Sean Qualls

John’s music began when he listened to the music in his childhood. Semi-abstract illustrations vivify sound-filled poetry, together introducing a boy who would grow up to become the great John Coltrane.

John Birks Gillespie was an angry child from an abusive home. He was able to overcome huge obstacles when given a trumpet to channel his anger and begin the journey to jazz. ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie’s story is told in swirling images and rhythmic language, telling the story of how music inspired him and how he used his talents to inspire others.

His unusual escape from slavery — in a box mailed to Philadelphia — is told in a conversational, folksy style illustrated with evocative illustrations. The cadence of the text calls to mind the music and song that were always important to Henry Brown.

A single poem from Langston Hughes’ collection, The Dream Keeper and Other Poems (Knopf; 0679883479) has been reinterpreted in stunning, stylized illustrations that correspond to lines from the poem. The poem is presented in its entirety at the end along with a brief overview of Hughes’ life and inspiration for the poem.

From a poor girl who had “a dancing beat in her feet ever since she was a bitty girl” to when she finally got a chance to perform with a professional band, Ella Fitzgerald set the world of music on its ear. Her early life is presented in energetic, downright jazzy text and richly hued illustrations.

The questions asked by two children celebrate our commonalities as well as what makes each person distinct. Lyrical text and handsome watercolors portray the tapestry of a city and the people who live in the world.