cover image How Sweet the Sound: African-American Songs for Children

How Sweet the Sound: African-American Songs for Children

Wade Hudson. Scholastic, $15.95 (48pp) ISBN 978-0-590-48030-7

Heavenly tunes are the soulful mainstay of two new fall publications. Crown's This Is My Song! A Collection of Gospel Music for the Family by Vy Higginsen, illus. by Brenda Joysmith, features the scores and lyrics to 30 gospel standards, realistic illustrations and extensive front matter that documents African American gospel ($25, all ages ISBN 0-517-59492-7 Sept.); Wade and Cheryl Hudson's How Sweet the Sound, with atmospheric illustrations by Floyd Cooper, showcases lyrics from gospels and songs that spotlight key periods in African American history, from ``Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'' to James Brown's ``Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud'' (Scholastic, $15.95, ages 3-8 ISBN 0-590-48030-8 Oct.).