The Heffley family’s house undergoes a disastrous attempt at home improvement. Readers will be rooting for both Cadence as she claims her gift and the community who supports her. Though some may feel Winston overdoes the musical names (in addition to Cadence, there’s her dog, Lyra, and the choir assistant, Miss Stravinski), she creates a rich and winning first-person story about a deeply introverted black girl who nearly loses her gift because of her understandable but undermining fear. When Cadence inadvertently sings in front of her best friends, Zara and Faith, one of them tries to exploit the main character’s shyness for her own chance at fame. When she initially prays for a keyboard and microphone, she makes a deal with God that if she gets them she would indeed share her talent, but she vacillates as opportunities, such as graduating to the Youth Choir, appear.

The solicitous, diverse townspeople-from the African-American Trinity Sisters and server Sofine to Chinese-American classmate Mei-Mei’s mother-who dote on the black family with pity and prayer don’t know that Cadence’s mother left her with another gift: the ability to sing…mostly because Cadence is terrified to use it. Ten-year-old Cadence Mariah Jolly, named after singer Mariah Carey, belies her name: she suffers from near-deleterious social anxiety, especially after her mother left her, her father, older brother, and the small town of Harmony, Pennsylvania, to pursue a singing career.

Ages 8 12.What if, in not keeping a promise to God, you make a deal with the devil? Focusing on an African American church community and incorporating references to gospel music throughout, Winston breathes fresh life into the shy-kid narrative, making Cadence's story feel both individual and universal. When that talent is accidentally shared online, she's forced to take credit or continue to cower. As courage fails Cadence, she finds solace in her musical talent and love of words. A folksy first-person narrative reveals an intensely introverted girl who wants to be 'the mouse that roared' but can't quite muster it, whether she's trying to sing by herself, stand up to a pushy friend, or tell her father not to make a big deal of her birthday (it's also the anniversary of her mother skipping out on the family). 'What happens if you make a promise to God, then try to take it back?' Ten-year-old Cadence Jolly finds herself asking that question after she promises to share her secret talent for singing with the world or at least with her church in Winston's (President of the Whole Sixth Grade) warm story of growing up and coming out of one's shell.

The Sweetest Sound by Sherri Winston