Women! Jazz! Integration!

In 1909, Dr. Laurence Clifton Jones founded a school and orphanage for black children in Mississippi, and in 1939, he started an all-girl swing band: the Sweethearts of Rhythm. Swing “was filled with energy!” The girls performed locally and throughout the country. In 1945, they played to enthusiastic soldiers as part of a USO tour brought about by a letter-writing campaign from African-American GIs. Writing in a folksy style, Deans describes the lives of the girls in the orphanage and on the road in Jim Crow territory; this, ironically, was made even more difficult after the band integrated. The infectious joy of swing music comes across nicely with details about instrumentation and performances. A scary encounter with the police is also described. Cepeda’s colorful and richly textured full-bleed acrylic-and-oil paintings match the mostly upbeat mood with illustrations of the women happily playing various instruments, joyfully askew compositions evoking the big-band beat. The group did not stay together, but the final illustration opens the way for more music as a now-elderly Sweetheart hands over her trumpet to a smiling girl. Readers will certainly want to grab recordings and dance and swing to the sounds.

An appealing and informative composition aimed at a younger audience than Marilyn Nelson and Jerry Pinkney’s Sweethearts of Rhythm (2009). (author’s note, selected bibliography) (Informational picture book. 6-9)

-Kirkus Review

In 1939, an all-female, African American swing band was formed. Over the years, women of various cultures joined, creating one of the first integrated music groups. The Sweethearts traveled the world and defied racist and sexist barriers. Author’s Note, Bibliography.

Karen Davis and Joe Cepeda share a heartwarming story of young women who followed their dreams in a hostile world, fighting odds stacked against them and ending triumphant. Swing Sisters is a narrative picture book, telling the story of impoverished women of color who grew up in an orphanage in Mississippi. In addition to the standard academic features of education, these young women also studied music, eventually pursuing their talents across the globe, becoming entertainment icons despite racial discrimination and barriers against them. There are very few access features, including a brief author's note and bibliography, but considering the age range of the intended audience, it seems to be sufficient if a little skimpy. Also, rather than focusing intently on a few individuals, Swing Sisters takes a broad, over-arching approach to the women's story, which seems to give the story an almost impersonal, detached feeling. However, the vibrant illustrations are beautifully expressive, and the inspirational tone of the story supplements whatever element of engagement might be lost in failing to personalize the Sweethearts. The chronological order and narrative structure seem natural and logical, but again, there's a sense of the superficial in this telling of story as it touches only lightly on some heavy social and cultural issues. Thankfully, the sources found in the bibliography might shed light on these fascinating and faceted women. ( )

This was a wonderful book about female orphans who were musicians. They called themselves the "swing sisters" because that was the type of music they played on their instruments. As they grew, they became popular with playing music. They were not "real" sisters but they enjoyed playing music together. My eight year old son enjoyed reading the book because he learned new information. He would recommend it to others who are interested in music. The history of jazz is imbedded in the text of the book. Very rarely do one see female African American musicians become internationally known. This book is inspiring to young girls and musicians. ( )

"Swing Sisters: The Story of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm" by Karen Deans is a biography of how the Sweethearts of Rhythm came about. The group started from a school for orphans in 1909. The school consisted of mostly African American female orphans who practiced schoolwork and were also taught music by Dr. Jones. The girls practiced their instruments religiously, and their hard work paid off when they performed in concerts across the country. Although, they performed at venues with famous musicians such as Louis Armstrong, there were still Jim Crow laws which gave them problems when performing. The girls worked passed their hardships and never gave up. During World War II the girls were sent across the world to perform for American soldiers to remind them of home. After their success, many of the girls went their own separate ways and made a difference in the world. ( )