Django: World's Greatest Jazz Guitarist

Christensen, B. (2009). Django: World's greatest jazz guitarist. New York: Roaring Brook.

Genre: Biography/ Poetry
Format: Picture Book
Awards: 2009 Schneider Family Book Award
Recommended Age: 8-10

Django: World's Greatest Jazz Guitarist by Bonnie Christensen is truly a work of art. Having myself never even heard of Django, Christensen's work served both as a history lesson and as a lesson in will and determination. As the book relates, Django grew up as a traveling gypsy in France. A hard life through and through, Django pressed on and began writing and playing music at an early age. The text describes this beautifully through the use of poetry when it says "Still a boy he's playing dance halls. Fingers flying down the fretboard. Writing waltzes, making records, putting money on the table. Known around the streets of Paris 'Gypsy Genius,' 'Prodigy Boy'." Django became well-known throughout Europe, yet tragedy soon struck when a fire severely impaired him: "'Such awful burns, that leg, that hand.' The hand he used to fret guitar---Burned so deeply, nearly useless." Against all odds, however, through hard work and determination, Django was one day able to take the stage again and play his music for all to hear. Captured beautifully through oil paintings and rhythmic poetry, Christensen presents an inspirational story that both children and adults will appreciate.

Django would be an ideal book for children ages 8-10, as the poetry can at times be a little more difficult for younger children to understand. In addition, the content teaches a more serious topic, showing children how hard life can be, but also revealing to them that obstacles can indeed be overcome. Children will certainly enjoy the illustrations within as well as the poetic style that so brilliantly accompanies them. I highly recommend this as a book to add to any and all library collections.

Goedhart, B. (2010, March 13). True stories, real people: Henry Aaron, Django Reinhardt, Houdini, and Tim Horton are among the subjects of new illustrated biographies for children. The Gazette (Montreal). Retrieved April 2, 2010 from LexisNexis Academic database.

Perhaps what I appreciated most about Goedhart's review was his inclusion of other biographies in addition to his review of Django: World's Greatest Jazz Guitarist. Goehart did not shy away from praising Chrsitensen's work, as he deemed that the "text has a music all its own, written in a free-verse style and accompanied by lively, vibrantly coloured paintings that befit the gypsy arts and lifestyle." In addition, Goedhart made a very practical suggestion that I hadn't thought of, which was to provide a CD of Django's work to accompany the book. This would surely give the book even more meaning to its readers, as children would be able to hear the music for themselves. Among other books that Goedhard reviewed for this article were Henry Aaron's Dream by Matt Tavares, Shake, Rattle, & Turn that Noise Down: How Elvis Shook up Music, Me, & Mom by Mark Alan Stamaty, and It's a Snap! George Eastman's First Photograph by Monica Kulling, illustrated by Bill Slavin, yet many more are included within the article. I would highly recommend one give this review a read if they are looking for a good biography to introduce their child to.