That Swingin' Sound!
The Musical Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
Rekha S Rajan author Ken Daley illustrator
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Simon & Schuster
Published:23rd Oct '25
Should be back in stock very soon
This rhythmic read-aloud picture book biography dances through the musical childhoods of jazz legends Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, their rise to stardom, and the friendship that kept them swingin’.
Ella Fitzgerald loved to dance. When little Ella heard jazz music, the music notes moved her legs as she twirled around New York City. Way down south, Louis Armstrong loved to sing. When jazz music played, young Louis’s voice rumbled like a steam train in New Orleans. While Ella dreamed of dancing on stage and Louis of being a famous singer, it wasn’t until they switched things up that they became famous, Ella for singing and Louis playing the trumpet.
The two jazz musicians had heard of each other, but never had a chance to meet. Until one magical night when they took the stage together, the music started to swing, and a lifelong musical friendship was born.
This true story about world-renowned jazz artists Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s musical partnership is a testament to the power of dreams, music, and friendship to help us all keep playing on.
Even young readers who may not be familiar with jazz, Fitzgerald, or Armstrong will come away from the book with a sense of what their bright, brilliant music was like, as Daley’s illustrations show the very streets and buildings shimmying and twisting in time to soaring ribbons of musical notes, dancing lights, and sonic exuberance.... VERDICT A rousing tribute to two influential musical greats and the swinging sounds they made together. -- School Library Journal * 10/24/25 *
Rajan’s text is straightforward yet poetic... Daley’s digital renderings in vibrant colors burst with captivating images of New York and New Orleans jazz scenes. Musical notes dispersed throughout double-page spreads provide cohesion. -- Horn Book * November/December 2025 *
This story about the musical friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong swings and sways on the page, with words pouring across spreads, begging to be sung aloud at a storytime or accompanied by dance and music. Painterly digital illustrations make the music visible as it sweeps like a vibrantly colored wind through the story.... The book is as dynamic as it is informative, and it may convince more than a few young artists of the joy of collaborative work. -- BCCB, starred review * October 2025 *
[D]ynamic text and electric-hued illustrations echo the rhythm and energy of their [Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald's] collaboration....a lively introduction to two icons whose friendship helped shape American music. -- Publishers Weekly * 9/22/2025 *
A zippy and tuneful dual biography of innovative jazz collaborators. -- Kirkus * July 15, 2025 *
ISBN: 9781665957038
Dimensions: 279mm x 279mm x 10mm
Weight: 594g
48 pages