Struttin' with Some Barbecue: Lil Hardin Armstrong Becomes the First Lady of Jazz, Hardcover/Patricia Hruby Powell
Description Lil Hardin and her man, Louis Armstrong, were musical royalty--inventing a new kind of sound--makin' jazz. Believe it, baby This is the true story of Lil Hardin Armstrong: pianist, composer, and bandleader in the early days of jazz. Ahead of her time, Lil made a career for herself--and for Louis Armstrong, her modest, unassuming husband. Louis might never have become the groundbreaking jazz player he was, if it hadn't been for Lil. Scat-inspired verse celebrates how Lil overcame race and gender barriers to become the first lady of the Chicago jazz scene. "Brimming with a contagious love of jazz and its first lady, this work brings down the house"-- Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review About the Author Acclaimed author Patricia Hruby Powell grew up in a musical family, became a concert dancer and choreographer, and married a jazz musician. When she hears Lil's music, she can't help but dance. Patricia's debut book, Josephine , received a Sibert Honor and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor. Her equally moving and powerful second book, Loving vs. Virginia , established Patricia as a commanding voice in children's literature. Rachel Himes is a museum educator, author, and illustrator. Her debut picture book, Princess and the Peas , puts a modern African American spin on the classic fairy tale. In Struttin' with Some Barbecue , Rachel conveys Lil's energy and verve through acrylic and collage illustrations inspired by period art and music. www.rachelhimes.com