Reviews (1)

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star On All the People That I Love
My youngest son has suffered from severe asthma ever since he was an infant and he's almost 20 years old now. Some of my most painful memories are of watching him struggle with the torture of this disease when he was very small, and feeling the awful helplessness a parent feels when they have done all they can and still the suffering continues. When my son was at his sickest we would snuggle close and I would rub his back and quietly sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" to him in a slow, soothing voice. Sometimes I would need to sing it for a long while before he could finally relax enough to fall asleep. I had to learn all the verses besides the familiar one and I had to make up several additional ones, too! As he grew older I continued to sing it when things were bad. When he was sad or in pain or facing a tough time, he would cuddle up and ask for a back rub and "Twinkle Twinkle." I think he was 18 the last time I sang it and he was suffering heartbreak rather than asthma. Well, to get to the point, this book does complete justice to the special song that has meant so much in our lives. It has all of the verses and they are very beautiful. Sylvia Long's lovely illustrations show little animal children dressed in cute clothes like sweaters and blue jeans as they sit together on a country hill gazing up at the diamonds in the sky. Then we see each of the children go to their own homes where their loving parents cuddle them off to bed. They have such cute and colorful jammies on. The love between a parent and child shines throughout this little charmer just like a twinkling star. I love it! ... Read more

Book Description

Clay Aiken's life story is one that most people not born into privilege can identify with. The self-proclaimed geek took a one in a million shot at music stardom by qualifying for and then nearly winning the American Idol contest. In losing the contest, however, he won America's heart. Now, with hit records under his belt, the North Carolina native has a smile, a wit, and a voice that is being recognized everywhere.

Go behind the scenes of one of America's most popular television shows and learn what Clay had to go through to achieve success. Learn about his rough childhood and how his love of singing rose to the top at just the right time. Learn about how he deals with his newfound fame and what he thinks of his fans. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

We want Clay in the Movies, Not just books!
Just ordered this book and can't wait to get it while I'm waiting for Clay's new book to come out! If you haven't read The Claymate Handbook, you need to get that, too! It is hilarious! I just read a book called Gifted and thanked Kirk Martin (...)for donating $2 to Clay's Foundation, and he emailed me back. It is an amazing story, and I think Clay should star in the movie version of Gifted as Devan McAllister--can you imagine seeing Clay on a big, wide screen? Clay the movie star!! We love you, Clay!! ... Read more

Book Description

Experience the magic of a Steven Kellogg Christmas!

Santa has never come to town with such pizzazz -- and with "elephants, boats, and kiddie cars, too!" Here is artwork so completely festive and comically inventive, you'll feel the inspired genius of Steven Kellogg singing through the pages. His bountiful vision of one of the all-time favorite Christmas songs celebrates the season with a merry jubilee!

Reviews (1)

santa sees you!! better be good!
The book Santa Claus is Comin' to town is a delightful version of a classic. It is remeniscent to the holiday song, with the exception of a few added lines here and there.



The illustrations are wonderful, warm, charming and delightful and bring a special meaning to the story.

This is a great book to read during the Christmas season.The book would make a great bedtime story for little ones to enjoy on Christmas Eve!

... Read more

Book Description

Easy piano arrangements of 25 fun and creative songs from "You're Growing" and "Bedtime." Includes: It's Such a Good Feeling * Please Don't Think It's Funny * There Are Many Ways to Say I Love You * Won't You Be My Neighbor? * You Can Never Go Down the Drain * You're Growing * more. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Terrific song book for fans and beginning pianists!
I was very pleased with this songbook. My family enjoys Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, and I was happy to find this book so I could play the songs at home. The arrangements are easy enough for a very beginning pianist to play and still sound good; yet a more accomplished improviser could easily embellish on the notes provided. The book contains quite a number of songs, so the musician and fan alike can find plenty of his or her favorites. We recommend the book! ... Read more

Book Description

A great collection of over 100 songs, including: Alouette * Alphabet Song * The Ballad of Davy Crockett * The Bare Necessities * Be Kind to Your Parents * Beauty and the Beast * Bingo * The Brady Bunch * The Candy Man * A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes * Eensy Weensy Spider * The Farmer in the Dell * Frere Jacques * Friend Like Me * Hakuna Matata * Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh! * I Whistle a Happy Tune * I'm Popeye the Sailor Man * Jesus Loves Me * The Muffin Man * My Favorite Things * On Top of Spaghetti * Puff the Magic Dragon * The Rainbow Connection * A Spoonful of Sugar * Take Me Out to the Ball Game * Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star * Winnie the Pooh * and more. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Super Children's Songs
This is a wonderful collection of children's songs. Set for Easy Piano, there is still sufficient information in the transposition to give a decently full-bodied sound for familiar favorites, but also playable by children and for children. There are many Disney and Sesame Street songs, but the book also carries familar television themes and folk songs. It is just good fun. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It would seem a riddle worthy of the sphinx: how do you give children a sense of jazz music without playing a note? Chris Raschka answers loudly and clearly with the illustrated, syncopated Charlie Parker Played Be Bop. This sparse, rhythmic, repetitive text (inspired by a recording of Parker's "A Night in Tunisia") embraces and reflects the sound and feel of jazz when read aloud: "Charlie Parker played be bop. / Charlie Parker played saxophone. / The music sounded like be bop. / Never leave your cat alone." Whether in complete phrases or in nonsense refrains that taste like music in your mouth ("Alphabet alphabet, alphabet, alph, / Chickadee, chickadee, chickadee, chick, / Overshoes, overshoes, overshoes, o, / Reeti-footi, reeti-footi, reeti-footi, ree."), Raschka brings melody to the page, and rhythm to eager ears.

Raschka, whose Yo! Yes?won a Caldecott Honor, and whose MysteriousThelonious--another ebullient, musical exploration of a jazz legend--was named a 1997 ALA Notable Book, proves once again that he is just as at home with a paintbrush as he is with a pen. His bold, quirky illustrations add movement and light to the words, buoying their already lyrical effect. Charlie Parker Played Be Bop is a colorful, whimsical romp through the world of jazz, sure to set young and old toes a-tapping. (Ages 4 to 8)--Brangien Davis ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Makes me want to dance!
I have read this book over and over and over. I regularly buy it for neices and nephews and make sure each has their own copy. I have read it to my 4th graders for the past few years and they love it. It is a great read-aloud. The words flow. The book is hipnotic. Charlie Parker needs to be introduced to children and this is a great way to go about it.

My 6 year old neice can quote each page! She's been able to do that since she was 3 or 4! Her little brother now has a copy! Chris Raschka has done a great job with this book. Oh, and, never leave your cat a-lone.....

My 13-month old is OBSESSED with this book.
I purchased this book because I love Charlie Parker and wanted to share that love with my then 6-month-old son (he's been listening to Charlie Parker on Phil Schaap's Birdflight since he came home from the hospital).

It immediately became his favorite book (he has over 100) and INSISTS that it be read to him 4-5 times per day. Frequently, we will have just finished it and he reaches for it again. One of his first 7 words is pa-ka (Parker)...it is his first two-syllable word! I would teach him to say "Bird," but I think that would confuse him right now. :-)

The pictures are wonderful! I particularly like the one of "Charlie Parker Played No Trombone" which shows Bird looking at a trombone and scratching his head.

The words and sounds are wonderful and convey the feeling and flavor of "Be Bop."

My son particularly loves the mysterious kitty...

My son is now 13 months old and it's still his favorite book BY FAR!

"Never leave your cat a-lone..."

Letters and Sounds
My daughter is nearly three years old. She is just now learning her alphabet and the sounds of the letters. As we read Charlie Parker Played Be Bop, she points to each word. I feel it is a great asset in her learning. In addition, I have noticed that she plays with sound more, sings more, and yes... I've even seen her dancing to her own songs. Maybe it is simply an age thing, but I would give some credit to this wonderful book. It demonstrates the power of sound beyond the meaning of words. We find ourselves learning that skill unaware that it is being taught.

My musical 2 year old loves it!
I saw this book on "Between the Lions" and I loved it, so I bought it. I figured my daughter (then about 18 months) wouldn't have any interest, but I'd keep it until she got older. Boy, was I wrong. She loves it. She loves looking at it by herself and she loves us to read it to her. I'm not a major jazz fan, but the book is impossible to read without feeling the rhythm. The illustrations are fun and the cat looks just like ours!

First book my son read and read and read...
Picked this book up at the Library after it was featured on PBS's Between The Lions. My son never put the book down, so we bought it. The book is fun, easy to read for children, and the pictures are great. Both my boys have it memorized and read it often. ... Read more

Book Description

Holly Faye Lovell sure can sing. Everyone in Biscay, Mississippi, knows that. And when at fourteen she becomes the youngest student ever to win a scholarship to the prestigious Haverty School of Music, her dream of pursuing a singing career is on its way. But for the first time in her life, Holly must leave behind her mother, Wanda. Although they don't have much in the way of money, there's always been plenty of love . . . and there's always been Wanda's birthmark, an ugly red scar on the side of her face that makes people who don't know her turn away. Now that Holly's off with her posh new friends and new life, she's ashamed to find herself embarrassed by her mom and their humble background. And Wanda finds herself wanting to reveal a long-hidden secret . . . a secret that could destroy their bond forever.

Besides being an author, Britney is that rare phenomenon, a megastar-one who still phones her mom every night, no matter where she is. Not only is Britney the bestselling female artist during any one-week period in music history, but her debut album, . . . Baby One More Time, made her the youngest artist to hit the 10-million mark. Her second album, Oops! . . . I Did It Again, sold more than 1.3 million copies in its first week and to date has sold more than 17 million CDs worldwide.

Besides being the mother of the planet's biggest superstar, Lynne taught school in Kentwood, Louisiana, for several years before taking time off to be her daughter's biggest fan. She and her husband, Jamie, are the parents of Bryan, Britney, and Jamie Lynn Spears.

This is Britney and Lynne's first--but definitely not their last--work of fiction together.

A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to The Britney Spears Foundation ... Read more

Reviews (93)

Poor little rich girl...
I bought 'A Mother's Gift' because the summery at the back appied to me, not because of Britney Spears' name on the front, shared with her mother. I read the book in one night and put it down feeling somewhat unsatisfied. The ending was indeed a bit of a surprise but didn't really add much to the book. The whole story line is already so cotton candy sweet, dripping with pure sugar that it's enough to make you ill. The ending only added to the sweetness and it just made me groan.

This book, although well written, has no original plot. Holly and her mother Wanda (the one with the ugly birthmark on her face) are poor, Holly wins a scholarship, feels ashamed of her mother, mother reveals secret, daughter forgives mother, both live happily ever after. Sound familar? Not only is the book screaming "And the moral of this story is" at you with every turn of the page, but Holly is so perfect that no teenager could really relate to this perfect fourteen-year-old with her boyfriend back home (whom she has only gone as far as to kiss), and who help her rich friend get her life back on track. See what I mean about the whole sugar-sweetness story line?

Amazing novel
Holly Faye Lovelly a fourteen yaer old who dreams big to become a singer. Holly wants bigger and better things, and wants to leave her small hometown.She wants to part of an acadamy of the Arts somewhere away from home.Wanda, Hollys mother wants the best for her and supperts her alot.Holly at first may think its easy to leave her mother and home,its harder then it seems. When she is asked to join the acadamy money starts to become very low.Wanda losses her job and losses there home.During all of the difficulty Holly and her mother gain a stronger relationship and learn to appreseate what they have.

A Mothers Gift is an excilent book.It reaches out to young adults Throughout the story oyu will see the main characters grow and you will become part of trh story.I recomend this novel to those who want to become something very big but have lots of closed doors.You will learn how to push the bad stuff aside and let the good on.

Britney Spears writes a book...
I am a huge Britney Spears fan, so of course I am going to pick up this book. I didn't buy it at first, I checked it out at the library just in case I didn't like it. I finished the book in a few days, and I completely love it. It might not be a masterpiece, but it is still a nice story. I read just about all of the reviews prior to writing my own, and some people are really harsh! "Unoriginal" was a word that I saw a lot. Did you people expect a Leo Tolstoy novel? Some people have also criticized Britney and her mother for even attempting to write the novel, and then pointed out typo's in the book. People aren't perfect, it's just a way of life. And I am sure they didn't type the book themselves and then hand it in, and right after that the book became published. Obviously, an editor went through the book and then the book became published. Some people are very narrow minded about things, especially if they do not like Britney Spears, there is already a bias. This book is for people who like nice, heartfelt stories. I recommend that you watch the movie "Brave New Girl" that is based on this book. Britney and her mother produced the movie. It premieres on ABC Family channel on April 26th at 8PM. Keep an eye out for that movie, and then if you like the movie, read the book, or vice versa.

All in all, this book was pretty good. Give it a try and dont listen to the prior reviews.

Horrendous
This was absolutely the worst book I ever picked up. In fact, it was so bad that I had to wash my hands a few times and then brush my teeth to get rid of the bad taste it left in my mouth. It was the stereotypical rags-to-riches story with a girl who has big dreams but is so poor she feels she can't ever meet them, when, lo and behold, her dreams come true. This is like a bad, childishly-written version of a VC Andrews novel. It's something that never should have been published, yet somehow was lucky enough to make it past the editor. And we all know why. It's because Britney wrote it. Had it been some average schmo, this book would have never even seen the printing press. Just goes to show what the priorities are in this day of age, but we know it doesn't matter to Britney - as far as I'm concerned, she's smiling smugly at the vast amounts of money being raked in from this little endeavor.

In a nutshell, just avoid this book. You'll be so happy you did. I'm glad I didn't waste my money on it and instead just read it while at the bookstore. Trust me. If you need a real good dramatic book, check out Dorothy Allison, Alice Walker, or VC Andrews's old books - you'll be so happy you did.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

Yes, spears can write!
I read this book in 2 days. This book is amazing, it is all about a mother daughter relationship and how they overcome obstacles that are hard for many teenagers. A girl gets a chance to change her life and follow her dreams and her mother is right behind her supporting the decision and keeping her daughter in line. Who cares who wrote the book, it is good. Don't judge it by it's cover. My mom even liked it, and she thinks that Britney is a bad role model. This book is good though, and can be really inspiring. ... Read more

Book Description

Relive the history of our past Presidents in this treasure trove of tid-bits of knowledge about our Presidents packaged neatly into over a dozen catchy songs written within the musical style of each historical period. Comprehensive, illustrated, encyclopedic summary of the history of the American Presidents from Washington to George W. Bush. More than 45 minutes of upbeat music packed tightly with information. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Disappointment
I ordered all Sara Jordan's addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division "unplugged" audio cd, they were excellent.They all have beautiful and soft musical tone that make them a joy to listen and very easy to remember.My child love them so much.

So I purchased this presidents rap audio cd, especially with another reviewer's strong recommentation, but it turned out to be very disappointing.The hash and annoying rap noise made us very unpleased to even finish to listen to it for 1 time.

Amazing Resource for Teaching Kids About the Presidents!
I am not a music teacher. I teach 5th grade American History. Over the past few years, every single fifth grade student in my school has memorized this entire cassette which covers all of the Presidents! We do this bypreparing these songs as a "musical show" each year in honor ofPresidents' Day.

In my 20 years of teaching, this still proves to be themost exciting and well liked musical I have ever directed. What makes thisespecially interesting as a performance, is that each song is written inthe style of the historical period, so although the kids may be rappinginformation about the Presidents, they are singing in classical, gospel,light opera, rock and pop styles.

Well done! Our school year wouldn't bethe same without it! ... Read more

Book Description

Opera’s colorful history is rich with exciting stories. Through conversational text, informative sidebars, and full-color photographs, young readers will learn about the talented people--composers, singers, musicians, stagehands, set and costume designers, makeup crews--and the technical wizardry that go into staging opera’s lavish performances. There are even behind-the-scenes glimpses of many of today’s great opera companies, including the Royal Opera House in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and the San Diego Opera. Created in association with London’s Royal Opera House and the San Diego Opera, this book-and-CD package is a sumptuous introduction to the world of opera. The accompanying CD captures memorable moments from some of the most famous operas. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

In the streets and canals of Venice, Gabriella can hear nothing but sweet music. The drying laundry goes slap-slap, the church bells go ting-aling-ling, and the lire go jing-aling-ling. Soon, Gabriella is humming her way through town -- and everyone hears her song! Some find it sad, others smile when they hear it -- but none can forget the beautiful melody. Before long, a certain struggling composer is inspired by Gabriella's song -- and a beautiful symphony is born. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

EVERYTHING I WANT IN A BOOK FOR MY KIDS
This is such an enchanting, smart and magic little book. It has all the elements I look for in a book for the kids I read to. Through it kids can learn about another city (a quite a wonderful one at that), the power of music and the charm and love commen people of a town can provide for each other. I have read a lot of kids books and this one is really, really special.

A whimsical musical
Candace Fleming's prose sings, and you cannot help but be transported to another place by Gisele Potter's charming illustrations.

A creative look at how musical composition is inspired ...
The opening lines of this book hooked me: "Ah, Venice. The Piazza San Marco. The Grand Canal. St. Mark's Cathedral." This is the way to inspire a child to look outside his neighborhood! Gabriella's Song is a wonderful, richly textured book about how music is inspired and passed from person to person. My 3-year old, a music lover, enjoyed this book on the first read! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

not just for kids!
As an adult who wanted to learn how to play the recorder, I wasn't sure how (or where) begin. This book is set up from very easy tunes to increasingly difficult (although it never gets too hard.) If a tune involves a new technique (examples: new time signatures, sharps and flats, etc.) the author explains these new things simply and to the point. The best thing about this book is that there are a variety of songs, most of which are recognizable (some Xmas tunes, classical pieces, folk songs, etc.) I wish there were more exercises to increase your technique, but that's being picky. I would recommend this book to both children and adults. ... Read more

Book Description

Includes a full-length CD recorded by the Orchestra of St. Luke's, conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras.

History and music come alive!

Prince Nicholas isn't easy to work for--just ask composer Joseph Haydn. When the prince isn't demanding chamber music, operas, and ballets to entertain his guests, he wants dance music for balls and dinner music with his meals. Haydn and the other musicians are kept quite busy at the prince's summer estate in Hungary. As summer fades into autumn, however, the musicians grow increasingly homesick. When Haydn mentions the musicians' distress, the prince threatens to fire the entire orchestra! How will the talented composer convince the mighty prince that it's time to bid farewell to the summer palace?

Memorable characters, carefully researched text, and expressive illustrations tell the story behind Haydn's famous Symphony #45. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wonderful child intro to Haydn
I would read this to a class or child and then enjoy listening to the work. It's a very nice introduction to Haydn and the humor he used when composing. Wonderful book and it comes with a nice performance of several of Haydn's Symphonys.

The Farewell Symphony
I do collect children's books and take into consideration the illustrations as well as the story. I rate this book excellent, the story is True, based on documented evidence. A CD is also included of the complete "The Farewell Symphony'" and I replay it ad infinitum. Excellent investment in quality entertainment. The illustrations are delightful! Dorothy Hope ... Read more

Book Description

New for Spring are four titles - Wildflowers, The Body, Explorers, and Composers.Composers: a chronological history of composers and their music, with intriguing facts, anecdotes, and musical insights into composers from Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven to Gershwin and Bernstein, together withother composers who form the Western musical canon.

For kids who are learning it all for the first time, and grown-ups who want to get it straight, Fandex puts knowledge at your fingertips.In full-color ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fun and educational!
Finally my family is able to put a face, and a short biograhy, to the music they love. I used this fandex to supplement my homeschool curriculum. We were able to listen to various recordings of classical music and then look up the composer in our fandex.It worked out beautifully! It was also great listening to the classical station in the car and having our incredibly portable fandex there to answer any questions we had about the composer. As a feild guide it has been both fun and educational. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A new fan
If you have seen the Temptation movie, I would strongly recommended "The Temptations" by Ted Cox. Ted brings an overall view about each member character and blends in Barry Gordy philosophy making money!!! Too bad Barry Gordy did not do quality control on each member behavior instead leaving it up to the members maybe the members of the group will be celebrate "My Guy" 40 year anniversary 2004.

The Tempts' story, from another point of view
For a book that is geared towards juvenile readers, this book about the Temptations is well written, candid and refreshing. Adults who are fans of the group will also appreciate it, so don't let the fact that it's a book for kids discourage you from sitting down and reading it. For a long time, the only book you could get solely on the topic of the Temptations was the Otis Williams'-penned book, which I found to be somewhat biased. Ted Cox's offering about this Motown supergroup was far more impartial, and therefore you get a better scope of just what was going on in the group from all sides instead of from just one perspective. This book also has more detail about the professional lives of David Ruffin, Eddie Kendrick, and Dennis Edwards in the years after they left the Tempts. Highly recommended, plus great photos!

Temptations
I rate this book with 5 stars, because it's a great way to learn about legends and what was happening behind the camera's.
The reason I picked this book to rate is because I love the Temtaions music and their movie that was made and all the stars in it especially Paul{Christian Payton}This is why I read this book to catch up on even more information.
Thanks to whom ever reads my review.

This book left me wanting more
This book was a rough overview of the Temps, but had some rarely seen photos. One thing concerned me was how the name came about, Cox says that Otis Williams thought of the name, and Otis' book says that he didn't remember who thought of the name. I suggest you go to the library and get Otis's book also just to get another point of view.

A Great Read
The Temptations are The Baddest Male Vocal Group ever.and this Book Highlights the Highs&Lows.it puts everything out about The Group.and it Maintains your interest all the way thru.this Book is as Grand as the Group. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington, "King of the Keys," was born on April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C. "He was a smooth-talkin', slick-steppin', piano-playin' kid," writes master wordsmith Andrea Pinkney in the rhythmic, fluid, swinging prose of this excellent biography for early readers. It was ragtime music that first "set Duke's fingers to wiggling." He got back to work and taught himself to "press on the pearlies." Soon 19-year-old Duke was playing compositions "smoother than a hairdo sleeked with pomade" at parties, pool halls, country clubs, and cabarets. Skipping from D.C. to 1920s Harlem, "the place where jazz music ruled," Duke and his small band called the Washingtonians began performing in New York City clubs, including the Cotton Club, where Duke Ellington and his Orchestra was officially born. By 1943, Duke Ellington--writer of more than 1000 compositions, including ballet and film scores, orchestral suites, musicals, and choral works--had made it all the way to Carnegie Hall.

We applaud this talented husband-and-wife team--award-winning illustrator Brian Pinkney and writer Andrea Pinkney--for making music fly in this fantastic tribute to a jazz legend. Andrea does an extraordinary job of translating music into words, with blues "deeper than the deep blue sea" and "hot-buttered bob, with lots of sassy-cool tones," while her husband visually interprets the movement of music as spirals, waves, and swirls of color, prepared as scratchboard renderings with luma dyes, gouache, and oil paint. Andrea writes, "Toby let loose on his sleek brass sax, curling his notes like a kite tail in the wind. A musical loop-de-loop, with a serious twist," while Brian paints those curling notes, the loop-de-loops, and the kite sailing up to the New York City skyline. Young readers will enjoy the rhythm and beauty of the story itself, and may even be inspired to give Raffi a rest and swing with the Duke! (Great read-aloud, ages 4 to 8) --Karin Snelson, Amazon.com Kids editor ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An outstanding picture book biography!
This beautiful picture book biography recounts the life and career of jazz musician, Edward Kennedy Ellington -- better known to all as the Duke.

When the Duke's parents enrolled him in piano lessons for the very first time, he flat out did not want to go. At that time he had visions of playing baseball; but his parents insisted that he learn to play the piano. The music lessons were slow and not a lot of fun. It wasn't long before he quit taking lessons altogether and kissed the piano goodbye. Little did he know then that the melodious rhythms of Ragtime would draw him back to this instrument again and lead to his success as a great musician, composer, and orchestra leader!

Andrea Davis Pinkney does an outstanding job sharing the Duke's story with young readers. Her husband, Brian Pinkney, matches her wonderful text with vibrate illustrations, which translate the Duke's music into a series of bold colored spirals, waves, curls, and swirls that literally leap off of the pages of the book! Without a doubt, this husband and wife collaboration will guide readers in appreciating the rhythm and beat of the Duke's life and music. This book is truly a musician's delight!

This thing's got that swing!
I just finished reading the Pinkney's "Duke Ellington" to a first grade class in our predominantly white rural school northeast of Seattle. Being trained as a musician, but now working as a librarian, I loved the way this text really swings. When I noticed much of the slang was going over the heads of the children, I'd ask them if they knew what certain words meant. Interestingly, the one African-American girl in the class was hip to most of the jive.

Sure some of the terminology went right past these kids, but they got into the groove, which is carried along soulfully by the vibrant illustrations. Like another reviewer here, when I was done reading this to the kids, I wanted to hear "Take the 'A' Train." Fortunately I had a CD of "Duke Ellington's 16 Most Requested Songs" sitting in my library, so I popped it in, and these kids were a-hoppin' and a-boppin'.

I think next time, I'll play the CD first. Hopefully, I'll be able to settle 'em down afterwards to hear this jazzy biography.

A beautiful tribute to Duke Ellington
"Duke Ellington" is a biography of the legendary composer. The book is directed towards younger readers. Andrea Davis Pinkney's text is well complemented by the rich, colorful illustrations by her husband and collaborator, Brian Pinkney.

The book begins with Ellington's childhood, and describes his early interest in music and the beginning of his career. The Pinkneys portray his triumph at the Cotton Club, his musical partnership with Billy Strayhorn, and other aspects of his life and career. The book concludes with the triumphant premiere of Ellington's great composition "Black, Brown, and Beige" at Carnegie Hall in New York.

One of the aspects of the book that I like best is Andrea Pinkney's use of hip slang that recalls the era being portrayed. Example: "Yeah, those solos were kickin'. Hot-buttered bop, with lots of sassy-cool tones." And Brian Pinkney's illustrations combine vibrant color with an appealing "antiqued" look. Overall, an excellent educational book for young readers.

The best juvenile biography I've ever read!
I teach 3rd grade at a very "white" private school. My students absolutely LOVED this story, asked questions galore when it was done, oooo'd and ahhh'd over the amazing illustrations. The wonderful story and the artwork practically made it possible to hear the music.

At the same time, I wouldn't hesitate to read this story to older students, even in the upper grades. The book provides in-depth biographical information--there is nothing babyish about it.

first-rate
This is a wonderful, fabulously fun book for young readers! Another very poignant book I recently picked up (was just published last fall, I think), though for adults, would also be terrific for young adults,or those new to Ellington and that is Duke Ellington: A Spritual Biography by a Ms. Janna Tull Steed. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Excellent book for a musically inclined child.
This is an excellent book for the musically inclined child whose singing voice is a little less than melodious. In the book, the vocally challenged Lentil finds his mantra through the harmonica and ends up saving the day with it. My father gave me this book along with a harmonica when I was seven years old in response to my wobbly warbling, and I've been playing harmonica and many other instruments ever since. I just can't 'harp' enough on how great of inspiration this book was to me and could be for other vocally vexed children. -stephen ... Read more