If I Only Had a Horn: Young Louis Armstrong

By Roxane Orgill

Book Overview

Roxane Orgill's vivid words and Leonard Jenkins's dramatic pictures combine to tell the story of a boy who grew up to be a giant of jazz - the legendary and beloved Louis Armstrong. As a poor boy in New Orleans, where music was everywhere - dancing out of doorways, singing on streetcorners, crying from the cornet of the great Joe Oliver for all to hear - Louis longed for a horn so that he too could sing, bring home pennies, and, most of all, tap happy-feet blues till the sun rose. It wasn't going to be easy. Many things, not all of them good, had to happen before he got his horn. But when at last he did, he sent music spiraling up into the New Orleans night sky like a spinning top gone crazy.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395759196
• ISBN13: 9780395759196
• Release Date: September 1997
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.3" x 10.0"
• Age Range: 4 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

A First Look at Louis Armstrong

I am a music teacher in an elementary school where there are many cultures represented. I wanted to add to my collection of stories for children, using February and Black History Month as the backdrop and music as the subject matter. One of the books that met this need was "If I Only Had a Horn: Young Louis Armstrong". The book sheds light on the hardships Louis had as a child and his love of music. It is candid in telling why he was sent to a boy's home (without getting too serious) and how he had to learn patience to earn his horn. The pictures are expressive and my students thoroughly enjoyed the story. I added some recordings to complete the lesson, especially "Dippermouth Blues" which gets it's name from a nickname of his as a child; and that is mentioned in the book. I used this for grades 3-5 and my students enjoyed it, learned about Louis as a boy and how he overcame many troubles for the love of his music. It is a welcome addition to my children's collection.

Louis plays the cornet

This book is a bit long for younger children, but works well for 3-4th graders. If you paraphrase the wording, it might work better to keep the kids' attention. I teach music classes and found this helped the students. There is a part of book that says Louis fired his Uncle's gun off in the street for New Years, so we had to discuss why it was dangerous to do that. Luckily, the book also describes Louis' getting caught by the police in the act. This is a touching story which I hope is true. I'm not sure whether it is or not, but the end is very moving and my students were engaged by it.

Excellent picture book biography of the jazz musician.

One of the best picture book biographies I've seen, the rich text and earthy pictures evoke the soul of the jazz artist, pictured here as a boy. A lovely introduction to a jazz master for very young readers from six years and older.