Katheryn-Russell-Brown (A) and Fran Morrison (ILT)

List Price: $18.95 (Hardcover – Biography / Music / Trombone / Loved Music – 2014)

Melba Doretta Liston loved the sounds of music from as far back as she could remember. As a child, she daydreamed about beats and lyrics, and hummed along with the music from her family s Majestic radio. At age seven, Melba fell in love with a big, shiny trombone, and soon taught herself to play the instrument. By the time she was a teenager, Melba s extraordinary gift for music led her to the world of jazz. She joined a band led by trumpet player Gerald Wilson and toured the country. Overcoming obstacles of race and gender, Melba went on to become a famed trombone player and arranger, spinning rhythms, harmonies, and melodies into gorgeous songs for all the jazz greats of the twentieth century: Randy Weston, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, and Quincy Jones, to name just a few. Brimming with ebullience and the joy of making music, Little Melba and Her Big Trombone is a fitting tribute to a trailblazing musician and a great unsung hero of jazz.  (40 pgs) Ages 4-8

• Grade Level: 2 – 3
• Lexile Measure: AD720L 
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 0.5 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces