Sweet Music in Harlem

by Debbie Taylor, Frank Morrison (Illustrator)

Overview

Searching his Harlem neighborhood for his uncle's missing hat, an energetic African American boy unintentionally creates an exuberant gathering of the neighborhood's jazz musicians for a magazine photograph; a fictional story inspired by Art Kane's historic photograph of jazz greats, Harlem 1958.

C. J. needs to act fast. A photographer from Highnote magazine is on his way to photograph Uncle Click, a well-known jazz musician, but Uncle Click's signature hat is missing. Now it's up to C. J. to hunt down the hat in time for the photo shoot. Little does C. J. know that his whirlwind search through Harlem sets in motion the making of a magical moment of friendship and music.

Illustrated with exuberance by fine artist Frank Morrison, Sweet Music in Harlem is an action-packed romp inspired by an historic photograph from Harlem's jazz heyday. Readers everywhere will rejoice in the power of music to bring people together in wonderful, fun-filled ways.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620140727
Publisher:	Lee & Low Books
Publication date:	06/01/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	144 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Debbie Taylor is a first-time picture book author with a master's degree in creative writing. She works at the University of Michigan and has had several stories published in children's literary magazines including Spider, Cricket, and New Moon. Taylor and her family live in Ann Arbor, Michigan. To find out more about Debbie Taylor, visit her website: www.sweetmusicinharlem.com.

Frank Morrison has illustrated numerous award-winning books, including the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor winner Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, published by Lee & Low Books. Before becoming an illustrator, Morrison was a graffiti artist and b-boy. Morrison lives with his family in Georgia. You can learn more about him at morrisongraphics.com.

Hometown:

Newcastle, England

Date of Birth:

March 5, 1969

Place of Birth:

Cardiff, Wales, England

Education:

B.Sc. in Psychology, University College, London; Ph.D. in Neuropsychology, University College, London

Editorial Reviews

Inspired by Art Kane's famous 1958 photograph of nearly 60 celebrated jazz musicians gathered in front of a brownstone in Harlem, first-time author Taylor relates the story of young C.J., who is trying to find his musician uncle's hat in time for a photo shoot for a jazz magazine. He finds his uncle's watch at the barber shop, his handkerchief at the restaurant and his bow tie at a nightclub. All the people C.J. has encountered in his search have come to join his uncle in the photo by the time the photographer arrives. They were "some of the greatest musicians and singers in Harlem. It was like seeing the sun, the moon, and the stars all shining at once." That evening his uncle gives C.J. an early birthday present of a new clarinet, and the two discover the hat tucked into the gift box; C.J.'s "own sweet music [rings] out clear and strong." In a confident debut, Morrison nearly channels Ernie Barnes, working in velvety, contrasting colors to depict characters with thin, elongated limbs and expressive faces. The arms and legs twist at right angles, and even the desks, cabinets, drapery and wooden floors seem to be full of energy. A full-page author's note reproduces the historical photograph and names all 57 musicians, among them whites as well as blacks; oddly, Morrison's painting shows only black artists assembled before the camera. Readers are bound to notice and puzzle at the change. Ages 4-8. (June) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

K-Gr 3-When a famous-but forgetful-Harlem jazz musician finds out he's having his picture taken for a magazine, he sends his nephew on a wild chase through the neighborhood looking for his hat. C. J. hurries from the barbershop to the diner to the jazz club, but at each location he finds, instead of Uncle Click's beret, some other article that the man has left behind. The boy also returns with a crowd of people who are all anxious to be in the picture, too. When the photographer arrives, he finds a colorful group of jazz greats assembled on the brownstone steps. That night, Uncle Click presents C. J. with an early birthday present, a brand new clarinet that puts a sparkle in the aspiring young musician's eye, with the missing hat inside the box. This dazzling tale is filled with energy, rhythm, and style from its attention-grabbing cover to its satisfying ending. An author's note explains that an actual photograph of 57 jazz musicians taken in 1958 inspired the story; the photo is reproduced and all of the artists in it are identified. The acrylic illustrations make the text come alive. Elongated figures stretch, stride, and dance along pages filled with colorful scenes of Harlem. The characters' passion for jazz is echoed on their expressive faces and in their graceful postures, and Uncle Click's affection for his nephew shines through. A wonderful ode to the power of music and of family love.-Jane Marino, Bronxville Public Library, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

When "Chick blows his trumpet the wallpaper curls," but he is some kind of forgetful. Nephew and aspiring clarinetist C.J. takes it upon himself to track down his uncle's errant hat in time for his appointment with the photographer from Highnote magazine, and as he stops in at Chick's hangouts, the news about the photographer spreads. C.J. arrives home downcast and without the hat, but trailing in his wake are a crowd "of the greatest musicians and singers in Harlem. It was like seeing the sun, the moon, and the stars all shining at once." While they are inspired by the great Art Kane photograph, Harlem 1958, picture-book newcomers Taylor and Morrison do not seek to tell its story; rather, they riff on the possibilities, turning the focus from the already-famous to the child who hopes to be someday. The text adopts a jazzy inflection, with dialogue that's hipper than hip, but it's the illustrations that really zing. Bright acrylics abandon realism to emphasize rhythm, elongated forms moving sinuously against backgrounds that curve, slant, and boogie-woogie-but almost never stay still. Nearly pitch-perfect. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews

"While they are inspired by the great Art Kane photograph, Harlem 1958, picture-book newcomers Taylor and Morrison do not seek to tell its story; rather they riff on the possibilities, turning the focus from the already-famous to the child who hopes to be someday. The text adopts a jazzy inflection, with dialogue that's hipper than hip, but it's the illustrations that really zing. Bright acrylics abandon realism to emphasize rhythm, elongated forms moving simously against backgrounds that curve, slant, and boogie-woogie—but almost never stay still. Nearly pitch-perfect." — Kirkus Reviews

"This dazzling tale is filled with energy, rhythm, and style from its attention-grabbing cover to its satisfying ending." — School Library Journal

"Taylor's prose moves us smoothly through the streets of Harlem, buoyed by Morrison's earthy acrylics. Especially valuable are an author's note about the photo itself and a key identifying the jazz greats who posed." — Booklist

Best Children's Books of the Year - Bank Street College of Education

From the Publisher