Meet Ella Fitzgerald, one of the most influential jazz singers of all time! Part of the beloved Little People, BIG DREAMS series, this inspiring and informative little biography follows the inspirational life of the First Lady of Song, from her early singing days on the streets of Harlem to her success as a jazz legend, with the message: "It's not where you come from, but where you're going that counts." Ella Fitzgerald grew up near Harlem, in New York, where she was surrounded by music and dance. After winning first prize in a talent competition at the Apollo Theater, she went on to tour the world with her pioneering voice. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back , including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the singer's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets . Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.   Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!   K-Gr 2—Born in New York in 1917, Fitzgerald grew up in a time when jazz musicians were popular—and she never missed a chance to see them perform in Harlem. As a teenager, she won a talent contest at the Apollo Theatre and this launched her singing career, one that would span 50 years. Fitzgerald was the first African American woman to win a Grammy and she recorded more than 2,000 songs in her own distinctive style. Vegara highlights a few aspects of Fitzgerald's life. Colorful, one-dimensional drawings fill the pages from edge to edge and the brief text of two or three sentences is located on alternate pages. A fact section and contemporary photographs complete the brief volume. This title's brevity might encourage readers to explore additional sources and perhaps inspire them to listen to and learn more about jazz music. VERDICT An easy pick wherever this series is popular.—Patricia Ann Owens, formerly at Illinois Eastern Community College, Mt. Carmel “The kind of books that adults will covet and collect as well… The language and structure is simple enough for young readers, while a biographical timeline at the end of each book offers greater historical complexity” ― Irish Times “Strikingly illustrated, they’re superb first biographies for younger readers.” ― The Huffington Post “Brilliantly accessible and inspiring” ― Rhino Reads “A QUIRKY kids biography series“ ― The Voice “One children’s books series trying to fight back… by telling the inspiring stories of women who overcame adversity and made history by pursuing their childhood dreams.” ― Toronto Star 'Sumptuously illustrated hardbacks, they take the life stories of famous women in history and retell them in a child-friendly way'― Daily Mail Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara , born in Barcelona, Spain, is a writer and creative director in constant search of new concepts for children’s books. In 2014, she created a book for her two twin nieces for their birthday, which shortly thereafter became the first book in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series. This multimillion-copy bestselling series of picture books explores the lives of outstanding people. From Mahatma Gandhi to Aretha Franklin, to Prince, Sánchez Vegara researches complex careers and makes them accessible to young children, with her unique and mindful style of writing. She works with a diverse team of illustrators to make each book lively, eye-catching and motivating. Working for more than fifteen years for clients in top advertising agencies, her books combine creativity with learning, aiming to establish a new and fresh relationship between children and pop culture. ​ Bàrbara Alca  is a young graphic designer, comic artist, and illustrator from Spain. Her clients include  The Guardian and Ruby Star magazine.