Jazz Owls
A Novel of the Zoot Suit Riots
Published on 8. May 2018
Book
Hardback
192 pages
978-1-5344-0943-9 (ISBN)
Description
From the Young People's Poet Laureate Margarita Engle comes a searing novel in verse about the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943.
Thousands of young Navy sailors are pouring into Los Angeles on their way to the front lines of World War II. They are teenagers, scared, longing to feel alive before they have to face the horrors of battle. Hot jazz music spiced with cool salsa rhythms calls them to dance with the local Mexican American girls, who jitterbug all night before working all day in the canneries. Proud to do their part for the war effort, these Jazz Owl girls are happy to dance with the sailors-until the blazing summer night when racial violence leads to murder.
Suddenly the young white sailors are attacking these girls' brothers and boyfriends. The cool, loose zoot suits they wear are supposedly the reason for the violence-when in reality these boys are viciously beaten and arrested simply because of the color of their skin.
In soaring images and powerful poems, this is the breathtaking story of what became known as the Zoot Suit Riots as only Margarita Engle could tell it.
Thousands of young Navy sailors are pouring into Los Angeles on their way to the front lines of World War II. They are teenagers, scared, longing to feel alive before they have to face the horrors of battle. Hot jazz music spiced with cool salsa rhythms calls them to dance with the local Mexican American girls, who jitterbug all night before working all day in the canneries. Proud to do their part for the war effort, these Jazz Owl girls are happy to dance with the sailors-until the blazing summer night when racial violence leads to murder.
Suddenly the young white sailors are attacking these girls' brothers and boyfriends. The cool, loose zoot suits they wear are supposedly the reason for the violence-when in reality these boys are viciously beaten and arrested simply because of the color of their skin.
In soaring images and powerful poems, this is the breathtaking story of what became known as the Zoot Suit Riots as only Margarita Engle could tell it.
Reviews / Votes
"A riveting, wonderfully researched novel." -- Matt de la Pena, Newbery Winner *"Readers will be cheering for the jazz owls to be able to not only dance, but to overcome racism. A quick read perfect for history buffs, dance enthusiasts, poets, and just about anyone looking for a great story." -- School Library Journal, Starred Review "A fast-paced narrative . . . Engle pieces together a volatile episode in history, filled with love, loss, and coming-of-age stories within a Mexican American family at a time of racial strife." -- Booklist * "A beautifully written work of historical fiction. Engle incorporates evocative poetry and multiple viewpoints to create a well-rounded narrative. She seamlessly weaves themes of culture, race relations, and working conditions together." -- VOYA, Starred Review "Offers a look at a seldom-represented moment in U.S. history. . . . The free verse brings us inside the characters' heads, allowing us to feel Ray's indignation at racial violence and to understand Lorena's politicization as she connects her experiences of injustice to organizing for better working conditions." -- The Horn Book "Voices of the siblings and their elders are convincingly realized . . . Gutierrez's black and white artwork graces chapter breaks with elegantly fluid interpretations of events." -- BCCBMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Simon & Schuster
Target group
Young adult
US School Grade: Seventh Grade and over, Interest Age: From 12 to 99 years
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
f-c jacket (spfx: embossing, spot gloss) soft touch lam; b&w int illus.
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 147 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
272 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5344-0943-9 (9781534409439)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
05/2018
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
€8.89
Available for download
Persons
Margarita Engle is the Cuban American author of many books including the verse novels Rima's Rebellion; Your Heart, My Sky; With a Star in My Hand; The Surrender Tree, a Newbery Honor winner; The Lightning Dreamer; and Wild Dreamers, a Pura Belpre Young Adult Author Honor book. Her verse memoirs include Soaring Earth and Enchanted Air, which received the Pura Belpre Award, a Walter Dean Myers Award Honor, and was a finalist for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, among others. Her picture books include Drum Dream Girl, Dancing Hands, and The Flying Girl. Visit her at MargaritaEngle.com.
Rudy Gutierrez is an award-winning illustrator whose works have earned him a Pura Belpre Honor, Americas Book Award, Africana Book Award, and a New York Book Award. He was born in the Bronx and now lives in New Jersey.
Rudy Gutierrez is an award-winning illustrator whose works have earned him a Pura Belpre Honor, Americas Book Award, Africana Book Award, and a New York Book Award. He was born in the Bronx and now lives in New Jersey.