Books About Jazz · 36 titles considered

The Best Jazz Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors

Looking for excellent children's books about jazz? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.

Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.

Bud, Not Buddy
The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Books About Jazz

Sale price
$858
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 1999

Bud, Not Buddy

By Christopher Paul Curtis

A boy's quest to find his father leads him on an unforgettable journey during the Great Depression.

Newbery Medal (2000)
245 pages· 52,497 words· Est. 6 hour read
6.0/7 Bookroo experts·4.0/5 Goodreads · 116,544 ratings
$8.99Save 5%
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2008

Becoming Billie Holiday

A young singer's voice rises above poverty and hardship to become legendary.

120 pages· 11,397 words· Est. 1.5 hour read
4.1/5 Goodreads · 479 ratings
$19.95Save 5%
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2015

Trombone Shorty

A young boy from New Orleans discovers his passion for music and becomes a renowned trombone player.

40 pages· 989 words· Est. 8 min read-aloud
6.1/7 Bookroo experts·4.3/5 Goodreads · 5,023 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2019

Ella Fitzgerald

Discover how a Harlem street singer became a jazz legend.

32 pages· 389 words· Est. 3 min read-aloud
5.5/7 Bookroo experts·4.2/5 Goodreads · 763 ratings
$15.99Save 6%
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2018

The 5 O'Clock Band

A young musician seeks leadership wisdom in the vibrant streets of New Orleans.

40 pages· 1,324 words· Est. 11 min read-aloud
4.2/5 Goodreads · 357 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Picture Book · Ages 8–12 · 2016

Jazz Day

By Roxane Orgill, Francis Vallejo (Illustrator)

A daring photo shoot captures jazz legends in 1950s Harlem.

66 pages
4.2/5 Goodreads · 760 ratings
$8.99Save 5%
Picture Book · Ages 5–12 · 2017

Strange Fruit

A jazz singer performs a powerful protest song that sparks outrage and inspires change in the 1930s

40 pages· 2,291 words· Est. 18 min read-aloud
4.2/5 Goodreads · 560 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2020

Making Their Voices Heard

Two iconic women defy prejudice, forging a friendship that changes their destinies.

40 pages
4.5/5 Goodreads · 281 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2017

Muddy

By Michael Mahin, Evan Turk (Illustrator)

A defiant musician's journey from Mississippi fields to Chicago fame reshapes music history.

48 pages· 1,451 words· Est. 12 min read-aloud
4.3/5 Goodreads · 631 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Chapter Book · Ages 8–11 · 2018

What Were the Roaring Twenties?

Explore the Roaring Twenties, a decade of jazz, flappers, and societal change amidst post-pandemic recovery.

112 pages· 8,174 words· Est. 1 hour read
4.2/5 Goodreads · 278 ratings
$7.99Save 5%
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Browse by age

Jazz Picture Books

Illustrated read-alouds about jazz for preschool and elementary-age readers.

Jazz

Ages 8–12 · 2000

Experience the rhythm and history of jazz through vibrant poetry and art.

Before John Was a Jazz Giant

Ages 5–9 · 2008

Discover how childhood sounds shaped a jazz legend's future.

Dark Was the Night

Ages 5–8 · 2020

A blind musician's song transcends Earth, echoing human loneliness in space.

Jazz on a Saturday Night

Ages 4–8 · 2007

Experience the magic of jazz through vibrant illustrations and a special CD.

Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat

Ages 5–9 · 2010

Orphaned and hungry, a young girl discovers her voice and changes her fate.

Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band

Ages 5–8 · 2011

A rooster forms a jazz band to win a barnyard talent show against fierce competition.

Ella Queen of Jazz

Ages 5–8 · 2017

A singer faces racial barriers until an unexpected ally steps in.

Little Melba and Her Big Trombone

Ages 6–10 · 2014

A young girl defies odds to become a jazz trombone legend.

Mysterious Thelonious

Ages 4–8 · 1997

Explore the harmony of jazz and color in a unique artistic portrait.

Bird & Diz

Ages 4–8 · 2015

Two jazz legends create a new sound, playing music like a game of tag.

Sonny's Bridge
Sale price
$1899

Sonny's Bridge

Ages 6–9 · 2019

A saxophonist seeks inspiration on a bridge, transforming silence into music.

This Jazz Man

Ages 4–7 · 2006

Discover jazz legends through a playful counting journey.

View all jazz picture books
Browse by age

Jazz Chapter Books & Middle Grade

Longer stories about jazz for developing and independent readers.

Rent Party Jazz

Ages 6–9 · 2001

A boy and a jazz musician team up to save his home from eviction.

Duke Ellington

Ages 6–9 · 1998

Discover the groundbreaking journey of jazz legend Duke Ellington.

Who Was Louis Armstrong?

Ages 8–12 · 2004

The life of Louis Armstrong, a famous jazz musician, is explored from his childhood in New Orleans to his rise to fame.

The Jazz Man

Ages 8–12 · 1966

A boy's world transforms through music, but what happens when the melody fades?

Duke Ellington

Ages 6–9 · 1995

Discover the jazz legend who transformed music forever.

Who Was Duke Ellington?

Ages 8–11 · 2020

Discover how a young man revolutionized jazz and became a musical legend.

The Story of Ella Fitzgerald

Ages 6–9 · 2021

A young girl discovers her voice and transforms jazz forever.

Struttin' with Some Barbecue

Ages 9–12 · 2018

A pioneering woman shapes jazz history, defying barriers and transforming a legend's destiny.

Keep exploring
Books about grandparent-grandchild relationshipsBooks about musiciansBooks about running away from homeBooks about self-discoveryBooks about singers

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