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Stompin' at the Savoy
On the night before her big jazz dance recital, young Mindy has made up her mind not to go—she's just too nervous. But when she finds herself transported to the Savoy Ballroom, she quickly changes her tune. Filled from wall to wall with legends of the swing era, the Savoy is a place where the dancers move like acrobats and the seats stay empty all night long. It's an all-night party, and with all that fun going on around her, Mindy has no choice but to move her happy feet! In his picture book debut, renowned watercolorist Richard Yarde adds brilliant illustrations to this jazzy story by bestselling author Bebe Moore Campbell. It will keep toes tapping and pages turning!
40 pages, Hardcover
First published September 7, 2006
About the author
Bebe Moore Campbell
41 books323 followersBebe Moore Campbell (February 18, 1950 – November 27, 2006), was the author of three New York Times bestsellers, Brothers and Sisters, Singing in the Comeback Choir, and What You Owe Me, which was also a Los Angeles Times "Best Book of 2001". Her other works include the novel Your Blues Ain't Like Mine, which was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and the winner of the NAACP Image Award for Literature; her memoir, Sweet Summer, Growing Up With and Without My Dad; and her first nonfiction book, Successful Women, Angry Men: Backlash in the Two-Career Marriage. Her essays, articles, and excerpts appear in many anthologies.
Campbell's interest in mental health was the catalyst for her first children's book, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, which was published in September 2003. This book won the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Outstanding Literature Award for 2003. The book tells the story of how a little girl copes with being reared by her mentally ill mother. Ms. Campbell was a member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and a founding member of NAMI-Inglewood. Her book 72 Hour Hold also deals with mental illness. Her first play, "Even with the Madness", debuted in New York in June 2003. This work revisited the theme of mental illness and the family.
As a journalist, Campbell wrote articles for The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Essence, Ebony, Black Enterprise, as well as other publications. She was a regular commentator for Morning Edition a program on National Public Radio.
(from Wikipedia)
Campbell's interest in mental health was the catalyst for her first children's book, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, which was published in September 2003. This book won the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Outstanding Literature Award for 2003. The book tells the story of how a little girl copes with being reared by her mentally ill mother. Ms. Campbell was a member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and a founding member of NAMI-Inglewood. Her book 72 Hour Hold also deals with mental illness. Her first play, "Even with the Madness", debuted in New York in June 2003. This work revisited the theme of mental illness and the family.
As a journalist, Campbell wrote articles for The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Essence, Ebony, Black Enterprise, as well as other publications. She was a regular commentator for Morning Edition a program on National Public Radio.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 7, 2019
Trying to make the timing work out in this book, and it's hard.
They eat dinner 4 hours before her jazz dance recital. So, either her recital starts REALLY late at night, or dinner = lunch (which could be true, but there's no indication.....).
She's worried about dancing in front of everyone and runs to her room to lie down. She dreams about dancing at the Savoy, with her Aunties (who were at her house) turning into some of the dancers there.
When she wakes up, she's ready for the recital and no longer frightened.
They eat dinner 4 hours before her jazz dance recital. So, either her recital starts REALLY late at night, or dinner = lunch (which could be true, but there's no indication.....).
She's worried about dancing in front of everyone and runs to her room to lie down. She dreams about dancing at the Savoy, with her Aunties (who were at her house) turning into some of the dancers there.
When she wakes up, she's ready for the recital and no longer frightened.
March 26, 2022
A current day girl is nervous for her Jazz recital. She falls into a dream (or is someone just messing with her mind) and ends up dancing the Lindy Hop at the Savoy with Chick Webb and Benny Goodman. An ok bridge to teaching about swing and jazz. It would be fun to learn the Lindy Hop or the Peabody. Could be used in the American History through music unit.
February 23, 2017
This book was very strange. I'm not a fan of the fact that how she got to and from the Savoy seems to have no rules or explanation. Even in fantasy stories, there's is some sort of way to explain what is going on. I also didn't like that her "superpower" was whining so shrilly that people left her alone. That's really not something you want to encourage in children.
April 16, 2010
Summary: "Mindy is scared about performing at her jazz dance recital, despite the encouraging words of her three great aunties: 'Whatever happens, just keep dancing.' Unconvinced, Mindy shuts herself in her bedroom, until a talking drum appears at her window and leads her to the 'Home of Happy Feet'-'way beneath the sidewalk' and back in time to the Savoy Ballroom, the legendary integrated Harlem dancehall. There she sees energetic dancers doing the lindy hop to the swing music of jazz greats Chick Webb and Benny Goodman. Mindy is so thrilled that she finds the courage to perform her own jazz dance for an appreciative Savoy audience. After she suddenly finds herself back in her room, she tells her aunties that she's 'ready and not afraid', (Thanks powells.com!)
Audience: Ages 6+
Genre: Multicultural picture book
Use: Shared Reading, Read Aloud, Independent Reading
Life Lessons: Teaches children about music, dance and other cultural issues.
Recommendations/Awards: Recommended by Me!
Publisher: Philomel Books
Audience: Ages 6+
Genre: Multicultural picture book
Use: Shared Reading, Read Aloud, Independent Reading
Life Lessons: Teaches children about music, dance and other cultural issues.
Recommendations/Awards: Recommended by Me!
Publisher: Philomel Books
March 1, 2010
Author: Bebe Moore Campbell; Illustrated: Richard Yarde; Picture Book; Grades: 3-4
Stompin' at the Savoy follows Mindy, a 9 year old girl who becomes nervous just before her dance recital. A frustrated Mindy runs in her room, away from her three excited Aunts, and she is taken back in time by a "hip cat," an actual cat in a zoot suit, to the famous Harlem Savoy Ballroom.
I did not like this story. I understand what Ms. Campbell wanted to do, but the story she told was not necessary to tell the story, I think, she wanted to tell. The illustrations, however, were very creative and made me want to see more. Ms. Campbell was inspired by her good friend Eric Carle on this one.
Stompin' at the Savoy follows Mindy, a 9 year old girl who becomes nervous just before her dance recital. A frustrated Mindy runs in her room, away from her three excited Aunts, and she is taken back in time by a "hip cat," an actual cat in a zoot suit, to the famous Harlem Savoy Ballroom.
I did not like this story. I understand what Ms. Campbell wanted to do, but the story she told was not necessary to tell the story, I think, she wanted to tell. The illustrations, however, were very creative and made me want to see more. Ms. Campbell was inspired by her good friend Eric Carle on this one.
March 1, 2013
This book is a fantasy created by a young girl who is facing her fears about performing in a dance recital. Her fantasy takes place at the famous Savoy Ballroom in Harlem in the 20's. It is there that she is inspired to dance the Lindy Hop on stage by listening to the music of Benny Goodman and Chick Webb.
The story is charming but the illustrations by Richard Yard also add much appeal. They looks fuzzy as dream images might and are in bright, bold colors. I wish the book had explained how he was able to produce them.
A little history about the Savoy is found at the end of the book.
The story is charming but the illustrations by Richard Yard also add much appeal. They looks fuzzy as dream images might and are in bright, bold colors. I wish the book had explained how he was able to produce them.
A little history about the Savoy is found at the end of the book.
June 27, 2008
In Stompin at the Savoy, little Mindy has a case of stage fright, this prompts a trip back in time to the Savoy Ballroom where she witnesses amazing music and dancing and gains confidence.
I love the history of the Savoy, all the greats that played there, and the fact that it was integrated in a time when that was taboo.
The watercolor illustrations are a nice accompaniment to a fun story.
I love the history of the Savoy, all the greats that played there, and the fact that it was integrated in a time when that was taboo.
The watercolor illustrations are a nice accompaniment to a fun story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2011
Age:
Grades 9-YA
Genre:
Historical/Informational/ Fiction
Diversity:
African American, Harlem. Youth.
Illustrations:
drawings of Harlem.
Personal response:
Great story line about jazz and the great era.
Curricular or programming connections:
Social studies.
Grades 9-YA
Genre:
Historical/Informational/ Fiction
Diversity:
African American, Harlem. Youth.
Illustrations:
drawings of Harlem.
Personal response:
Great story line about jazz and the great era.
Curricular or programming connections:
Social studies.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews