My love of ballet started as a young child in the 1970s when I took ballet classes for a couple of years at the Jones-Haywood Dance School on Delafield Place in Washington D.C. (formerly the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet.) This is a picture of me with my big brother after a ballet recital. I have always been an amateur dancer; I just love music and movement, and I enjoy dancing for fun -- even when my arms and legs aren’t necessarily in the right place. After my son finished

Hidden Figures – The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race Written By: Margot Lee Shetterly Illustrated By: Laura Freeman Publisher: HarperCollins Why I Love It: My husband and I both loved the movie Hidden Figures and talked about it long after we left the theater. If you enjoyed the movie and/or the original adult book, you will find this picture book appealing as well. With stunning illustrations and simple text, this book makes a great gift for kids. HIDDEN FI

Little Melba and Her Big Trombone Written by: Katheryn Russell-Brown Illustrated by: Frank Morrison Publisher: Lee & Low Books Why I Love It: The cover of Little Melba and Her Big Trombone is irresistible, and I love the way Melba's body stretches and curves while she holds her trombone. This little girl feels the music. Melba Liston (1926-1999) is a jazz pioneer who got a trombone when she was 7 years old. She became an accomplished composer, arranger, and performer. She wor

Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe Written by: Deborah Blumenthal Illustrated by: Laura Freeman Publisher: Little Bee Books Why I Love It: Reading this picture book biography brought back nice memories for me. In elementary school, I loved to read fashion magazines and sketch fashion designs in notebooks. With rich and vibrant illustrations, FANCY PARTY GOWNS tells the story of Anne Cole Lowe (1898 – 1981), a little-known trailblazer -- the first A

Author: Carole Boston Weatherford Illustrator: Sean Qualls Publisher: Henry Holt & Company Themes: music, musicians, biography, jazz, family Age Range: 5-9 Word Count: 164 words Teaching Tools: Jazz Lesson Ideas from BrainPop Educators Jazz Lesson Plans and Activities from PBS Kids More picture books about jazz Jazz Appreciation Month Why I Love It: Before John Was a Jazz Giant is short, snappy, and paints a vivid picture of young John Coltrane. I love the approach of showing