Mister and Lady Day:
Billie Holiday and the Dog Who Loved Her
Written by: Amy Novesky
Illustrated by: Vanessa Brantley Newton
I love Billie Holiday and could sit and listen to her sing all day long. I was very excited to see this latest narrative biography about her written for children. What was most interesting to me was that the narrative focused on her love of dogs and particularly her special relationship with her beloved dog Mister. While she is a legendary jazz vocalist, there are many things about Billie Holiday's life that could be considered controversial topics for children. While I have enjoyed reading biographies that detail her full life story, I love that this particular biography focuses on one component of her life that is often overlooked. This is one aspect of her life that so many children can relate to and connect with on a personal level. The author, Amy Novesky takes the reader on a journey through Billie's life through the relationship with her dog. She does mention that Billie had to leave Mister at a point in her life when she got into some trouble, but does not elaborate with details. The story ends with Billie performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City with her beloved Mister waiting in the wings while she sings.
This book would be a wonderful addition to a biography unit. With it being a narrative biography, it would be a nice contrast to texts that are often more expository in nature. And while it is a biography, it specifically zooms in to focus on one aspect of Billie Holiday's life. The reader still gets little details here and there, but there is a distinct focus. Students could research individuals they were interested in learning more about and then pick out one aspect of their life to focus on in a piece of writing. Students could also do this for themselves. Thinking of their own life, what is one thing they would like to highlight if someone were to write a biography about them? What is something they treasure or hold dear that someone could write about? Another way to think about using this book would be to share it as a read aloud during Jazz Appreciation Month in April. Pair it with an activity in which children listen to some of Billie Holiday's songs and draw interpretations of what it makes them feel inside. There are lots of fun and educational ways this book could be utilized with students to both entertain and inform.
The Famous Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan in 1915) is considered to be one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time. While both her childhood and adult years were tumultuous, she managed to find her way into stardom through her vocal talents. And while she did achieve fame, her life's journey remains a bit of a sad story that ultimately ended in a tragedy in 1959. To learn more about Billie Holiday, her music and life story click here. The video clip below is a performance with Louis Armstrong another Jazz icon of this same time period. You will notice she is wearing gardenias in her hair which was a signature style for Billie Holiday.
Author Amy Novesky has scattered lines from some of Billie Holiday's famous songs throughout the book in colorful print that sets them apart from the main text of the story. She has also included a biographical note at the end of the book that provides the reader with additional information about Billie Holiday along with a website they can reference to learn more. African-American illustrator Vanessa Brantley Newton who was mentioned in a former blog post featuring the book Magic Trash does a wonderful job depicting scenes throughout this story. What is particularly interesting is how she has combined mediums and often has paintings mixed with photographic images. She has won me over once more with the illustrations featured in this book.
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