Ragtime Tumpie [Paperback]

Alan Schroeder (Author), Bernie Fuchs Inc. (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

One of the most colorful periods in American history is vividly brought to life in this stirring account of Josephine Baker's childhood. Tumpie, inspired by the vivacious ragtime music of turn-of-the-century St. Louis, dreams of escaping her life on Gratiot Street and becoming a famous honky-tonk dancer. Her determination, pluck, and exuberance will have children clapping, tapping, and rooting for her from the beginning.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An incident from the childhood of entertainer Josephine Baker is stunningly brought to life. In a boxed review, PW noted that the "fully developed picture book . . . resonates with the sights and colors of the turn-of-the-century era it describes. Fuchs's rich paintings are luminous and golden." Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-- Full-page paintings in mellow tones of gold and brown, with warm touches of rosy pink, show black Americans in turn-of-the-century St. Louis. Smiling workers, musicians, and housewives surround the small, appealing figure of the young girl who would one day be the famous Josephine Baker. The accompanying text tells how "Tumpie," as she was then called, spent her days picking half-rotted fruit from the freight yards and gathering coal fallen from the hopper cars. At night, Tumpie would go with her mother to the honky-tonks, to hear ragtime music and to dance to the "syn-co-pa-tion" of the drums. When, one day, a traveling peddlar staged a dance contest in the neighborhood, Tumpie won the prize, a shiny silver dollar, and knew that dance would be her life. The story of Tumpie is fiction, based on what is known of Baker's early years, and a brief note describes the entertainer's later career. The book can be used as fictionalized biography to introduce Baker, a black woman who found fame and fortune in Europe earlier in this century. However, its most obvious use, magnificently achieved in the vibrant illustrations, is to present a slice-of-American-life in an urban black community, and to show the capacity of music and dance to enrich the lives of people even in the poorest of material circumstances. --Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316775045
• ISBN-13: 978-0316775045
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,586,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When I first read this book I felt like dancing myself!, June 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Ragtime Tumpie (Library Binding)

That one-line summary is what my 7-year-old son said about this book, in addition to "I love Ragtime Tumpie!" I agree with him. This is a beautiful and inspiring book about Josephine Baker, the great jazz entertainer/dancer. The illustrations are radiant and evoke a sense of excitement, heat, and music. The story is emotionally engaging, and like my son says, makes you want to dance and jubilate along with Tumpie! This is a top-notch picture book!

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A look into the ragtime era, February 8, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Ragtime Tumple (School & Library Binding)

I read this book because I was helping my daughter do a book report for Black History Month. It was such a descriptive book. It really gave me a look into the life of this little girl that was so full of life and love for music and dancing. What a joy to read!