Before legendary actor James Earl Jones was recognized for his memorable, smooth voice, he was just James--a stutterer who stopped speaking for eight years as a child...and ultimately found his voice through poetry. nA National Council of Teachers of English Honor Book n nBefore there was Mufasa...Before there was Darth Vader... There was a young boy names James Earl Jones, who spoke with a stutter and dreaded having to talk in class. n nWhenever James tried to voice his thoughts, his words got stuck in his throat. But James figured out a solution for his shame: if he didnt speak, he wouldnt stutter. n nAnd so he was silent...until he wrote his own poem, Ode to Grapefruit, and found a love for poetry. n nLyrical text, stunning art, and compelling backmatter about stuttering pair together for a remarkable picture book about how a boy who refused to speak for eight years learned to manage his stutter through poetry--and grew up to become an EGOT-winning performer with a voice few could forget.n