Title:
Jazz on a Saturday Night
Author:
Leo & Diane Dillon
Illustrator:
Leo & Diane Dillon
Pub.
Year: 2007
This wonderful rhyming story is
written in colorful language to depict the great Jazz Artists that were popular
in and how music united a community. The diversity within this story is
portrayed through the illustrations of how African American culture thrived
through their music, but it is an uplifting story in the way that it doesn’t
discuss the hardships these individuals were facing during this time period,
and this I feel was the authors’ purpose for this book.
A wonderful feature in the book that
in the back it has biographies about the Jazz artists mentions in the book such
as Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald. Students could do some more investigating
on these musicians and their music as well as what life was like for them, then
share with the class.
With all of the mentions of famous Jazz musicians of the 1940's and 50's I think pre-assessment and building of background knowledge is important before sharing this work with students. Framing the text and class discussion of the Jazz Age is a good idea, especially for younger students. I can see how this text could easily be incorporated into a music class. And if this is shared in any other content class don't forget to play some great Jazz music before and/or after reading this picture book!
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