Library Intern Book Reviews
Review of Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greatest All-Girl Swing Band in the World by Marilyn Nelson
Publisher
Dial Books
City
New York, New York, United States of America
Date of Publication
2009
ISBN
9780803731875
Date of Review
2012
Disciplines
Library and Information Science | Modern Literature
Keywords
Children's literature, reviews
Recommended Citation
Schmidt, Stacie, "Review of Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greatest All-Girl Swing Band in the World by Marilyn Nelson" (2012). Library Intern Book Reviews. 48.
https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/intern_book_reviews/48
Review
Sweethearts of Rhythm tells the story of The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the “first integrated all-women swing band in the world” (p. 71) However, this is not your typical narrative; rather, Nelson has written poetry about the time and the band from the perspective of instruments sitting in a pawn shop. Each instrument tells a story about who their musician was, and describes the time – race relations and WW2 are the main themes of Sweethearts of Rhythm. The subject in and of itself is unique for a children’s book, and the multiple perspectives told through poems is also distinctive. The illustrations follow the poems, and are colorful and drawn like collages, pieced together to form a picture of a whole. Each picture offers a story on its own, a chance to peer into the past. Although the ages recommended are 9 to 12, it could be used as a resource through middle school, as some of the poetry might be a little dense or difficult to explain to a younger child. However, for older children, this book is an invaluable resource of well-written poetry about a crucial time and a crucial subject. Highly Recommended. Stacie Schmidt, Centennial Library Intern.