Genre: Poetry, Biography
Honors:Coretta Scott King Author Honor
Review: Billy Holiday is one of the most influential jazz singers in history. She is not only famous for her talent, but for the adversity she faced as a child and even when she became famous. This title is a fictionalized account of her life portrayed in 100 poems and illustrations, and is very similar to her "autobiographical" book Lady Sings the Blues. Her songs are integrated into each poem where titles and themes are portrayed. The illustrations and words confront grim topics such as poverty and molestation by a neighbor, but conclude in the time of her career that was the most heartening.
Opinion: I have read Lady Sings the Blues, and I felt one of the most interesting facts about the book is that a part of it is not entirely true. When Billy speaks about her early childhood, she fibs about knowing her father, the career of her mother, and the somewhat tame household that she grew up in. I think that this book would have had a better appeal showing the true account of her childhood, especially since its the main focus. The poems do read like her songs and it is a sweetly bitter account of her live and the time period.
Ideas: Notable book for Black History Month, curriculum about jazz music and its presence in that time.
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