A review by syntaxx
Dazzlin' Dolly: The Songwriting, Hit-Singing, Guitar-Picking Dolly Parton by Suzanne Slade

informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

4.5

Miigweetch NetGalley and Calkins Creek for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. 

This is an illustrated biography, told in poem format, written and illustrated for children. The only reason I did not give this five stars was due to style inconsistencies with the narration, wherein the g was dropped from some -ing words but not others. I also would have liked to see the story extended just a bit further. While the biography at the end does a marvelous job of summing up Dolly Parton’s many notable accomplishments, the story in the book itself focuses mostly on her modest beginnings.

The illustrations complement and match the text. I like how Dolly and her surroundings are portrayed on the page, however, I wasn’t crazy about the font and text layout. The text was easy to read, yes, but it was…basic. A little elevation in this area would go a long way to making the overall artistic impact of the book stronger. The poetry format subverts the stereotype that biographies are boring and makes this biography accessible to readers who might otherwise be hesitant to choose this genre to read.

I recommend this for Dolly Parton fans of all ages, as well as elementary classrooms, particularly those doing biography or “wax museum” projects. This book makes a good introduction to Dolly Parton and could provide a stepping stone for further research into her life, country music, or the region where she grew up.