Once Upon a Time in Chicago

This book is a shear delight for kids. I bought it over a year ago when my grandkids were three, four and five and have now read it many times to them. Although the specifics of the book, Benny Goodman, Chicago, jazz, a century ago, are abstractions, the kids are magically enthralled with the story. The illustrations are wonderful and bring the story to life. One little cool detail. One picture shows Benny practicing. One of the books on the music stand is the famous H. Klose method book. I used the same book as a kid. My oldest granddaughter now plays the clarinet and listens to BG. And still likes to hear this story. Thank you, the Winter's.

Jonah Winter's Once Upon A Time In Chicago (0-7868-2404-2) covers the life of musician Benny Goodman. Jeanette Winter provides the color drawings for a picturebook coverage of jazz music history in general and Goodman's evolution as a player in particular.

I bought this for my 8 year old niece. She is learning the clarinet and enjoying swing music both old and new. In fact, when she heard Goodman's trademark signoff song, "Goodbye" she nearly choked up with emotion."That's so sad," she said. "That's so beautiful."And she loved the book. Mr. Winter's terse prose provides depth for young readers. And the illustrations are pure Jeannette Winter - whose work I have often seen and which has never disappointed.Children need not be musicians to enjoy this. If you want them exposed to the best of 20th-century pop culture (and one of today's best juvenile writers,) get this book.