Robert Andrew Parker (1927–2023)

This story takes the reader on a beautiful journey of pianist Art Tatum’s life through his childhood in Toledo, to success in local bars and restaurants, and eventually into his professional career. I love how Art Tatum’s disability is portrayed as not as a defining factor that held him back, but rather an embraced quality that helped him remember that he has everything he needs. The first person narration of the book really allows the reader to identify with Art Tatum’s journey. This show more book is great for young students to see that disabilities don’t have to get in the way of reaching goals and pursing dreams. show less

Regardless of whether they’ve heard of jazz or Art Tatum, young readers will appreciate how Parker uses simple, lyrical storytelling to show the world as young Art Tatum might have seen it. Tatum came from modest beginnings and was nearly blind, but his passion for the piano and his acute memory for any sound that he heard drove him to become a virtuoso who was revered by both classical and jazz pianists alike.

This book discusses Art Tatum's issues with sight and how this never interfered with him achieving his dream of playing the piano. It would be very important in the classroom because it helps to demonstrate the fact that even if you have a disability, it does not need to get in the way of your goals and dreams, especially if you have people that love you and support you. I think that this book has a powerful message and is also informative without coming across as being dry.

The early years of jazz pianist Art Tatum are explored in this lovely picturebook informational literature by Robert Andrew Parker, a self-professed fan of Tatum. Growing up in Toledo in the early 1900s, Tatum's eyesight, which was poor at birth, got progressively worse, despite multiple surgeries. But in spite of this, young Tatum learns to play the piano at an early age and plays for large audiences often, such as his church and at school assemblies. Eventually he starts playing in bars, show more even though he is too young to be a patron, and his music is recorded and played on the radio. This results in him being asked to play all over the country, becoming a famous jazz legend. Since this book's focus is on his early years, the launch of Tatum's career is essentially where the story ends, though there is a wonderful note from the author at the end about his personal connection to Art Tatum as well as some additional information abut Tatum, and credit given to Parker's sources. This book is written in a first-person narrative, so you feel as though the young Art Tatum had in fact been sharing these nuggets of his childhood with you, the reader. show less