Ella Fitzgerald
The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa
by Andrea Davis Pinkney
Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
This fantastic spin on the life of Ella Fitzgerald is told in a loose on-and-off rhyme scheme from the perspective of Scat Cat Monroe, a fictional feline and alleged eyewitness to the events which led to Ella's musical stardom. The tale starts with her humble beginnings in Yonkers, New York, recounts her famous partnership with bandleader Chick Webb, leads to her pioneering the craft of scat singing, and concludes by listing her many accolades. The illustrations by Brian Pinkney, in addition to being vibrant with color and energy, use clever and unexpected word play. Chick Webb is described as a "finicky bird" whose style was "swing music" in the text. The corresponding illustration shows Webb with angel-like wings swinging through the air with his band on grotesque, surrealistic playground swings. Children will find the sing-songing and passionate rhetoric of this book engaging, as well as the vivid illustrations. Any interest they previously lacked in such a sophisticated art form as Jazz scat singing will be piqued by the compelling elements in this book.
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