This book is based on African story about Imani, the grasshopper who was blessed with a gift of music a the time when music didn't exist yet. The story is told by a grandpa W. D. He invited his grandchildren to step over the river of time and to the land of "Used - to be". A lovely tale of how the music was born uncovers the true essence of music - the happiness ans joy that comes from the soul. But then Imani gets on a ship where people got captured as slaves. Through the horror of the weight of the hurt and despair of the people on the ship that he shared, it unravels to him that all he can do is give music to help them cope. Imani gave all slaves in the new land the gift of music, allowed for them to start their own culture, "bitter-sweet they sang on". Imani marries Hope and she calls him Faith. Music and new songs brought cultural identity and hope to stolen people and made them go on and to create new; to share the new with their children like the grasshopper shared with his children, who to this day sing his songs. This is a very deep and though- provoking book, wow. ( )

Used to be was a time when music did not exist. People and animals walked the earth and lived life with no idea that sound could create music. there's was only one creature who knew the sound of music and longed for the world to accompany him in song. His name was Imani, a grasshopper. Imani had the gift to hear music in the rain, the wind and in everything that surrounded him. And he could create sound too!
His ancestors heard his prayer and poured music on the Earth like water covering it all. Suddenly, music was in everything, just like. Imani could hear it. The poetic way the book is written and English being my second language made the book a little confusing in the beginning, but I really liked how it was presented as an old folktale of how music was created by the grasshopper and given to the world to bring hope during hard times like slavery. ( )