InfoGuides: One Book One Community 2023: The Blues: For Kids

Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews; Bryan Collier (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv 781.65 A571t
ISBN: 9781419714658
Publication Date: 2015-04-14
Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans, where music always floated in the air, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews didn’t always have the money to buy an instrument, but he did have the dream to play music. This is the story of how he made his dream take flight.
Muddy by Michael Mahin; Evan Turk (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv 781.643 M214m
ISBN: 9781481443494
Publication Date: 2017-09-05
A picture book celebration of the indomitable Muddy Waters, a blues musician whose fierce and electric sound laid the groundwork for what would become rock and roll.
Who Is Stevie Wonder? by Jim Gigliotti; Who HQ; Stephen Marchesi (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv 782.421 G459w
ISBN: 9780448488585
Publication Date: 2016-10-18
Discover more about Stevie Wonder, the music prodigy whose awards include 25 Grammy Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Birth of the Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound by Kathleen Cornell Berman; Keith Henry Brown (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv 788.921 B516b
ISBN: 9781624146909
Publication Date: 2019-04-16
Explores the childhood and early career of the noted jazz trumpeter who gained fame performing at the first Newport Jazz Festival in 1955.
The 5 o'Clock Band by Troy Andrews; Bill Taylor; Bryan Collier (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv 788.931 A571f
ISBN: 9781419728365
Publication Date: 2018-06-19
After letting his band down by missing rehearsal, a boy called Shorty has some serious questions about what it means to be a leader. He hits the streets of New Orleans to find some answers and to soak up some inspiration.
Struttin' with Some Barbecue by Patricia Hruby Powell; Rachel Himes (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv Bio A736.6p
ISBN: 9781580897402
Publication Date: 2018-12-11
his is the true story of Lil Hardin Armstrong: pianist, composer, and bandleader in the early days of jazz. Ahead of her time, Lil made a career for herself--and for Louis Armstrong, her modest, unassuming husband. Louis might never have become the groundbreaking jazz player he was, if it hadn't been for Lil. Scat-inspired verse celebrates how Lil overcame race and gender barriers to become the first lady of the Chicago jazz scene.
Ella Fitzgerald by Ma Isabel Sánchez Vegara
Call Number: Juv Bio F552.8s
ISBN: 9781786030870
Publication Date: 2018
Presents information about Ella Fitzgerald, from her youth mired in tragedy to her rise to stardom as one of the top jazz singers of all time.
Who Was Aretha Franklin? by Nico Medina; Who HQ; Gregory Copeland (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv Bio F829.9m
ISBN: 9780451532398
Publication Date: 2018-04-03
Aretha Franklin was a musical and cultural icon whose legacy spanned six decades!
Dark Was the Night by Gary Golio; E. B. Lewis (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv Bio J66.33g
ISBN: 9781524738884
Publication Date: 2020-08-25
The story of Blind Willie Johnson--the legendary Texas musician whose song 'Dark Was the Night' was included on the Voyager I space probe's Golden Record.
King of Ragtime by Stephen Costanza (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv Bio J81.25co
ISBN: 9781534410367
Publication Date: 2021-09-14
This celebration of Scott Joplin, whose ragtime compositions paved the way for jazz, will captivate audiences and put a beat in their step, and the kaleidoscope-like illustrations will draw young readers in again and again.
Sonny Rollins Plays the Bridge by Gary Golio; James Ransome (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv Bio R754g
ISBN: 9781984813664
Publication Date: 2021-10-19
Sonny Rollins loved his saxophone. As a teenager, he was already playing with jazz stars and making a name for himself. But in 1959, at age twenty-nine, he took a break from performing—to work on being a better, not just famous, musician.
Nina by Traci N. Todd; Christian Robinson (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv Bio S598t
ISBN: 9781524737283
Publication Date: 2021-09-28
During her first performances under the name of Nina Simone her voice was rich and sweet but as the Civil Rights Movement gained steam, Nina's voice soon became a thunderous roar as she raised her voice in powerful protest in the fight against racial inequality and discrimination.
Stompin' at the Savoy by Moira Rose Donohue; Laura Freeman (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv Bio W365.3d
ISBN: 9781534110977
Publication Date: 2021-01-15
Though a disability stunted his growth, William Henry "Chick" Webb did not let that get in the way of his musical pursuits. This picture-book biography details the life of black American jazz drummer Chick Webb, who in the 1930s led one of the big bands of the swing era, earning him the nickname the "King of the Savoy."
Saxophone Stumper by Madeline King; Scott Brown (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv King, Madeline
ISBN: 9780716628101
Publication Date: 2020-04-01
Siblings Perri and Archer are on another whimsical, time traveling adventure. This time they're in Harlem during the Jazz Age. Travel with them as they learn bees have knees, they can't-can't do the cancan, and cats were excellent pajamas.
Double Bass Blues by Andrea J. Loney; Rudy Gutierrez (Illustrator)
Call Number: Juv PicBk Loney, Andrea
ISBN: 9781524718527
Publication Date: 2019-10-22
After school orchestra practice, young Nic carries his double bass through rough neighborhoods to his grandfather's home, where he and Grandaddy Nic play jazz music with friends, delighting the neighbors.
Before John Was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford; Sean Qualls (Illustrator)
Call Number: x781.65 W362b
ISBN: 9780805079944
Publication Date: 2008-04-01
This lyrical picture-book biography of John Coltrane focuses on his childhood and how he interpreted sounds before he made his music.

Buckwheat Zydeco's Bayou boogie by Buckwheat Zydeco
Call Number: Juv CD Music Buckwheat
ISBN: 1566284902
Publication Date: 2010
Buckwheat Zydeco, the Grammy-winning worldwide ambassador of Zydeco music, is back again with a family dance party collection from the Bayou country of southwest Louisiana that pulls out all the stops.
Swamp romp by Johnette Downing
Call Number: Juv CD Music Downing, Johnette
Publication Date: 2019
Trombone Shorty
Call Number: Juv DVD Bio A571.4
Publication Date: 2016
The award winning autobiography jazz artist Trombone Shorty comes to life in this vibrant video. -- Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy 'Trombone Shorty' Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest.
The Princess and the Frog
Call Number: Juv DVD Princess
Publication Date: 2010
New Orleans. Arrogant, carefree Prince Naveen and hardworking waitress Tiana cross paths. Prince Naveen is transformed into a frog by a conniving voodoo magician. Tiana follows suit when she decides to kiss the amphibian royalty. With the help of a trumpet-playing alligator, a Cajun firefly, and an old blind lady who lives in a boat in a tree, Naveen and Tiana must race to break the spell and fulfill their dreams.
Soul
Call Number: Juv DVD Soul
Publication Date: 2021
Joe Gardner is a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. A misstep takes him from New York City to The Great Before, a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities before going to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22, who has never understood the appeal of the human life. As Joe tries to show 22 what's great about life, he may discover the answers to the most important questions.

2023 Programming for Kids

Saturday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m. , Jones Creek Branch

Kid’s Orchestra Presents: Trombone Shorty and Louisiana Music

Learn about Trombone Shorty, a musician who grew up in Louisiana, and the instrument he played (a trombone, of course!). Hear the trombone and find out how it works. Learn some “second line” dance moves. Play an instrument naming and imitation game. Sing “When the Saints go Marching in” as we celebrate music in Louisiana. (Ages 5-11)

Registration is required.

Databases for Kids

Look through EBRPL's collection of databases for kids of all ages!

Just for Kids Access Video - Access shorts videos and episodes of shows that feature music, jazz and more.

Miss Humblebee's Academy - Music videos, songs, lyrics and more!

OverDrive for Kids - Find ebooks and audiobooks about music, jazz, instruments and more!

Pebble Go - Find biographies of musicians, singers and composers for grades K-2.

Pebble Go Next - Find biographies of musicians, singers and composers for grades 3-6.

The World Almanac Kids - Read articles related to music, jazz, musicians, musical instruments and more for Middle School.

World Book Kids - learn about different kinds of music, musicians, instruments and more.

Recycled Box Guitar Craft

Let's get crafty and make our very own blues guitar!

All you'll need is a tissue box, paper towel tube, rubber bands, tape and a pencil!

Watch this video for a quick and easy how-to!