Duke Ellington
by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

 What it's about
This tribute to the 'King of the Keys' is written in a jazzy, cool prose that takes the reader back to the Cotton Club where he and his orchestra were born. The illustrations are 'music visually interpreted' as spirals and swirls of bright, wild colors. Readers will learn what this legendary musician did for the world of jazz.

Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra

Why we like it
To be honest, we haven't had a chance to read this book yet. We do have a strict policy of only listing books that we have actually read :). However, we've decided to go ahead and include it here because it is a 1999 Caldecott winner, so our list would be incomplete without it. Our review is coming soon!!
In the meantime, School Library Journal highly recommends this book, ending their review by saying, "This book swings. Don't miss it."

Reading levels
Interest Level: Gr. 2-5       DRA Level: 20
Difficulty Level: age 4-8     Lexile Measure: AD880L

Awards and Rating
Caldecott Award Book -- 1999 Honor
ALA Coretta Scott King Book Award
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 stars (15 reviews)

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