By Andrea Davis Pinkey
Illustrated by Brian Pinkey
The Tale of a Vocal Virtuoso is a picture book about the legendary singer Ella Fitzgerald. It has an interesting format and narrator. It is narrated by a cat named Scat Cat Monroe. Scat Cat Monroe says he knew Ella and got his name from her. The book is told in 4 ‘tracks’ like a chapter book with an index. The book goes from Scat Cat’s introduction to the track that shows Ella growing up in Yonkers. It talks about how she was discovered after starting to win musical competitions and perform even though she was originally anxious about it. She is discovered by Bardou Ali, who works for the Chick Webb Orchestra. In 1937, The Savoy Battle of the Bands occurred. It pitted the Benny Goodman orchestra against the Chick Webb Orchestra. The contest lasted five hours but Ella’s orchestra eventually won. According to the book, this was Ella’s big break and she soon landed record deals and nightclub spots. She soon met Dizzy Gillespie, another singer, and performs at Carnegie Hall. The book concludes, rather abruptly, with Scat Cat Monroe talking about how he knew Ella. There is a section in the back that has a biography and sources. The art is beautiful and well done. There is a fantastical element to some of the images, like when Ella is seen flying over New York in a scene where she sings. This book tries to accomplish a lot in a short number of pages. The author could have focused on one point in her life, such as the Carnegie Hall performance instead of trying to trace most of her career. This would be a good introduction to Ella Fitzgerald but there are some more current works about her life that would be better suited for a library's collection.
BIBLIO: 2002, Hyperion Books for Children, Ages 4-10, $6.99-$26.63
REVIEWER: Ella Frey
FORMAT: Picture Book
ISBN: 978-1439591604
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