The Sweetest Sound

“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.” —Kirkus Reviews

For ten-year-old Cadence Jolly, birthdays are a constant reminder of all that has changed since her mother skipped town with dreams of becoming a singing star. Cadence inherited that musical soul, she can’t deny it, but otherwise she couldn’t be more different—she’s as shy as can be. 

She did make a promise last year that she would try to break out of her shell, just a little. And she prayed that she’d get the courage to do it. As her eleventh birthday draws near, she realizes time is running out. And when a secret recording of her singing leaks and catches the attention of her whole church, she needs to decide what’s better: deceiving everyone by pretending it belongs to someone else, or finally stepping into the spotlight. 

In a story filled with whimsy and hope, Sherri Winston inspires readers to embrace the voice within.

“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.” —Publishers Weekly

“The Sweetest Sound is a gorgeous song of a book—a story about faith, confidence, finding your voice, and singing out loud to lift up the people around you. I only wish I could hear Cadence Mariah Jolly sing for real. She’s a character who will stay with me for a long, long time.” —Kate Messner, author of Over and Under the Snow