Sweethearts of Rhythm

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By Marilyn Nelson

Illustrated By Jerry Pinkney

Sweethearts of Rhythm is a history in poems about a fascinating all-female jazz band. In the 1940s, as the world was at war, a remarkable jazz band performed on the American home front. The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, originating at a boarding school in the heart of Mississippi, found its way to the most famous ballrooms in the country, offering solace during the hard years of the war. They dared to be an interracial group despite the cruelties of Jim Crow laws, and they dared to assert their talents though they were women in a “man’s” profession. Told in thought-provoking poems and arresting images, this unusual look at our nation’s history is deep and inspiring. Visit Marilyn Nelson’s official website.  Book jacket image and book description courtesy Penguin Young Readers. Used with permission.