Bound To Stay Bound

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School Library Journal - 02/01/2016 PreS-Gr 3—The iconic and groundbreaking musician gets a gorgeous picture book biography from the wife-and-husband team who created Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson: Taking the Stage as the First Black-and-White Jazz Band in History (Holiday House, 2014). The mostly lyrical work touches upon the jazz performer's humble beginnings in New Orleans, his musical influences, and his career highlights. The watercolor illustrations elevate the narrative; ranging in color from murky browns to gem-toned hues. Ransome's depictions are reminiscent of Jerry Pinkney's artwork in Marilyn Nelson's Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greatest All-Girl Swing Band in the World (Dial, 2009). The variation of design, with square-shaped insets, joy-filled profiles, and vivacious dance scenes, makes the paintings reverberate off the page. The sometimes dry text doesn't shy away from the not-so-lucky moments of the entertainer's early life, including his scrapes with the law, which landed him at the Colored Waif's Home for Boys. One scene, in which a young Armstrong holds a gun at a New Year's Eve celebration, may shock sensitive readers. It was at this home where Armstrong found his true calling as a musician. Quotations from Armstrong are sprinkled throughout, but, unfortunately, source notes aren't provided. However, the detailed author's note offers more background information for young researchers, and the back matter includes age-appropriate further reading and links to websites that feature archive photos and sound recordings. Armstrong's connection to the "Just a Lucky So and So" referenced in the title, a song written by Duke Ellington and David Mack, which Armstrong and Ellington performed on a famous 1961 recording, is fleshed out in the author's note but doesn't receive much elaboration in the text. VERDICT A solid choice for school libraries and collections looking to freshen up biography collections for school-age readers.—Shelley Diaz, School Library Journal - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/01/2016 It may well be that Louis Armstrong was “just a lucky so and so,” as the title of this biography proclaims, but between the covers of this book is the tale of a life of optimism, persistence, and resourcefulness. Little Louis Armstrong was born in the poor part of New Orleans and got his start listening to the music of his neighborhood—brass bands, honky-tonk combos, and church songs. Louis first started tooting his tin horn at age seven while working with Morris, a scrap collector who bought the boy his first horn and encouraged him to play. Louis’ optimism never wavered, even in the face of heartbreaking setbacks, and his broad smile earned him the nickname, Satchel mouth—Satchmo, for short. The narrative is dense with biographical details about his rise to fame and quotes from Satchmo himself. Bold watercolor illustrations infused with light and movement add the perfect complement to this sweet tale of one of America’s musical treasures. Can be paired with Troy Andrews’ Trombone Shorty (2015). - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

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