Louis Armstrong Book

My daughter brought this book home from the library. She found it in the adult non-fiction section, although it is labelled as young adult on a sticker. I'd firmly place this in the YA camp. I actually found the writing annoying. The style I would label as "Fifties Filmstrip", as it sounds like it could have been the narration beside one of those filmstrips I saw back in elementary school. Most every story has at its heart a Horatio Alger turn - the artist makes it through obstacles from when they were kids. It was interesting to see Terkel make the case, time and again, that these artists fought to do their music their way. The other theme he repeatedly played was that the artists, and other jazz artists they work with, are always thinking. He doesn't say they are smart, but they are always thinking and figuring out how to play new ways. Given that this felt aimed at kids, the repetition and the focus on thinking to be creative is a good story -- I'd give it higher marks for that audience.