Book Review for Duke Ellington by Andrea Pinkney

Book Review by Allie Davis
MLIS 5653 Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. 1998. Duke Ellington. Ill. by Brian Pinkney. New York: Disney * Jump at the Sun. ISBN 0786814209

Connect with the Author and Illustrator
https://andreadavispinkney.com/
 http://www.brianpinkney.net/main.html

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
      Husband and wife duo team up to author and illustrate this beautiful tale of the life of famous Jazz artist, Duke Ellington.  The book is grammatically correct, but there are many examples of phrases and dialogue/dialect used frequently within the African-American culture (such as the words, "folks," "gents," and "homebodies"), making the reading experience of Duke Ellington natural and authentic in its textual reading without becoming awkward to other readers.  The main character, Duke, along with his parents, band members, and the extra characters in the illustrations are portrayed wearing authentic, period clothing of Jazz Era, rather than what might be considered stereotypical clothing.  The story progresses through Ellington's life, starting with when he began to take the piano lessons he hated.  During these years, he is presented as a typical teenager and young adult who must find his own way and interests in life, and like most children, he turns back to his roots later on, creating his own music in his own way. His successes are documented in chronological order, and the reader is transported to all the places that Ellington visits along his career path like Harlem, the Cotton Club, and Carnegie Hall, specifically stressing that few African-Americans had played at Carnegie prior to Duke.  Many of his album titles are mentioned, including one that he composed especially to celebrate the history of African-American people, Black, Brown, and Beige.
     Early on in the story, the setting is established when his birth year is documented as 1899 in Washington, D.C.  His real name was Edward Kennedy Ellington, but he made sure everyone called him "Duke."  The setting is further established with the mention of the popularity of ragtime music that inspired Duke to return to his piano roots.  Contemporary historical context is provided throughout such as dance types: Black Bottom, the Fish-Tail, and the Suzy-Q and clubs of the period: Barron's Exclusive, The Plantation, Ciro's and the Kentucky Club.  The environment of the turn of century is accurately illustrated, helping describe Duke's story with visual imagery.
            Cultural values are also richly illustrated in Duke Ellington.  Clothing illustrations not only detail the wonderful aesthetics of the turn of the 20th century, but also illustrate the vibrant colors that African-American tradition dictates: purples, blues, and greens.  Pin-striped suits are shown, as well as the hats worn by men of those days.  Train conductors, period trucks, and old radios are shown in Brian Pinkney's well-known scratch-board renderings done with luma dyes, gouache, and oil paint.   Beautiful and eloquent text draws the reader into the time with phrases such as "Your turn. Take the floor, Daddy-O!" and "Slide me some King of the Keys, please!" Similes abound throughout the book.  "He could make his trumpet wail like a man whose blues were deeper than the deep blue sea" and "Toby let loose on his sleek brass sax, curling his notes like a kite tail in the wind" are only a few of the wonderful similes Andrea Pickney uses to illustrate the sound of music of the Jazz Era and Duke Ellington's orchestra.  The achievements of Duke and his band are presented in a positive light, and his accomplishments in moving the African-American movement forward are an inspiration to all humans.  Very little, if any, of the prejudices of the day are covered.  I believe this is simply because the author is trying to keep the mood of the book light and airy, symbolic of the Jazz music Ellington exceled at. 
     Overall, the ending of the story makes up for not including elements of African-American suppression. Andrea Pickney ends the story with several lines that successfully indicate that his achievement in Jazz music was monumental for his heritage.  One line says, "Black, Brown, and Beige sang the glories of dark skin, the pride of African heritage, and the triumphs of black people, from the days of slavery to years of civil rights struggle."  The last page highlights his life by saying, "Because of Duke's genius, his Orchestra now had a musical mix like no other.  Now you've heard of the jazz-playin' man. The man with the cats who could swing with his band.  King of the Keys. Piano Prince. Edward Kennedy Ellington. The Duke."  What better way to end a biography of this man's legacy? 

AWARDS  

• SCASL Book Award (South Carolina); Nominated for Award in 2001
• Show Me Readers Award; Nominated for Award in 2000
• Young Hoosier Book Award; Nominated for Award in 2001
• ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Awards; Won Award in 1999

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Publisher's Weekly, "The husband-and-wife team captures the spirit of an individual, an era, and a musical style." (C) Jan. 15, 2007.
• Booklist, "...Andrea Davis Pinkney's jaunty, slangy text tells a story and does it with a rhythm and style that manage to capture Ellington's era without sounding silly to today's kids.   Describing Duke at 19, she says, 'He had fine-as-pie looks and flashy threads. He was a ladies' man with flair to spare.' Zipping through Ellington's childhood in Washington, D.C., his early disenchantment with the parlor music of the day, weighted down by its 'umpy-dump' beat, and his introduction to ragtime, the text takes Ellington and his young band to Harlem, where success awaited at the legendary Cotton Club.  Brian Pinkney's paintings, gorgeous throughout, take center stage when the story turns to Ellington's Music..."(c) June 15, 1998
• School Libray Journal, "A royal introduction to the piano prince.  Told in a swingy conversational tone and highlighting the musician's childhood, early ragtime days, and stellar rise to popularity, playing at the Cotton Club and, later, Carnegie Hall, this is a jazzy treat. It is rare to find text that describes music so well.  Phrases such as 'sassy ride on his cymbal,' 'musical stream,' and 'purple das of brass' carry the auditory experience of the Duke's music right off the page.  Young readers will find more than just a few facts here.  They will learn what Duke Ellington did for the jazz world, how his music was played, and the legacy he left behind..." (C) May 1, 1999.

CONNECTIONS

Use as an introduction to biographies, African-Americans, Jazz, music, cultural heritage, Carnegie Hall, New York, and Washington D.C.  

http://www.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=32416
http://amhistory.si.edu/ourstory/pdf/jazz/jazz_reading.pdf
https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=2017

• Have Jazz recordings for students to listen to.
• Have pictures of Jazz instruments to identify as they are presented in the story.
• Have a keyboard and let students practice playing on a piano keyboard.

Other Andrea Pickney titles to read:

• Rhythm Ride; ISBN  3639816846
• Sit-in; ISBN 0316070165
• Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride; ISBN 0786807679

Gather more African-American biography titles to read such as:

·       Harrah, Madge. Blind Boone  ISBN  1575050579

·       Agins, Donna Brown. Maya Angelou ISBN 0766039927
·       Burlingame, Jeff.  Jesses Owens.  ISBN: 0766034976