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Make a Pretty Sound: A Story of Ella Jenkins---The First Lady of Children's Music
CCBC Review:
“Ella is a South Side girl, a Bronzeville bird, skipping in streets that smell of sweets and black-eyed peas.” A narrative that pulses with rhythm and sings with lyrical language describes the life of Ella Jenkins, who was attuned to the sounds of the world around her, including music, from the time she was a child growing up in Chicago. Ella moved to San Francisco in adulthood, continuing to absorb diverse sounds and rhythms. She learned to play conga drums, developing her own style that she shared with the children she taught as she sang old songs and wrote new ones “on the spot.” She played and sang in marches for freedom, too, but singing for children gave her the greatest hope, “for all that music can teach them about themselves and about each other.” This “First Lady of Children’s Music” eventually traveled the world, playing to and for children, and learning new songs and rhythms to share. Warm digital illustrations showcase Ella’s boundless energy and caring nature in this dynamic picture book written in the present tense. A lengthy Author’s Note tells more about Ella, who died at age 100 in November 2024, shortly before this book was released. Ella’s recordings for children will make a perfect accompaniment to this composition about her life. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Eleanor Davis
CCBC Age Recommendation: 4-8
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Formats:
Biography, Autobiography and Memoir
Picture book
Subjects:
African Americans
Biography
Music and Musicians
Diversity subject:
Black/African
Publisher:
Chronicle
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 48
ISBN: 9781452170640
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 782 Todd