Book Review-


Bibliography:

Myers, W. D. (2008). JAZZ(C. Myers, Ill.). Holiday House.



Plot Summary:

Fifteen poems, infused with the rhythm and wordplay of jazz music, are paired with bold, stylized illustrations of performers and dancers to convey the history and breadth of this unique musical style. From bebop to New Orleans, from ragtime to boogie, and every style in between, JAZZ takes readers on a musical journey from jazz's beginnings to the present day.



Critical Analysis:

The rhyme and rhythm of JAZZ make this story a lyrical celebration. The book in its entirety includes 15 Poems infused with flowing illustrations about the history of jazz music. The poems seamlessly tie together popular jazz songs and artists of the Harlem Renaissance. They flow well and take you on a journey from the beginning of jazz to where it now is today. The illustrations draw you in as well and seem to pop off the pages. I would recommend the audio version - hands down. I chose to listen to this book on Audible, which was a cool experience because I got to hear the jazz music being played as well as different people narrating and singing the words. The music is very much in tune with the text, and you would not get the full understanding of how jazz evolves in sound, which is important if you do not have experience with this type of music. I would choose this book for older elementary and middle school age children, not for younger children as I don't think they would understand the text. 



Review Excerpts:

Coretta Scott King Award Honor for Illustrations 

ALA Notable Children's Book

Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award

Golden Kite Award: Picture Book Text                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Kirkus Review- “A cycle of 15 poems and vivid, expressive paintings celebrate that most American genre of music: jazz. Myers père presents readers with poems that sing like their subject, the drumming of African rhythms leading into a celebration of Louis Armstrong, an evocation of stride piano, a recreation of a New Orleans jazz funeral and a three-part improvisation among bass, piano and horn. A script-like display type appears sparingly, guiding readers to the sound of jazz embedded in the poems’ syncopated rhythms.”

Booklist Starred Review- "An absolutely airtight melding of words and pictures that is perfectly accessible to a younger audience."


Connections:

- Challenge students to write in this style, or any style of poetry, while listening to a few different types of jazz 

- Print out different song lyrics for students to read and compare to JAZZ, notice how both are written like song lyrics. 


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