This is a biography of Billie Holiday in two parts. The first part describes her path to singing, how she came to sing Strange Fruits, and the impacts of the song. It is accompanied by beautiful painted illustrations that are full of squiggles and lines that accentuate the motions and emotions of the images in a style that reminds me of some Harlem Renaissance works. The second part is without illustration and gives more information on the harassment she faced because of Strange fruits, lynchings, and tells more of her life's story. It is a potent telling of her life and the power of a song. The way that her life story is laid out is appropriate for even younger children, though some age-appropriate further explanation of discrimination, lynching, and the context of how black people were treated may be wise for the really young children.

This is a picture book for older children that is a short, but true account of the life of Billie Holiday. We learn about how her life started, she became a singer, and how a poem written by a high school teacher is set to music and sung by Billie Holiday turns into a beautifully haunting protest song. The art is amazing and the story is strong enough to hold not only older children's, adult's attention. ( )

Note: I received a digital galley of this book through NetGalley. ( )

Billie Holiday was tired of the discrimination that plagued her career as a singer. “Strange Fruit” provided her with a platform to protest the pervasive racism of the era and became her personal anthem for resistance. Includes Billie Holiday Biography, Source Notes, Selected Bibliography

In the late 1930s, Billie Holiday is singing in nightclubs that are segregated and unhappy about the racial injustices she sees around her when she is approached with a request to sing a new song titled "Strange Fruit."

This book was an interesting read and while I am no means an expert on the topic of Billie Holiday's life, I did know a little about her and the history of "Strange Fruit" prior to reading this. Therefore, I was wondering how this book for young readers would address some of the more difficult topics in this case. Turns out that the answer to that question is a combination of laying down hard truths (e.g., the problem of lynchings) versus some fairly coded language to keep the story age-appropriate to some degree (e.g., "a terrible thing [was] done to her" in reference to an attempted rape that Billie experienced as a young child).

That is not to say the book is done poorly; in fact, quite the opposite is true. It is compelling, emotional, and gives a clear enough view of the issues without being relentlessly and overly upsetting. Still, it is probably not best for the youngest readers (e.g., preschoolers) but for those a little older. The illustrations are remarkably wonderful, with bold colors and brush strokes that evoke strong emotions and feelings.

The book ends with some historical notes / additional information about Billie Holiday, the song "Strange Fruit," and the historical context. Source and a bibliography are provided for those who want to learn more. ( )