Charlie Parker Played Be Bop (Paperback)

by Raschka (Author) "Never leave your cat alone..." (more)
Key Phrases: Charlie Parker

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
It would seem a riddle worthy of the sphinx: how do you give children a sense of jazz music without playing a note? Chris Raschka answers loudly and clearly with the illustrated, syncopated Charlie Parker Played Be Bop. This sparse, rhythmic, repetitive text (inspired by a recording of Parker's "A Night in Tunisia") embraces and reflects the sound and feel of jazz when read aloud: "Charlie Parker played be bop. / Charlie Parker played saxophone. / The music sounded like be bop. / Never leave your cat alone." Whether in complete phrases or in nonsense refrains that taste like music in your mouth ("Alphabet alphabet, alphabet, alph, / Chickadee, chickadee, chickadee, chick, / Overshoes, overshoes, overshoes, o, / Reeti-footi, reeti-footi, reeti-footi, ree."), Raschka brings melody to the page, and rhythm to eager ears.

Raschka, whose Yo! Yes? won a Caldecott Honor, and whose Mysterious Thelonious--another ebullient, musical exploration of a jazz legend--was named a 1997 ALA Notable Book, proves once again that he is just as at home with a paintbrush as he is with a pen. His bold, quirky illustrations add movement and light to the words, buoying their already lyrical effect. Charlie Parker Played Be Bop is a colorful, whimsical romp through the world of jazz, sure to set young and old toes a-tapping. (Ages 4 to 8) --Brangien Davis --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly
Regardless of whether they've heard of jazz or Charlie Parker, young readers will bop to the pulsating beat of this sassy picture book. In a daring attempt to capture the raw energy of Parker's music (and in language recalling the verbal theatrics of Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault), Raschka combines a text that's as lean as a poem and as mean as a blues refrain ("Charlie Parker played be bop. / Charlie Parker played no trombone. / The music sounded like be bop. / Barbecue that last leg bone") with vigorously skewed illustrations gleaming with sly wit. Even the typeface joins in the fun, as italics and boldface strut and swing across the pages. Those in the know will enjoy the inside jokes (the pages, for example, are decorated with birds, after Parker's nickname); young and old alike will find this a read-aloud that's hard to resist. And that's no jive. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531070956
• ISBN-13: 978-0531070956
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #74,229 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #1 in	Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Music > Jazz
  #16 in	Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Biographies > Musical
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My 13-month old is OBSESSED with this book., July 10, 2004

By	Neil F. Sambol (Roswell, GA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I purchased this book because I love Charlie Parker and wanted to share that love with my then 6-month-old son (he's been listening to Charlie Parker on Phil Schaap's Birdflight since he came home from the hospital).

It immediately became his favorite book (he has over 100) and INSISTS that it be read to him 4-5 times per day. Frequently, we will have just finished it and he reaches for it again. One of his first 7 words is pa-ka (Parker)...it is his first two-syllable word! I would teach him to say "Bird," but I think that would confuse him right now. :-)

The pictures are wonderful! I particularly like the one of "Charlie Parker Played No Trombone" which shows Bird looking at a trombone and scratching his head.

The words and sounds are wonderful and convey the feeling and flavor of "Be Bop."

My son particularly loves the mysterious kitty...

My son is now 13 months old and it's still his favorite book BY FAR!

"Never leave your cat a-lone..."

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charlie Parker gets his due (in a manner of speaking), June 30, 2005

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Charlie Parker Played Be Bop (Hardcover)

Chris Raschka refuses to be neatly cataloged, noted, and tucked away in a file somewhere. When this man writes a picture book you really get the feeling that he's put his spine and soul into it. I've had the mixed pleasure of reading a wide variety of Raschka titles in my day. There was the original if somewhat misguided "John Coltrane's Giant Steps", the ridiculously simple but fun "Yo! Yes?", and that remarkable and odd, "The Genie In the Jar". If there's one connecting thread between his various works, it's probably rooted in Raschka's deep and abiding love of music. He's the only picture book artist I can think of that's introduced kids to everyone from Thelonious Monk to (amazing but true) Nina Simone. For the first time, however, I've found a Raschka book that I could fall head over heels in love with. Usually I respect the man's work without ever really enjoying his books, if that makes any sense. With "Charlie Parker Played Be Bop", however, I think Raschka's really tapped into something amazing.

The book's like a single, long poem. The reoccurring phrase is, "Charlie Parker played be bop" with the final line always, "Never leave your cat alone". That means that a stanza sounds something like, "Charlie Parker played be bop / Charlie Parker played saxaphone / The music sounded like be bop / Never leave your cat alone". You get the picture. Occasionally, however, this book goes all-out silly on you, but with a rhythm that's hard to ignore. "Be bop. Fisk, fisk. Lollipop. Boomba, boomba". And suddenly there are lollipops and odd blue nosed animals tramping across the page in a line, obviously in touch with the beat of the song. Things get wilder and wilder as the song continues and sometimes you see long lines of overshoes (walking on cute little blue feet of their own), letters in the alphabet, and chickadees be bopping their way down the line. Finally, we hit the last, "Never leave your cat alone", and a miserable if resigned pussy stares wearily into the distance.

There's an insanity to this book that's difficult to find in other picture books today. Somehow Raschka has managed to tap into just the right crazy childlike vein. Kids may not understand what's going on in these pages (and who would?) but they'll enjoy it just the same. Raschka's toned down his illustrations in a way as well. Things are kooky here, but they make sense. This is a kind of jazz put to paper, so there's an order and form to the (at first glance) weirdness. The pictures all make sense, even if they place bright blue feet on animals or objects that don't usually sport them.

If you'd like to expand your child's mind but you just can't figure out how to do so in the best possible way, might I suggest the incredible "Charlie Parker Played Be Bop". It's loony and lovable and just the right combination of unpredictable elements all merging together at once. A truly wild and wonderful picture book. Well done, Mr. Raschka. Well done.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First book my son read and read and read..., December 31, 2001

By	S. Moyer (Illinois, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Charlie Parker Played Be Bop (Hardcover)

Picked this book up at the Library after it was featured on PBS's Between The Lions. My son never put the book down, so we bought it. The book is fun, easy to read for children, and the pictures are great. Both my boys have it memorized and read it often.