Andrea Davis Pinkney

"Snow doesn't know who's needy or dirty or greedy or nice. Snow doesn't choose where to fall. Snow doesn't pick a wealthy man's doorstep over a poor lady's stoop. That's Snow's magic."

I cannot wait to use this as the base for a December/January bulletin board. The illustrations and text come together so beautifully. This is one biography I need to add to my school library.

This picture book biography celebrates Ellington’s contributions with spirited text and vibrant illustrations.

Gr 5 Up—The Littles—Loretta, Roly, and Aggie B.—each grew up facing different obstacles, from sharecropping and
living under Jim Crow laws to fighting for civil rights. The family members take turns boldly voicing their stories and
experiences in this deeply emotional and powerfully hopeful "stage on a page" novel. Andrea Davis Pinkney's
narrative is complemented by Brian Pinkney's evocative illustrations in this fresh and invigorating historical fiction
come to life.

I was ready to completely love this book until a colleague pointed out that Sojourner Truth's famouse "Ain't I Woman" speech, which is used heavily in the book, is now thought to be a very embellished version of the original. I'm a little disappointed that the authors didn't note that at the end of the book, especially since we keep this book in biographies, not fiction.

Otherwise, awesome book.