Who Was Louis Armstrong?

Yona Zeldis McDonough

BookElementaryMiddle SchoolMusician

About

If not for a stint in reform school, young Louis Armstrong might never have become a musician.

It was a teacher at the Colored Waifs Home who gave him a cornet, promoted him to band leader, and saw talent in the tough kid from the even tougher New Orleans neighborhood called Storyville.

But it was Louis Armstrong's own passion and genius that pushed jazz into new and exciting realms with his amazing, improvisational trumpet playing.

His seventy-year life spanned a critical time in American music as well as black history.

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Why it’s great

This engaging biography introduces young readers to the life and legacy of jazz icon Louis Armstrong, showing how his talent, determination, and joy reshaped American music. Written in clear, lively language, it captures Armstrong’s infectious energy and the barriers he broke along the way, inspiring kids to dream big and follow their passions with heart.

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Resource Details

Resource Type: Book
Age Ranges: Elementary, Middle School
Careers: Musician
Subjects:

Book Details

Author: Yona Zeldis McDonough