$17.99
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Thursday, May 16. Order within 10 hrs 37 mins
Only 20 left in stock (more on the way).
$$17.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

How Sweet the Sound: The Story of Amazing Grace Hardcover – Picture Book, May 1, 2018

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 14 ratings

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$17.99","priceAmount":17.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"dKNKuevacsgLmZ%2FHCbE2ftMHYoTQKoTZdNNi2qTmsy9gLcYBPueVtfJqiQY9GiJA9xLvpwKNXPIZi72G55Fuhi%2B%2B2YX%2FumMa3NsZCLrH6lZQ%2F2%2B28QO0scCf%2FWoTDtBWFEOFoXF6tWOZZHRfvT%2F8Qw%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

An incredibly moving picture book biography of the man behind the hymn “Amazing Grace” and the living legacy of the song by New York Times bestselling author Carole Boston Weatherford and award-winning illustrator Frank Morrison.

One stormy night at sea, a wayward man named John Newton feared for his life. In his darkest hour he fell to his knees and prayed—and somehow the battered ship survived the storm.

Grateful, he changed his ways and became a minister, yet he still owned a slave ship. But in time, empathy touched his heart. A changed man, he used his powerful words to help end slavery in England.

Those words became the hymn “Amazing Grace,” a song that has lifted the spirit and given comfort across time and all over the world.
Read more Read less

New in teachers' picks. More children's books by grade. New in teachers' picks. More children's books by grade.

Frequently bought together

$17.99
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
Only 20 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
$12.59
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
$12.29
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

*”Weatherford does her own amazing job of telling the story in rhymed couplets that make the events digestible for young readers. Her compact history is juxtaposed against Morrison’s majestic paintings, dramatic spreads that breathe life into both Newton’s story and the history that followed. The afterword closely follows the text, a boon for children wanting more information. The song’s verses and suggestions for further reading and listening complete this fine package.” -- Booklist, Starred Review

“The illustrations are dramatic oil paintings that successfully evoke gravity, sorrow, and religiosity. The lyrical text presents a mature story in spare verse . . . An enriching picture of a hymn that has touched hearts over centuries and across the world.” -- Kirkus Reviews

“Morrison’s vibrant, sometimes haunting oil paintings join Weatherford’s spare, rhyming couplets to delineate the birth and reach of the famed hymn ‘Amazing Grace.’ Dynamic . . .” -- Publishers Weekly

“Written in spare rhyming verse, every word is deliberate, and every line carefully crafted to maintain the meter, resulting in a striking trochaic rhythm that begs to be read aloud . . . What truly makes the book stand out are Morrison’s stunning oil paintings, which vividly bring to life Newton’s personal experiences and moments of larger historical importance.” -- School Library Journal

“Weatherford’s rhymed verse . . . encourage[s] readers to reflect on how Newton’s lyrics reflect his personal testimony to sin, repentance, and deliverance. . . . The limited text, accompanied by Morrison’s stirring full spread illustrations, recommend this for a group audience of mixed ages, particularly for family reading or bible school gatherings.” -- BCCB

About the Author

Carole Boston Weatherford has written many award-winning books for children, including Kin, illustrated by her son Jeffery and a Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient; Box, which won a Newbery Honor; Unspeakable, which won the Coretta Scott King Award, a Caldecott Honor, and was a finalist for the National Book Award; Respect: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, winner of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award; ALA Notable Children’s Book You Can Fly; and Caldecott Honor winners Freedom in Congo Square; Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement; and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. Carole lives in North Carolina. Visit her at CBWeatherford.com.

Frank Morrison is the award-winning illustrator of many books for young readers, including
Jazzy Miz Mozetta, winner of the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award for New Talent; Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book; Muhammad Ali; and How Sweet the Sound. Before becoming a children’s book illustrator and fine artist, Morrison toured the globe as a break-dancer. He lives in Georgia with his family.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atheneum Books for Young Readers (May 1, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 48 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1481472062
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1481472067
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD600L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.34 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 11 x 0.4 x 11 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 14 ratings

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
14 global ratings
A story about John
3 Stars
A story about John
This wasn’t what I thought this book would be like, but it’s a start. This song was a favorite of my grandmothers and it’s also one of my mother’s favorite songs, when I saw the cover, I knew I had to read it. I wondered what the song’s words came from and what they meant as it’s sang a lot at funerals and religious services.The song began with John Newton aboard a slave ship. He’s a passenger as the ships being tossed about, during a stormy night. John hears the crew complaining as he worries about the ship going down with the storm. As the storm whips around him, John reflects back on his life.John’s father was a sea captain and his mother stayed home and took care of him. She took him to church and John was a good Christian boy. When she died, John put on his sea legs and went with his father to the sea, where he got into trouble and he became a wild fellow. This was the time that he also met his wife, Mary.The storm grabs John’s attention as the boat is being torn apart. Everyone fears the worse and hopes the best. The illustrations capture the fear that these individuals felt. Fortunately, they do eventually find land and John later retires. Once an individual who transported slaves, John now preaches to end slavery. I had a few questions about things that were happening here as it seemed rather choppy. John now writes the first lines to this famous song. Those lines travel across sea and land where other individuals sing them and add their own words to them until ……..we have a song. What? Yep! There are Author Notes at the back (which I highly recommend you read), Additional Reading and Info, and Amazing Grace (the song).I feel that the illustrations captured the energy of this book. They were bold, colorful, and the individuals presented were nicely done. I was surprised at how much of the book was devoted to the life of John and how much of the book was devoted to the song, itself. Then, to find out that he only wrote the first lines to the song. That was a huge surprise to me! The Author’s Notes at the back of the book need to be read as I found them very informative. They helped answer some of my questions and put the book together for me. I also liked having all the verses of the song together in the back, with the nice illustration in the background, that was a nice touch. I was disappointed that not more was written about the rest of the song though.
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2021
This wasn’t what I thought this book would be like, but it’s a start. This song was a favorite of my grandmothers and it’s also one of my mother’s favorite songs, when I saw the cover, I knew I had to read it. I wondered what the song’s words came from and what they meant as it’s sang a lot at funerals and religious services.

The song began with John Newton aboard a slave ship. He’s a passenger as the ships being tossed about, during a stormy night. John hears the crew complaining as he worries about the ship going down with the storm. As the storm whips around him, John reflects back on his life.

John’s father was a sea captain and his mother stayed home and took care of him. She took him to church and John was a good Christian boy. When she died, John put on his sea legs and went with his father to the sea, where he got into trouble and he became a wild fellow. This was the time that he also met his wife, Mary.

The storm grabs John’s attention as the boat is being torn apart. Everyone fears the worse and hopes the best. The illustrations capture the fear that these individuals felt. Fortunately, they do eventually find land and John later retires. Once an individual who transported slaves, John now preaches to end slavery. I had a few questions about things that were happening here as it seemed rather choppy. John now writes the first lines to this famous song. Those lines travel across sea and land where other individuals sing them and add their own words to them until ……..we have a song. What? Yep! There are Author Notes at the back (which I highly recommend you read), Additional Reading and Info, and Amazing Grace (the song).

I feel that the illustrations captured the energy of this book. They were bold, colorful, and the individuals presented were nicely done. I was surprised at how much of the book was devoted to the life of John and how much of the book was devoted to the song, itself. Then, to find out that he only wrote the first lines to the song. That was a huge surprise to me! The Author’s Notes at the back of the book need to be read as I found them very informative. They helped answer some of my questions and put the book together for me. I also liked having all the verses of the song together in the back, with the nice illustration in the background, that was a nice touch. I was disappointed that not more was written about the rest of the song though.
Customer image
3.0 out of 5 stars A story about John
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2021
This wasn’t what I thought this book would be like, but it’s a start. This song was a favorite of my grandmothers and it’s also one of my mother’s favorite songs, when I saw the cover, I knew I had to read it. I wondered what the song’s words came from and what they meant as it’s sang a lot at funerals and religious services.

The song began with John Newton aboard a slave ship. He’s a passenger as the ships being tossed about, during a stormy night. John hears the crew complaining as he worries about the ship going down with the storm. As the storm whips around him, John reflects back on his life.

John’s father was a sea captain and his mother stayed home and took care of him. She took him to church and John was a good Christian boy. When she died, John put on his sea legs and went with his father to the sea, where he got into trouble and he became a wild fellow. This was the time that he also met his wife, Mary.

The storm grabs John’s attention as the boat is being torn apart. Everyone fears the worse and hopes the best. The illustrations capture the fear that these individuals felt. Fortunately, they do eventually find land and John later retires. Once an individual who transported slaves, John now preaches to end slavery. I had a few questions about things that were happening here as it seemed rather choppy. John now writes the first lines to this famous song. Those lines travel across sea and land where other individuals sing them and add their own words to them until ……..we have a song. What? Yep! There are Author Notes at the back (which I highly recommend you read), Additional Reading and Info, and Amazing Grace (the song).

I feel that the illustrations captured the energy of this book. They were bold, colorful, and the individuals presented were nicely done. I was surprised at how much of the book was devoted to the life of John and how much of the book was devoted to the song, itself. Then, to find out that he only wrote the first lines to the song. That was a huge surprise to me! The Author’s Notes at the back of the book need to be read as I found them very informative. They helped answer some of my questions and put the book together for me. I also liked having all the verses of the song together in the back, with the nice illustration in the background, that was a nice touch. I was disappointed that not more was written about the rest of the song though.
Images in this review
Customer image Customer image Customer image Customer image
Customer imageCustomer imageCustomer imageCustomer image
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2020
John's story told in a poem.