We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants(r) Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
by Mia Wenjen (Author) Victor Bizar Gómez (Illustrator)
A compelling account of Simon Tam's fight for free speech that ended with a landmark Supreme Court decision
Music is a way to transcend cultures and divides. Simon Tam used his band's name, The Slants(R), to make a powerful statement that racist insults could no longer be hurtful to Asian Americans. But then the U.S. Trade and Patent Office tries to stop him. In his eight-year battle to win trademark protection, Simon would go all the way to the Supreme Court in a landmark case to rout out structural racism in our government systems. Mia Wenjen takes us back to Simon's early days and the formation of the band, to the long battle to claim the name they chose to use. We learn of his motivations and the years-long struggle that leads ultimately to the Supreme Court of the United States. Told using lyrics from the band's hit song about their trademark fight, this compelling story will keep readers riveted until the dramatic ending. We Sing from the Heart gives background and context to the significance of Simon's quest, not just for him and his band, but for free speech rights for us all. Newcomer to children's books, Victor Bizar Gómez, channels the indie music world with dynamic artwork that compliments the storytelling and is sure to draw in readers with his exciting graphic approach.
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School Library Journal
Gr 2-6--This true story of the rock band The Slants's recent legal fight to trademark their own name presents a fresh and contemporary example of a case being fought all the way up to the Supreme Court, and prevailing against the odds. The Portland rockers, led by frontman Simon Tam, sought to take back a term of offense to Asian people, but were told they could not trademark their name because it was "racist." The book follows Tam's path from a young kid being picked on for his ethnicity, through his love of music, to his ultimate success in proving the power of taking ownership over a stereotype. Along the way, the support from fans fueled Tam and the Slants and led them to ultimately refocus their efforts on a foundation that supports Asian American artists. Wenjen does not shy away from discussing racism and naming and defining several derogatory terms against Asians. Many pages feature contextual definitions, along with interspersed song lyrics from "We Sing from the Heart," the Slants's anthem about the court case. Gómez, in his first book for children, captures the drama of the struggle with flat graphic illustrations, playing with size and perspective to add further emotion to the story. Mono- and duo-chromatic pages in muted retro colors, all full spreads, make the pages feel like album art. VERDICT Books for young readers about contemporary court cases that relate to anti-racism are few and far between. Purchase this book to fill that gap, especially where there is an additional interest in biographies of musicians.--Clara Hendricks
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Kirkus
Inspiring in spirit, if not in specifics.
JNF018020 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | United States - Asian American
JNF053270 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Social Topics | Civil & Human Rights
