Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band: A Vibrant True Story Picture Book About Kids Making Music from Junk in 1895 New Orleans for Children

by Michael James Mahin, Don Tate (Illustrator)

Based on a true story, a vibrant, inspirational picture book about self-reliance and the power of creativity and music, in which a group of hungry homeless kids in 19th century New Orleans build their own musical instruments from discarded items and become a successful band.

It's 1895, and ten-year-old Stalebread Charlie and his friend Warm Gravy roam the streets of New Orleans, homeless and hungry. Stalebread has heard folks say that music feeds the soul—and he wonders if it could also fill their bellies. Soon he and his friends are playing instruments made out of junk—a fiddle from a cigar box, a kazoo from a comb—until their hats are filled with coins, their bellies are filled with beignets, and their souls are filled with music. This inspiring make-lemonade-from-lemons tale includes author/illustrator notes about the real Stalebread and the research behind the book and a make-your-own-instrument activity.

Genres: Music, Picture Books, Biography, History

40 pages, Hardcover

Published July 10, 2018

About the author

Michael Mahin has loved music since his grandmother gave him his first piano lesson at the age of five. Like Carlos Santana, he believes that music fills the world with magic and love and feeling and healing. He is the author of Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters and enjoys writing books about people who use their creativity to make the world a better place. He lives in San Diego, California, with his wife, two kids, and several guitars he wishes he played better.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrative non-fiction picture book on a group of homeless boys in New Orleans who form a band with found objects, and begin playing Jazz in order to feed themselves. I liked the afterword - it's explanation of the history behind the story filled in a few of the gaps (like the mention of a stolen name at the very end). The instructions on how to make a kazoo with toilet paper tube and tissue could be used to develop this into a lesson, a book club or story time activity.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stalebread Charlie and the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band by Michael Mahin, illustrated by Don Tate. PICTURE BOOK. Clarion Books (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), 2018. $18. 9780547942018.


BUYING ADVISORY: EL(K-3), EL - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

In 1895 New Orleans, a group of homeless boys created their own instruments and formed a band. The music they played was a synthesis of all sorts of musical styles--blues, folks, gospel and more--and became a part of the story of jazz. Though initially disliked and forced to move to another part of town, the band eventually finds a receptive audience and a small place in American musical history.

This is a niche little historical fiction picture book that tells an interesting tale. The story itself is fun and has a lot of great onomatopoeia in the text; the illustrations fit the story really well and add a great sense of movement and music. There is a nice author's note and more at the back. This would be a fun book to use in a music lesson or a general life lesson about creativity and solving your own problems. And for the record--my kindergartner loves it!

Reviewer: TC
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1895, ten year old Stalebread Charlie and his friends are homeless and running the streets of New Orleans looking for ways to earn money. After hearing Trombone Bobby, Guitar Jim and Pearly Joe playing in the streets they create musical instruments out of trash and put together their own band. The story is based on true events that led to the birth of jazz music. Don Tate’s mixed media and digital illustrations are lively and engaging enhancing the story. I’m looking forward to reading this book aloud as it incorporates history and music, sharing jazz music and inspiring them to make their own instruments.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

@kidlitexchange #partner – all opinions are my own.
This fun narrative nonfiction picture book introduces readers to the genre of spasm band music by telling the story of one band made of kids who played their homemade instruments and helped to make this music popular in New Orleans. The lively illustrations with onomatopoeia swirling throughout draw the reader’s eye through the story. The author’s and illustrator’s notes in the back are full of great information and there are directions and diagrams to guide us in making a kazoo! This would be a great book for a musical storytime!

[Lauren- The Smile Lines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stalebread Charlie and The Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band by Michael Mahin is a cute book about making musical instruments with any items you have available! The book is set in 1895 in New Orleans. It discusses struggles with being poor and homeless.
Music can fill your soul and sometimes your pockets as well. This group of friends tries their best to practice and work together with their homemade instruments.
Thanks to kidlitexchange for a review copy of this book.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really picked this up because of the snazzy title. I found out that it is based on a true story set in New Orleans in 1895. It explores a different time, jazz, and what imagination can do. Stalebread and Gravy are homeless kids who decide to form a band. Since they have no instruments, they find their own using their imaginations. Fun illustrations, a mini history lesson and kazoo instructions at the end.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look at an early piece of the puzzle that is American Jazz music. Not many facts exist about the kids in the band, but the author and illustrator both have detailed notes about the historical research they did. (I was a bit miffed that the last page mentioned something as huge as having their name stolen, with no explanation - BUT the author's note does tell the story!)

[Debbie Tanner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice piece of historical fiction about kids who created a spasm jazz band in New Orleans, one of the first of it's kind to combine different kinds of music and create a new genre of music.

[Ampersand Inc. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story; Stalebread Charlie and bands like his were instrumental in the formation of Jazz.

[Mary Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Literary nonfiction. Early orphan jazz band in New Orleans.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the story of a group of homeless boys who form a band. The story is okay, but I just can't get into the mood of the homeless of children and how they steal to survive.

[Mary T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Curriculum Tie-Ins -orphans, homelessness, music, homemade instruments (with instructions on how to make a homemade kazoo), New Orleans, jazz

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction about homeless kids in late 19th century New Orleans creating homemade instruments and forming a jazz band.

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fictionalized account of some children and the music they started in the late 1800s New Orleans.

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really cool and I love the author's note and instructions for making your own instrument in the back. I'm not sure this will have widespread popularity, but I hope it surprises me.

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story. A group of orphans in New Orleans form a band, the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band. An interesting story. Fantastic artwork.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An elementary level picture book about a group of boys in the early 1900's starting their own band made up of ragtag instruments and a new sound.