BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. 2002. ELLA FIZGERALD: THE TALE OF A VOCAL VIRTUOSA. Ill. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Hyperion Books. ISBN 0786805684
SUMMARY
This biography is written from the fictitious point of view of Scat Cat Monroe, a fan who happens to be a cat. Scat Cat tells the story of Ella’s life in four tracks with the rhythm of Ella’s scat sound. The story begins with “Track 1: Hoofin’ in Harlem” where we learn of Ella’s childhood and her dreams of being a professional dancer. After entering a talent contest at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, she won with her brilliant unique singing ability. The story continues describing the dynamic career of Ella Fitzgerald. Soon, she was featured on nightly radio broadcasts from the club Savoy in Harlem, which led to her headlining a performance with Dizzy Gillespie at Carnegie Hall. She was later known by many names including “The First Lady of Song.”
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
ELLA FITZGERALD: THE TALE OF A VOCAL VITUOSA is told in scat format from the point of view of a cat that was there and was a witness to Ella’s career. Scat Cat Monroe introduces himself in a unique scat style. The rhythm of the text stands out to the reader. There is a unique musicality to the rhythm of the writing style that is reminiscent of Ella’s voice in song. Many of the words stand out as examples of the unique language pattern within the music and culture of jazz music and scat. One example includes the description of bebop.
“Bebop was jazz on the wild side. It was:
SYN-CO-PATION.
LO-CO-MOTION.”
Another example of a cultural maker within the text is the description of the relationship between Chick and Ella when they performed together. Pinkney describes them as “grits with gravy.” Grits are a popular food item in the South and sometimes in African American cooking.
Brian Pinkney describes the inspiration for his dynamic colorful illustrations at the end of the book. He worked toward a visual authenticity in the story and was inspired by several Harlem Renaissance artists who worked during Ella’s time. The illustrations are reminiscent of the Art Deco movement, and were created in scratchboard, then tinted with dyes and painted with acrylics. This technique creates vivid pictures. Each page is colorful and full of movement within the illustrations. Dancers swing and music notes float like ribbons in the air. Ella even rides on Dizzy’s horn through the night sky. The characters facial features and skin tones are authentic. There is little variation among the African Americans depicted in the illustrations, especially in regards to skin tone. However, the face of Ella is clearly drawn from actual images of her likeness. In addition, Pinkney has captured the puffed cheeks of Dizzy in his illustrations remarkably well.
ELLA FITZGERALD: THE TALE OF A VOCAL VITUOSA provides young readers a musical introduction to the exciting career of Ella. The writing style and rhythm bring the music alive in this book and the colorful illustrations make the work jump of the page. It would be an excellent read-aloud, with the unique sing-song scat rhythm in the text
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Younger children won't understand the sense in many of the phrases, but heard aloud, the rhythm in the words will give them a feel for the music; older readers will enjoy both the similarities to rap and spoken-word poetry: “Beebop was jazz on the wild side. . . . It was slam-bamming on the flitter-tip. It was ham-cock-jabber. Fever. Pitch.” –Booklist, starred review
Brian Pinkney turns out some of his best work yet. Rendered in a pleasingly high-contrast palette of pastels, the scratchboard illustrations are invested with magical realism, complete with dancers flying off the pages and topsy-turvy musicians. A particularly memorable spread about Ella's hit "How High the Moon" launches her into space on a trumpet with Dizzy Gillespie. A "skippity-hop-doo-dee-bop" picture book. –Publisher’s Weekly
In a playful, conversational tone, this work nearly sings the rhythms of scat. Lively words and phrases like "Her voice was quick-fried rhythm" and "her scat swung to cloud nine and back" are scattered throughout. –School Library Journal
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. 2002. ELLA FIZGERALD: THE TALE OF A VOCAL VIRTUOSA. Ill. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Hyperion Books. ISBN 0786805684
SUMMARY
This biography is written from the fictitious point of view of Scat Cat Monroe, a fan who happens to be a cat. Scat Cat tells the story of Ella’s life in four tracks with the rhythm of Ella’s scat sound. The story begins with “Track 1: Hoofin’ in Harlem” where we learn of Ella’s childhood and her dreams of being a professional dancer. After entering a talent contest at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, she won with her brilliant unique singing ability. The story continues describing the dynamic career of Ella Fitzgerald. Soon, she was featured on nightly radio broadcasts from the club Savoy in Harlem, which led to her headlining a performance with Dizzy Gillespie at Carnegie Hall. She was later known by many names including “The First Lady of Song.”
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
ELLA FITZGERALD: THE TALE OF A VOCAL VITUOSA is told in scat format from the point of view of a cat that was there and was a witness to Ella’s career. Scat Cat Monroe introduces himself in a unique scat style. The rhythm of the text stands out to the reader. There is a unique musicality to the rhythm of the writing style that is reminiscent of Ella’s voice in song. Many of the words stand out as examples of the unique language pattern within the music and culture of jazz music and scat. One example includes the description of bebop.
“Bebop was jazz on the wild side. It was:
SYN-CO-PATION.
LO-CO-MOTION.”
Another example of a cultural maker within the text is the description of the relationship between Chick and Ella when they performed together. Pinkney describes them as “grits with gravy.” Grits are a popular food item in the South and sometimes in African American cooking.
Brian Pinkney describes the inspiration for his dynamic colorful illustrations at the end of the book. He worked toward a visual authenticity in the story and was inspired by several Harlem Renaissance artists who worked during Ella’s time. The illustrations are reminiscent of the Art Deco movement, and were created in scratchboard, then tinted with dyes and painted with acrylics. This technique creates vivid pictures. Each page is colorful and full of movement within the illustrations. Dancers swing and music notes float like ribbons in the air. Ella even rides on Dizzy’s horn through the night sky. The characters facial features and skin tones are authentic. There is little variation among the African Americans depicted in the illustrations, especially in regards to skin tone. However, the face of Ella is clearly drawn from actual images of her likeness. In addition, Pinkney has captured the puffed cheeks of Dizzy in his illustrations remarkably well.
ELLA FITZGERALD: THE TALE OF A VOCAL VITUOSA provides young readers a musical introduction to the exciting career of Ella. The writing style and rhythm bring the music alive in this book and the colorful illustrations make the work jump of the page. It would be an excellent read-aloud, with the unique sing-song scat rhythm in the text
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Younger children won't understand the sense in many of the phrases, but heard aloud, the rhythm in the words will give them a feel for the music; older readers will enjoy both the similarities to rap and spoken-word poetry: “Beebop was jazz on the wild side. . . . It was slam-bamming on the flitter-tip. It was ham-cock-jabber. Fever. Pitch.” –Booklist, starred review
Brian Pinkney turns out some of his best work yet. Rendered in a pleasingly high-contrast palette of pastels, the scratchboard illustrations are invested with magical realism, complete with dancers flying off the pages and topsy-turvy musicians. A particularly memorable spread about Ella's hit "How High the Moon" launches her into space on a trumpet with Dizzy Gillespie. A "skippity-hop-doo-dee-bop" picture book. –Publisher’s Weekly
In a playful, conversational tone, this work nearly sings the rhythms of scat. Lively words and phrases like "Her voice was quick-fried rhythm" and "her scat swung to cloud nine and back" are scattered throughout. –School Library Journal
CONNECTIONS
**Include with other books for a storytime with a “Jazz” theme. For example: SOPHISTICATED LADIES: THE GREAT WOMEN OF JAZZ by Leslie Gourse and Martin French; JAZZ A-B-Z by Wynton Marsalis; A HORN FOR LOUIS by Eric A. Kimmel.
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