Tuesday, March 9, 2010

The Little Piano Girl


The Little Piano Girl: The Story of Mary Lou Williams, Jazz Legend by Ann Ingalls and Maryann Macdonald and illustrated by Giselle Potter is just the type of picture book biography I like best. I always enjoy reading about an important person who had been unknown to me. Having never herad of Mary Lou Williams I was interested immediately in her story and learning about her talent. This biography focuses on Mary Lou's musical ability, and would be most useable in a lower elementary setting since many details about her life are left out. Students will enjoy the illustrations and will be able to identify with this story since Williams is depicted as a child in this biography. Racism and the role of women in society at the time are touched on and also provide a springboard for further research or discussion. This is a great selection for people looking for a biography on a lesser known person in history.

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