There’s a crazy syncopation /and it’s tearing through the nation / and it’s bringing sweet elation / to every single tune./ It’s Jazz

One of TIME’s 100 Best Children’s Books of All Time

Fifteen poems, infused with the rhythm and wordplay of jazz music, are paired with bold, stylized illustrations of performers and dancers to convey the history and breadth of this unique musical style. From bebop to New Orleans, from ragtime to boogie, and every style in between, Jazz takes readers on a musical journey from jazz’s beginnings to the present day.
Created by a celebrated father-son team, Jazz is a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and a Kirkus Best Children’s Books Editor’s Choice.

In addition to its colorful and lyrical celebration, the book includes a brief introductory essay about the history and form of jazz, as well as a timeline and glossary of jazz terms.

Coretta Scott King Award Honor for illustration
ALA Notable Children’s Book
Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
Publishers Weekly’s 100 Best Books of the Year
Kirkus Reviews Editor’s Choice
Booklist Editor’s Choice
Booklist Top Ten in Black History
Book Link’s Best New Books for the Classroom
Golden Kite Award: Picture Book Text