Spree: The Boy Who Gave The World A New Instrument

A debut picture book biography about Spree Simon, a young boy from Trinidad who brought the iconic steelpan to the attention of the world. From Trinidadian author and artist Celeste Mohammed and Cory Thomas, Spree celebrates innovation, collaboration, history, and music. For readers of Trombone Shorty and When Marian Sang. Includes a note from the author and additional resources.

When Winston “Spree” Simon and his family move to the city of John-John on the island of Trinidad, he quickly picks up on the rhythm of the bustling town. But as World War II makes its impact, factories close, people lose their jobs, and everyone fears what might happen next. Luckily, music remains to offer comfort, companionship, and joy.

For Spree, loving music means inventing new sounds. One of his favorite sounds is that of the steelpan, an instrument made from discarded pans, tins, and steel drums. And on Carnival Tuesday 1946—after a lot of practice, innovation, and trial and error—a teenage Spree leads his band in a parade throughout the city, playing an old steel pan with fourteen distinct notes, performing (among other things) Schubert's Ave Maria and God Save The King. This young pioneer musician and inventor was the first person to play a recognizable tune on a pan—producing a remarkable level of music from so called industrial waste.

Award-winning author Celeste Mohammed and illustrator Cory Thomas—both Trinidadian themselves—expertly balance the social and political facts of island history with a compelling narrative chronicling Spree’s life. Thanks in part to his innovation and popularization of the steelpan, the instrument is now played around the world. Includes a note from the author and additional resources.