Jazz Age Josephine

The life of entertainer Josephine Baker isnt an easy one to translate to the picture book form, but Winter and Priceman attack her story with a gusto worthy of Miss Josephine herself. Opening with her impoverished childhood in St. Louis, Mo., Winter (Barack) uses the riffs and rhythms of the blues music structure to show how a young Josephine embraced an energetic stage presence early on (So Josephine made funny faces, stuck out her tongue, and crossed her eyes./ Yes, Josephine made funny faces, stuck out her tongue, bugged out her eyes). Leaving town due to racial strife, Josephine fled to New York City, broke onto Broadway, and fed up with racist roles she was asked to play decamped for France. Winter switches up his rhythms to match the mood, first with jazzy staccato blasts (Gay Paree!/ Josephine!/ Heres an act/ theyve never seen!) and later with a more contemplative ballad. Caldecott Honor artist Priceman (Hot Air) contributes exuberant gouache and ink paintings that capture Josephines every impish facial expression and knee-knocking, hip-shaking dance move. Its a rollicking tribute to a remarkable, trailblazing woman. Ages 4 8. (Jan.) Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

Gr 3-6--Born into poverty in St. Louis in 1906, Freda Josephine McDonald, aka Josephine Baker, met her surroundings with humor, entertaining dance moves, and an unshakable belief in happy fairy-tale endings. She left home while just a teen and her natural gifts led her to the New York City stage where the clownlike dances of her childhood evolved into the signature moves of polished adult expression. Eventually she went to Paris where enthusiastic followers of the Jazz Age praised her dark, exotic beauty and her talent. While the rhyming text echoes the blues, Priceman's swirl of watercolor images capture the story's various moods. A multipage tribute to Parisian nights and the Eiffel Tower is electric with bold reds, pinks, oranges, and purples in a series of movements reminiscent of the entertainer's vibrant performances. While the text rhythm of blues and scat accompany smoky shadows, images of jazz musicians flit past angled approximations of Baker's original dance moves. Images and text present an introduction to the terminology and style of early jazz. This heartfelt tribute to Baker serves as a marvelous introduction to the era.--Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Using the rhythm and pacing of blues lyrics, Jonah Winter (Diego) unspools the biography of dancer, singer, performer and activist Josephine Baker. Marjorie Priceman's (One of Each) loose line and expressive gouache-and-ink illustrations evoke the sensuality of the dances that rocketed Baker to the top.... Brava!" — Shelf Awareness