Mysterious Thelonious
by Christopher Raschka
One wouldn't think it possible, but Raschka has miraculously recreated one of Thelonious Monk's timeless compositions, "Misterioso," into a beautiful synthesis of color and word, perfectly capturing the idiosyncratic style of Monk's piano playing. By matching the 12 musical notes of the chromatic scale to the 12 values of the color wheel, and repeating word phrases with slight variations, Raschka has created a remarkable introduction and homage to one of the greats in jazz music. All Ages.

Lookin' for Bird in the Big City
by Robert Burleigh, Marek Los (Illustrator)
Before anyone knew who Miles Davis was, long before Kind of Blue or Bitches Brew, there was this kid, and he played trumpet. He came to New York as a teenager, knowing one thing, he had to meet Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker. In that way that cities sometimes have with those of us who want something very badly, the young jazz trumpeter could not find the older saxophone player. Marek Los’s dreamy paintings of New York -- with beautiful skylines, primary colors, and birds turning up in unexpected places -- wonderfully complement the story whose ending we already know. Davis met Bird, music was made, and music itself was changed. Dop-dop, skitteree, tic-tic, do-do-be-do. Ages 4-8.

Charlie Parker Played Be Bop
by Christopher Raschka
The illustrations in Charlie Parker Played Be Bop are about as close to seeing music painted as you can get. They dance and flow across the page like a joyous soloist running up and down the notes. The rhythm of the words (which themselves are akin to a jazz solo) scat and dance around the page in different sizes and shapes accompanying the energetic pictures. This is not a good goodnight book because by the second or third reading toes will be tapping, hands clapping, and everyone will be calling out the words. Great, great stuff. Age 4-8.

If I Only Had a Horn
by Roxanne Orgill, Leonard Jenkins (Illustrator)
Every kid loves both Louis Armstrong the man and his music, but most of them aren’t going to know that he started out in the Colored Waifs' Home Band. Taken directly from autobiographical stories, Armstrong’s tale is sure to amaze and amuse any young reader. Ages 4-8.

Bud, Not Buddy
by Christopher Paul Curtis
Bud, not “Buddy,” Caldwell is orphaned at the age of six when his mother dies. Since he has never known his father he gets sent to the orphanage -- a place he returns to like clockwork as foster home after foster home does not work out for him. By the age of 10, Bud has had enough and he decides to try and find an old jazz musician he suspects might be his father. Bud’s setting off on the journey is enough to make most parents’ hearts start thumping, but while his Depression-era adventures are perilous, Bud does get to where he wants to be. Of course, the answers to his questions are a little more complicated than he thought. Winner of the 2000 Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award. Ages 9-12.