amysutton's review against another edition
3.0
This short book is part autobiography, part explanation of Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday. This book was a nice introduction to Billie Holiday's song, but I really would have liked more detail within the story as to the impact that the song had. Considering how chilling and poignant the song itself is, I expected a similar tone in the book. This would still be a nice way to share protest songs with upper elementary students, though.
I received a copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
nerfherder86's review against another edition
4.0
This is an unusual picture book, one all about a song. I was surprised to see this particular song used as the basis for a picture book, but one for older readers makes sense; it's a historically significant song that needs some background explanation for children. In a way the book is a little bit of a biography of Billie Holiday, briefly detailing her hardships growing up and where she was in her career when she was given this song to sing, having quit Artie Shaw's band after becoming fed up with the segregation she faced. The book shows how her passionate rendition of it made it her signature song, and explains why it is a protest song against lynching. The illustrations are wonderful, very jazzy and impressionistic, in bold acrylic colors. All direct quotations are sourced, and the book has a bibliography and an author's note that gives the definition and origin of lynching and further information on the composer, Abel Meeropol, and Billie Holiday's life.
backonthealex's review against another edition
3.0
This picture book biography for older readers tells two stories that are intertwined. First, it is the story of Billie Holiday’s life, a life was never easy right from the beginning. Her mother left her with an older half sister when she was a baby. At 10, Billie ended up in a reform school for something that wasn’t her fault. After she finally went to NYC to live with her mother, both of them ended up in jail when Billie was 14.
But Billie Holiday loved to sing and jazz was her style of choice. She was hired by white bandleader Artie Shaw, and even though she was a spotlight singer on his tours, she still faced discrimination everywhere they went because of her race. Finally, Billie Holiday had had enough and she quit Artie Shaw’s band. Striking out on her own, she began to sing in a new Greenwich Village club called Cafe Society, a place with black and white customers and performers weren’t segregated.
Cafe Society was opened by Barney Josephson, and it was here, in 1939, that Billie Holiday premiered a radical new song called “Strange Fruit.” High school teacher, Abel Meeropol, the son of Jewish immigrants, was so outraged by America’s racism and especially the violence faced by African Americans, that he wrote “Strange Fruit” after seeing a picture of a lynching. And that is exactly was “Strange Fruit” is about. And when Billie Holiday sang it at Cafe Society, it was always the last song of the night and all activity stopped until she was done.
Strange Fruit is a very powerful biography about Billie Holiday, one that brings to light the way she was regarded because of her race from childhood on, and the shameful treatment she received because of it, despite being a popular black female singer with whites in the 1930s and 1940s.
And yet, as compelling and powerful as Strange Fruit is, I question who it if for. It is recommended for readers age 8+, but some young readers may be too sensitive for the material covered. I think it feels like a book that should be given to readers a few years older, readers who may have a better background understanding of what life was like for African Americans in this country before the Civil Rights Movement.
Since “Strange Fruit” was a signature song for Billie Holiday, I think that as a book for older readers, Strange Fruit could be paired with Marilyn Nelson’s book A Wreath for Emmett Till to give students a more balanced picture, and a deeper understanding of the despicable practice lynching. I would have like to see more about Abel Meeropol but could not find a children’s book about the author of such a formidable protest song. I do know that Meeropol taught in the Bronx, and that he and his wife Anne adopted the two sons of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in 1953 after they were executed.
Riley-Webb’s illustrations done in boldly textured brush stokes using acrylics and tissue collage, are as colorful and dynamic as the jazz Billie Holiday sang, and the sometimes light, sometimes dark images give the story being told a very dramatic intensity.
The lyrics to “Strange Fruit” and additional biographical information about Billie Holiday are included in the back matter.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+ but I would definitely go older
This book was an EARC received from NetGalley
But Billie Holiday loved to sing and jazz was her style of choice. She was hired by white bandleader Artie Shaw, and even though she was a spotlight singer on his tours, she still faced discrimination everywhere they went because of her race. Finally, Billie Holiday had had enough and she quit Artie Shaw’s band. Striking out on her own, she began to sing in a new Greenwich Village club called Cafe Society, a place with black and white customers and performers weren’t segregated.
Cafe Society was opened by Barney Josephson, and it was here, in 1939, that Billie Holiday premiered a radical new song called “Strange Fruit.” High school teacher, Abel Meeropol, the son of Jewish immigrants, was so outraged by America’s racism and especially the violence faced by African Americans, that he wrote “Strange Fruit” after seeing a picture of a lynching. And that is exactly was “Strange Fruit” is about. And when Billie Holiday sang it at Cafe Society, it was always the last song of the night and all activity stopped until she was done.
Strange Fruit is a very powerful biography about Billie Holiday, one that brings to light the way she was regarded because of her race from childhood on, and the shameful treatment she received because of it, despite being a popular black female singer with whites in the 1930s and 1940s.
And yet, as compelling and powerful as Strange Fruit is, I question who it if for. It is recommended for readers age 8+, but some young readers may be too sensitive for the material covered. I think it feels like a book that should be given to readers a few years older, readers who may have a better background understanding of what life was like for African Americans in this country before the Civil Rights Movement.
Since “Strange Fruit” was a signature song for Billie Holiday, I think that as a book for older readers, Strange Fruit could be paired with Marilyn Nelson’s book A Wreath for Emmett Till to give students a more balanced picture, and a deeper understanding of the despicable practice lynching. I would have like to see more about Abel Meeropol but could not find a children’s book about the author of such a formidable protest song. I do know that Meeropol taught in the Bronx, and that he and his wife Anne adopted the two sons of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in 1953 after they were executed.
Riley-Webb’s illustrations done in boldly textured brush stokes using acrylics and tissue collage, are as colorful and dynamic as the jazz Billie Holiday sang, and the sometimes light, sometimes dark images give the story being told a very dramatic intensity.
The lyrics to “Strange Fruit” and additional biographical information about Billie Holiday are included in the back matter.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+ but I would definitely go older
This book was an EARC received from NetGalley
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
3.0
The thing about picture books is that they often offer simplistic views of a complex issue. Nonetheless, this slim volume can be used to start teaching children not only about the song, but topics such as the Jim Crow south, Harlem Renaissance, jazz, blues, etc.
elizabethlk's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars.
With beautiful illustrations and engaging writing, Strange Fruit tells us the story of Billie Holiday's life with a focus on her powerful protest song Strange Fruit. It makes a really complicated subject accessible and gives us information about an absolute icon of music history. The extra information at the end is a great supplement. Recommended!
With beautiful illustrations and engaging writing, Strange Fruit tells us the story of Billie Holiday's life with a focus on her powerful protest song Strange Fruit. It makes a really complicated subject accessible and gives us information about an absolute icon of music history. The extra information at the end is a great supplement. Recommended!
jmanchester0's review against another edition
5.0
Where are all the protesters today? We need more people with a voice to speak up!
But this was a fascinating story (and the art)! This is the kind of thing you don‰ЫЄt read about in the whitewashed history books. We need to be sharing more stories of this kind of activism!! Check this out - you won‰ЫЄt be disappointed.
But this was a fascinating story (and the art)! This is the kind of thing you don‰ЫЄt read about in the whitewashed history books. We need to be sharing more stories of this kind of activism!! Check this out - you won‰ЫЄt be disappointed.
valerielong's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 out of 5 stars rounded up.
Strange Fruit by Gary Golio (author) and Charlotte Riley-Webb (Illustrator) is an absolutely wonderful picture book about Billie Holiday's famous song with the same title.
The first thing you notice in this book are the illustrations. They are vibrant and seemingly leap from the pages. They're sort of brash and crazy, but they're absolutely beautiful and just right for this book. I'm not sure of the medium. They appear to be either oil paint or pastels. Perhaps even oil pastels. Whatever was used, the broad strokes and vibrant colors combine just perfectly.
The story line of the book is well told and moves along at a decent pace. The prose is well written and it's definitely a story that deserves to be, even needs to be told. It's not a real nice story as far as "happy ever after" and making you smile all the way through, but it's a needed story and a well written one. It will make you think. It may cause difficult discussions between you and any children you read it with, but it's an important story to tell and an important piece of history (and unfortunately, to a point, part of current events as well) that needs to be discussed.
The only reason this picture book did not get 5 stars from me is because I felt that at times, the text was difficult to read because of the vibrant illustrations and the small font used. Now, I did read this book as an eBook and not in print format. Perhaps it is easier to read the text in the print format. Other than that small issue, this book is phenomenal and I highly recommend it to everyone. Those who are fans of Billie Holiday will certainly appreciate it, but I believe that it's a great book for everyone, not just those who are fans.
*** I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review. All opinions and conclusions are my own. ***
Strange Fruit by Gary Golio (author) and Charlotte Riley-Webb (Illustrator) is an absolutely wonderful picture book about Billie Holiday's famous song with the same title.
The first thing you notice in this book are the illustrations. They are vibrant and seemingly leap from the pages. They're sort of brash and crazy, but they're absolutely beautiful and just right for this book. I'm not sure of the medium. They appear to be either oil paint or pastels. Perhaps even oil pastels. Whatever was used, the broad strokes and vibrant colors combine just perfectly.
The story line of the book is well told and moves along at a decent pace. The prose is well written and it's definitely a story that deserves to be, even needs to be told. It's not a real nice story as far as "happy ever after" and making you smile all the way through, but it's a needed story and a well written one. It will make you think. It may cause difficult discussions between you and any children you read it with, but it's an important story to tell and an important piece of history (and unfortunately, to a point, part of current events as well) that needs to be discussed.
The only reason this picture book did not get 5 stars from me is because I felt that at times, the text was difficult to read because of the vibrant illustrations and the small font used. Now, I did read this book as an eBook and not in print format. Perhaps it is easier to read the text in the print format. Other than that small issue, this book is phenomenal and I highly recommend it to everyone. Those who are fans of Billie Holiday will certainly appreciate it, but I believe that it's a great book for everyone, not just those who are fans.
*** I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review. All opinions and conclusions are my own. ***
alieninthejam's review against another edition
5.0
I can even stand to look at the title of the song it hurts so much its like gutteral clawing in the pits of my stomach. The first time I heard this song and until now this ligering sense of unnaturalness and grotesque detailing rocks me to my core I feel that the art used in this book perfectly represents these constant feelings and I appreciated learning more about the context, orgins and voice of the song nothing short of an emotive masterwork of change.