Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown. Illustrated by Frank Morrison. unpgd. lee & Low Books, August, 2014. 9781600608988. (Won)
Melba Doretta Liston was a musical prodigy born in Kansas City in 1926. When she was seven, she begged her parents for a trombone and, although she could barely hold the instrument, soon mastered it. By the time she reached high school, she was a respected musician and composer. She played with many of the jazz greats of the time, including Billie Holiday, Dizzie Gillespie, Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones.
The rhythmic text is zingy and accented by onomatopoeia. The exuberant illustrations fairly pop off the pages. This biography celebrates the life and contributions of an African-American woman who routinely confronted racism as she brought joy to fans. Even after suffering a stroke, Ms. Liston continued to compose.
This is a fine addition to the biography section of any classroom, school or public library.
November is Picture Book Month! To honor it, I will read one a day and try to review it. We'll start off with:
Mama's Blanket/ La Manta de Maya by Monica Brown. Illustrated by David Diaz. 32 p. Children's Book Press/ Lee & Low, August, 2015, 9780892396. (Won)
Oh how I adored Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gilman (Scholastic, 1993). It was also a favorite of my sons. This version is just as endearing featuring a bilingual text on the recto side with Spanish words embedded in the English side.
Maya's grandmother makes her a lovely blanket embroidered with blue butterflies but when it gets frayed, Abuelita helps her make it into a dress, then a skirt, followed by a shawl, a scarf, a bookmark and finally a hair tie. When that is lost, Maya creates a story.
Exuberantly illustrated by David Diaz, this book is a treasure from end-page to end-page. The colors are rich and the cast of characters are diverse. This would be an amazing addition to any school or Spanish classroom library.
