Wynton Marsalis

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6Three average-quality selections that focus on the achievements of well-known African Americans. Wynton Marsalis includes little on the musician's early years. The choppy, repetitive text focuses primarily on jazz, and on Marsalis's thoughts about music. Toni Morrison has the best organization of the three. It includes an interesting portrayal of Morrison's ancestors, commentary on the strong sense of community she experienced in her childhood, her work as a teacher and editor, her development as a writer, and her winning the Nobel Prize for Literature. Denzel Washington chronicles the life of the actor, beginning with his difficult childhood in Mt. Vernon, NY, through his ascent to stardom and his charity work. The text is dry at times, but well organized. In all of the books, potentially unfamiliar words appear in bold type; the choice of which terms to highlight is questionable; e.g., "novels" is, but "trilogy" is not. A mix of full-color and black-and-white photos appears throughout the books, and the covers are eye-catching. The "Black Americans of Achievement" series (Chelsea House) offers more detailed biographies but are on a slightly higher reading level.Lucy Rafael, The Center for Early Education, West Hollywood, CA