Bolden, Tonya. Take-off!: American All-girl Bands During WWII. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2007. 80 pages. ISBN-10:0375827978. ISBN-13: 978-0375827976.Plot:
Prior to WWII, it was considered inappropriate for women to play jazz music. When many male musicians joined or were drafted into the military, it left an opening that needed to be filled and female musicians were there to take over. Tonya Bolden highlights several of these musicians and the bands for which they played. She explains what jazz and swing music are and then the book is split into three sections, each highlighting a specific band. The first section focuses on Ada Leonard’s All-American Girl Orchestra, one of the first all-female jazz bands. It features interviews and quotes from some of the musicians, such as Janie Sager, Norma Carson, and Fagel Liebman. The women tell of their experiences traveling, playing, and breaking into what was previously strictly a man’s domain. They also talk about their experiences outside the band and how they got into playing music. Section two focuses on The Prairie View State College Co-Eds, a band made up of female students from the all black Prairie View State College. The women interviewed – Clora Bryant, Margaret Grisbey, Helen Cole, and others – talk about their love of music, the wonderful places they got to play, and their experiences with the band. The section also talks about the prejudices they had to face as an all black, all girl band trying to play in the South. The third section focuses on the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, a band that was started at the Piney Woods School. One of the unique features of this band was that it featured players from many cultural and racial backgrounds. Their story tells of how they started at their high school, but the school took advantage of them. The girls traveled and played, raising money for the school, while their educations suffered and they were given little pay. After breaking with the school, their manager also took advantage of them, but they eventually were able to break free and play the music they loved. When the war ended, the men returned and expected their jobs back, including that of playing in jazz and swing bands. Many women tried to continue playing, some did not. Of those who continued, not all were able to be successful. All the women have fond memories of their time, however.
Critical Evaluation:
Take-off!: American All-girl Bands During WWII is an easy to read look at a very interesting time in American history. The book doesn’t go into too much detail about the subject, but it does provide an overview and some fun facts, as well as an extensive bibliography should the reader choose to do more research. The inclusion of pictures, posters, and newspaper clippings really brings the subject to life. Direct quotes and stories from the musicians remind the readers that these are real women’s lives they’re reading about, including many women who are still alive today. Including a CD of music from many of the bands that are featured is a fun bonus that also serves to personalize the stories even more.
Bolden uses slang that was popular during that time period and writes in a choppy, quick style. This makes the book jump along quickly, like the jazz music that is its subject, and adds a little more historical depth. It does, however, make the book hard to follow at times. Other than that, it’s an easy read that should appeal to even the most reluctant readers of non-fiction.
Reader's Annotation:
When many male jazz musicians were called overseas for WWII, women were finally allowed a chance to show their talent.
Author Information:
Tonya Bolden was born on March 1, 1959 in New York City and grew up in Harlem. She graduated from the Chapin School in Manhattan and then went on to attend Princeton. At the same time, she joined the Westside Repertory Theatre Group, where she worked as an actor, stage manager, assistant director, and set builder. After graduating from Princeton, she worked for a dress manufacturing company while working towards her masters at Columbia. She has worked as an office coordinator for Raoulfilm, Inc, an editorial assistant to William E. Rice and as a college English instructor.
She published her first book in 1990. She is the author or co-author of close to 30 books, most of which are non-fiction. Several of her non-fiction works focus on African-American women. She published works for both adults and young adults.
Genre:
Non-Fiction
Curriculum Ties:
History: WWII
Music: Swing and Jazz Female Bands
Booktalking Ideas:
- Explain some of the slang used in the book.
- Talk about women taking over many men's jobs during WWII and the challenges they faced.
- Read the "What is Swing" page.
- Give a brief bio for one of the musicians featured.
Reading Level/Interest Age:
12 and older
Challenge Issues:
None
Challenge Defense Ideas:
If there were challenges:
- Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
- If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
- Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
- Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.
Reasons for Selection:
This was mentioned as a good non-fiction book in the class text. I really like music from that time period, so I decided to check it out.
