Louis Armstrong

Children's Literature - Ann Sanger

This biography is included in the series called "Fact Finders Biographies." Designed to help underachievers in reading gain information about great African Americans, the text contains large print, has a controlled vocabulary, and uses short, direct sentences. The black-and-white and full-color photographs are captioned with concise information about Louis Armstrong's life. Growing up in New Orleans, Louis lived with his teenaged mother and sister until he was twelve years old. A turn of events led Armstrong to the Colored Waif's Home, a reformatory for boys who had gotten into trouble. Although he loved music at a young age and actually bought a used brass cornet from a pawnshop, the brass band at the boys' home turned out to be a good thing for Louis Armstrong and American music. King Oliver gave Louis his first big break with the Kid Ory Band. Later King Oliver brought Armstrong to Chicago to join his Creole Jazz Band. In 1925 he began making records with his own band. Armstrong's fame was worldwide. He made movies and had his own radio show. Although Louis died of a heart attack in 1971, he left a legacy of music. "Fast Facts," a time line that parallels U.S. History, a "Glossary," and "Internet Sites" sections make this a noteworthy addition to elementary classrooms. This series of biographies will be a valuable resource for below-level readers who are trying to do research on famous historical figures.