A Band of Angels: A Story Inspired by the Jubilee Singers

A young girl learns the story great great grandmother by her aunt. She learns of her grandmother trying to get into school and how she tried to raise money for the school with the Jubilee Singers.

This story is a great representation of cultural history. I really enjoyed the fact it also incorporates musical history, as music is often an important part of one's culture. I would use this story with students of all ages because it shows how a little bit of faith and determination can go a long way. It is a great way to discuss culture and history, as well.

I loved how this book took events inspired by real people and created story of inspiration and overcoming adversity. This book shows that is you work long and hard and keep your mind on what you love/want to do, it's possible to overcome any obstacle that comes in your way. Grandma Ella had to constantly work and save money so that the Jubilee Singers could get their names out there. Not only that, but Grandma Ella was born into slavery. The way she accomplishes what she sets her mind on in this book is awesome. This book creates a way to acknowledge black history and African American history.

Aunt Beth tell her niece her favorite story: the story of her great great grandmother Ella. She closes her eyes and what we see in the illustrations is her imagination painting an image of the story Aunt Beth is telling. Ella Sheppard Moore was born in Nashville, Tennessee. "grandma Ella was born into slavery, but no one could chain her voice." Ella works day and night to attend to Finsk University. When the Jubilee Singers choir finds out that they might close because of lack of funds, the choir tours the country giving concerts to raise money for school. They sing all the popular white songs for the crowds but the response is not what they expected. Desperate and brokenhearted, Ella sits at the piano in the last concert before show more returning to Nashville and her heart pours out a melancholic song from her time in slavery...the Crowd goes crazy! With her beautiful voice she is reminding all black and white of the hope in everyone's' heart.
They're invited to sing in Europe and in all the U.S. and even get to sing for the president.
They Save the School are reminded in history as patrons of hope and heroes. show less

A Band of Angels is written in the perspective of a great granddaughter of Ella Sheppard. This book is about the struggles that Ella faced in being apart of the Jubilee Singers at the first school created for freed slaves. This is a great historical fiction book to share with students, and I recommend it to grades K and up.

"A Band of Angels" retells the story of the Jubilee Singer from the perspective of Ella. The story is told through Aunt Beth who is relaying the story to her niece who is curious about her families history. The book teaches about overcoming injustice with community and music. It would be a great book to read in history as a case study in gospel music and slavery in the United States.

A young girl is told a story of her great great grandmother, Ella Shepard, by her aunt Beth. She listens intently as she learns of her grandmother's perseverance and hope to first attend school, and then to raise money for her school with the Jubilee Singers. This is a great story of acceptance of one's history, a story to learn of a time in musical history, and a wonderful story to teach students that with determination they can accomplish anything.

I would read this book to any age group. I would use it to teach about perseverence and faith. These singers believed that they could achieve their goal and they never gave up until that happened. You could also use this book when teaching about civil rights and the hardships that african americans faced.