Picture Book 17

Title: Jazz
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Illustrator: Christopher Myers
Award: Coretta Scott
Readability Score: n/a
Theme: Different types of Jazz
Genre: Informational
Sub Genre: Poetry
Publication Date: 2006
Publisher:Walter Dean Myers
ISBN: 0-8234-1545-7
Summary: This book creatively tells about the different types of Jazz through poems and descriptive pictures with wonderful colors and details. At the very beginning the book gives details about Jazz and where it comes from dating back during the slave trade. The books tells where the orgin of Jazz is to have been believed to come from and how it has evolved throughout the years. Each poem in the book tells and give descriptors about the genre itself. The poems also tell about people in the genre of Jazz and the different instruments which include; horn, vocals, and bass. It speaks of the blues, swing, and so on. At the end of the book is given a glossary which describes the different types of definitions in the book. It also gives a timeline of Jazz from the 1800's to present day. It tells of Louis Armstrong, the banning of Jazz in some areas, and Billie Holiday. This is a very informational book about Jazz and its orgin.
How Would Use: This would be a great book to use in any music class, but I could also use in my own classroom to discuss music and where it comes from. This could also be tied into African American culture- which is very much tied to Jazz. The students could even write their own blues or Jazz tune- since they are so very poetic.