The President Sang “Amazing Grace”

Following the 2015 shooting that killed nine African-American people at a Charleston, S.C. prayer service, President Obama read a eulogy before leading those gathered in song. When Mulford, a singer-songwriter, heard the president sing “Amazing Grace,” she wrote a song about the shooting and aftermath that was recorded by folk artist Joan Baez and animated by Jeff Scher. Adapted into a picture book, Mulford’s sensitive lyrics (“But no words could say/ what must be said/ for all the living/ and the dead”) accompany Scher’s wash renderings. Though the paintings’ lack of detail may in picture book form lessen their emotional impact for some, the title may well serve as a conversation starter, perhaps alongside the moving video, in discussions with children about tragic events. Back matter includes factual information about the massacre and biographies of the Emanuel Nine. Ages 5–7. (Sept.)