Book Beat: Jazz in Children's Literature

Non-Fiction

Igus, Toyomi. I see the rhythm.
A poetic look at the history of African American music told by Toyomi Igus and portrayed by the artist Michele Wood.

Monceaux, Morgan. Jazz: My Music, My People
The story of jazz greats told through the art and personal recollections of the author growing up in Louisiana in the 1950’s.

Raschka, Christopher. Mysterious Thelonius.
Words dance across the pages of this colorful tribute to the great jazz musician.

London, Jonathan. Who Bop?
Cool cats and hip hares dance to the poetic beat of Jazz-bo’s saxophone.

Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Duke Ellington.
A Caldecott Honor book depicts the life of Duke Ellington in stunning paint box colors.

Fiction

Bartlett, T.C. Tuba Lessons.
A little boy walks through the woods to his tuba lessons, but a bouncing note carries him away on a lively adventure.

Burleigh, Robert. Lookin’ for Bird in the Big City.
Young Miles Davis searches New York City trying to find Charlie Parker.

Collier, Bryan. Uptown.
Explore the mood, the colors, and the sounds of Harlem with a young boy who lives there.

Gollub, Matthew. The Jazz Fly.
The Jazz fly uses the voices of the frog, the hog, and the donkey in his night club act. Music CD is included.

Goss, Linda. The Frog Who Wanted to Be a Singer.
The birds are the only animals that sing in the forest until Frog sings “dooba dooba,´a form of Boogie-woogie piano blues.

Hurd, Thatcher. Mama Don’t Allow.
Miles got a saxophone for his birthday and gets a gig together for the Alligator Ball. He cleverly escapes when he discovers that Swamp Band Soup is on the dinner menu.

Isadora, Rachel. Ben’s Trumpet.
Ben spends his evenings sitting on the fire escape listening to the sounds from the Zig Zag Jazz Club. He feels the rhythm and dreams of playing the trumpet.

London, Jonathan. Hip Cat.
Hip Cat travels to San Francisco to pursue his dream of becoming a jazz musician.

Raschka, Chris. Charlie Parker Played Be Bop.
A simple introduction to the renown saxophonist, Charlie Parker.

Schroeder, Alan. Ragtime Tumpie.
The story of Josephine Baker growing up in St. Louis