bill perfectly, including Totally Unrelated, which I intend to take in for this student tomorrow.

Fifteen-year-old Neil is part of The Family McClintock, a traditional Celtic musical group made up of his parents, his Gran, older brother Shamus, older sister Kathy, twins Molly and Maura, and younger brother Johnny. All of them are multi-talented, playing an assortment of instruments, or singing, or step- and Highland dancing.  That is, except for the anomalous Neil who only plays guitar.

When his best friend, Bert, suggests that they enter the Deep Cove Talent Show, Neil is initially unconvinced that they could pull an effective band together.  But after a church fundraiser at which Neil meets Sandy, a teen staying at a local summer cottage rental with her Gran and young brother Beast (a.k.a. Bailey), and learns she can play guitar and sing, Neil is convinced it could work.  In fact, it gives Neil the practice that makes him a better performer with The Family McClintock and gives him the opportunity to try his hand at singing, something at which he doesn't think he can excel.

While Dad is supportive of Neil participating in the Deep Cove Talent Show with his friends, the expectation is that The Family McClintock should be his priority, as it is for everyone in the family.  The conflict arises when Neil learns that the talent show is on the same night as the family's big gig opening for the Vince Beach Band in Halifax, four hours drive away.

While most readers will never have the kind of conflict that Neil experiences, courtesy of his musical family, there will be that critical time in their lives when being with the family begins to clash with times with their friends and times when they'd like to be more independent.  Performing as The Family McClintock may be financially worthwhile, helping to put the kids through university, but it is major commitment, particularly time-wise with family members only getting Thursday off regularly.  Along with Kathy who is in university and considering taking a course that would take her away from Nova Scotia, Neil has a legitimate grievance, and one for which his family is not prepared. Still, Tom Ryan has created Neil as a good kid who goes along with his family and tries to work within their restrictive schedule, but he's still a teen who is interested in girls (or rather one particular girl) and looking to distinguish himself in a Totally Unrelated way.

I appreciate the lack of overwhelming angst soaked in despondency and meanness that the teen vs. family scenario could produce.  Tom Ryan presents Neil's situation and solution as viable scenarios to handing these awkward and potentially family-ripping circumstances.  Totally Unrelated is a positive reflection of how a teen can share and extend his own interests without jeopardizing the family dynamics.  Think of Totally Unrelated as a how-to of letting your child become more independent without pushing them away or losing them, and allowing them to become successful adults who don't need to rely on their parents to create lives for them. Seems Totally Unrelated would be a worthwhile read for parents and children alike.