Harlem's little blackbird

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Summary

A tribute to lesser-known Harlem Renaissance performer Florence Mills includes coverage of her youth as a child of former slaves, her singing and dancing performances that inspired songs and entire plays, and the struggles with racism that prompted her advocacy of all-black theater and musicals.

Published Reviews

Booklist Review: "*Starred Review* In Washington, D.C., at the opening of the last century, a little girl grew up in an itty-bitty house listening to her mother sing spirituals. The girl, Florence Mills, could sing, too, and had enough faith in herself to believe she'd become a star. And so she did, singing on stage in the U.S. and London while also facing discrimination. When she first sang in Washington, D.C., the friends she brought with her weren't allowed to sit in the audience. But Mills was an activist before the word was even invented, and she refused to perform unless her friends were allowed in. With a text that stylistically sings yet is packed with information, the book introduces a woman who, though part of the Harlem Renaissance, is not well remembered by history, perhaps because none of her music was ever recorded, nor was she ever filmed. Another element that will draw readers to the book is Robinson's art. Simple collage shapes with a folk-art appeal capture everything from the warm relationship between Mills and her mother to her decision to forgo the Ziegfeld Follies for a show that introduced young black talent.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2010 Booklist"
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Publisher's Weekly Review: "Watson (A Place Where Hurricanes Happen) pairs with first-time illustrator Robinson for a subdued but striking telling of the life of Florence Mills, following her journey from "the daughter of former slaves, living in a teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy house" to international stardom as a singer and performer. Robinson's chunky mixed-media collages have a vibrant palette and angularity that nods to Harlem Renaissance artists like Romare Bearden and Jacob Lawrence, while removing some of the sting from the discrimination Mills was exposed to, even as a child. In a memorable early scene, a young Mills refuses to perform at a whites-only club until her black friends can be snuck in to watch: "If they can't go in there, I'm staying out here!" she insists. Although Watson makes Mills's musical talents clear (an author's note reveals that her "voice was never recorded, and no films of her performances exist"), weight is also given to her generosity, even at the height of her stardom, cementing the idea that the potential for greatness lies within everyone. Ages 3-8. Illustrator's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved."

Additional Information

Subjects	Mills, Florence, 1896-1927 Juvenile literature African American singers New York (State) New York Biography Juvenile literature Singers New York (State) New York Biography Juvenile literature Singers Biography & Autobiography Geography Music Juvenile Nonfiction Electronic books. 1896-1927
Publisher	New York :Random House Children's Books,2012 Random House Children's Books2012
Edition	1st ed.
Contributors	Robinson, Christian. OverDrive, Inc.
Language	English
System Details	Mode of access: World Wide Web. Format: Adobe EPUB eBook Format: Kindle Book Format: OverDrive READ Requires Adobe Digital Editions or Amazon Kindle
Description	1 online resource
ISBN	9780375985379 9780375985379
Other	Classic View