Mary’s Idea

Two-time Caldecott Medal winner Chris Raschka captures the sound, passion, innovation, and love of the arts that the renowned jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams shared with the world.Mary’s Ideais a stunning and transporting picture book about music and the creative process, for readers ofTrombone Shorty and Chris Raschka’s acclaimed books about musicians, including Charlie Parker Played Be Bop and Mysterious Thelonious.

At the age of three, Mary Lou Williams taught herself how to play the piano. At the age of fifteen, she was considered a professional. An American jazz pianist and composer, Mary Lou Williams wrote hundreds of compositions, recorded hundreds of songs, and wrote arrangements for musicians, including Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman.

Mary’s Ideais an exquisite picture book about Mary Lou Williams, an artist often overlooked in the canon of American music because of her gender and skin color. With a text full of rhythm and movement and illustrations that sing off the page, Chris Raschka’s picture book is equal parts biography and celebration of the imagination, ideas, and creative process.

Mary’s Ideawill find readers in fans ofTraci N. Todd’s and Christian Robinson’sNina,and Brian Selznick’s and Pam Muoz Ryan’sWhen Marian Sang.

Includes backmatter.

Chris Raschkais the creator of many distinguished and award-winning books for children. He has received two Caldecott Medals–one forThe Hello, Goodbye Window,written by Norton Juster, and one for his ownA Ball for Daisy. He also received a Caldecott Honor forYo! Yes?Chris Raschka was the US nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2012 and 2016 and has been awarded aNew York TimesBest Illustrated Book citation seven times. He lives in New York City with his family.

• Publisher:Greenwillow Books
• Publish Date: May 16, 2023
• Pages: 32
• Dimensions: 9.2 X 10.1 X 0.4 inches | 0.85 pounds
• Language: English
• Type: Hardcover
• EAN/UPC: 9780063210509
• BISAC Categories: Biography & Autobiography – Music, Biography & Autobiography – Women, Music – Jazz, Concepts – General