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Little Melba and Her Big Trombone

By Katheryn Russell-Brown
Illustrated by Frank Morrison

Hardcover: $20.95

Ebook

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Melba Doretta Liston loved the sounds of music from as far back as she could remember. As a child, she daydreamed about beats and lyrics, and hummed along with the music from her family’s Majestic radio.

At age seven, Melba fell in love with a big, shiny trombone, and soon taught herself to play the instrument. By the time she was a teenager, Melba’s extraordinary gift for music led her to the world of jazz. She joined a band led by trumpet player Gerald Wilson and toured the country. Overcoming obstacles of race and gender, Melba went on to become a famed trombone player and arranger, spinning rhythms, harmonies, and melodies into gorgeous songs for all the jazz greats of the twentieth century: Randy Weston, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, and Quincy Jones, to name just a few.

Brimming with ebullience and the joy of making music, Little Melba and Her Big Trombone is a fitting tribute to a trailblazing musician and a great unsung hero of jazz.

Explore a reading guide and learning activities for Little Melba and Her Big Trombone created by the Education Division at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for its Book of the Month program.

Check out Frank Morrison's Little Melba Playlist of his favorite jazz music.

See how the art for Little Melba and Her Big Trombone was made.

Check out educator lesson plan and activities for Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, a title featured in RIF’s Multicultural Book Collections. To find other free activities that inspire young readers as well as learn more about Reading Is Fundamental, visit us at RIF.org.

Reviews & Comments

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About the Creators

Thumb_katheryn_russell-brown_resize Katheryn Russell-Brown - Author

Katheryn Russell-Brown is a Professor of Law and the Director of the Center for Race and Race Relations at the University of Florida. She grew up in a family of music lovers, where jazz was an integral part of the sounds of daily life. A radio broadcast in 2008 about Liston inspired Russell-Brown to research the musician and eventually to write Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, her first picture book. Russell-Brown lives in Gainesville, Florida, with her family. Visit her online at krbrown.net.

Thumb_frank_morrison Frank Morrison

Frank Morrison is a fine artist and illustrator of numerous award-winning books, including the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor winner Little Melba and Her Big Trombone. Before becoming an illustrator, Morrison was a well-known graffiti artist and accomplished dancer. Morrison lives with his family in Georgia. To find out more about Frank Morrison, visit his web site: www.morrisongraphics.com

About This Title

ISBN

Hardcover: 9781600608988

Awards

Best Books
Kirkus Reviews

Starred Review
School Library Journal

Starred Review
Publishers Weekly

Starred Review
Kirkus Reviews

Best Books of the Year
School Library Journal

Best of the Best Books
Chicago Public Library

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honor
American Library Association (ALA)

Notable Children's Book
American Library Association (ALA)

Best Children's Books of the Year: Outstanding Merit
Bank Street College of Education

Notable Books for a Global Society
International Reading Association (IRA)

Amelia Bloomer Project - Feminist Task Force
American Library Association (ALA)

Best Books of the Year, Honorable Mention
The Huffington Post

Best Multicultural Books
Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Books

Choices
Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

Delaware Diamonds Reading List
Diamond State Reading Association

Eureka! Award
California Reading Association

Louisiana Readers' Choice Award
State Library of Lousiana

NAACP Image Award Nominee
NAACP

Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction, Recommended Title
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)

Recommended Reading List: Grade 4
New York City Reads 365

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Guided Reading:

Q

Lexile:

AD780L

Interest Level:

Grades 1 - 5

Reading Level:

Grades 3 - 4

Themes

African/African American Interest, Biography/Memoir, Breaking Gender Barriers, Civil Rights Movement, Discrimination, Dreams & Aspirations, History, Identity/Self Esteem/Confidence, Music, Nonfiction, Overcoming Obstacles, Persistence/Grit, California, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Courage, Education, Informational Text, Jazz, Mothers, Optimism/Enthusiasm, Pride, United States History, Women's History

Part of These Collections

Black History Collection Grades 3-6, Nonfiction Grades 3-6, Jazz Collection, African American English Collection Grades 3-6, African American English Collection Grades PreK-2, Women's Text Set Collection Grades PreK-8, Civil Rights Book Collection,