Swing era music sets the stage in Swing Cafe for the beguiling tale of a Brazilian cricket who dreams of singing in New York City. Author Carl Norac’s storybook-music CD set weaves classic jazz recordings from the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington with a beautifully illustrated glossy book of magical prose.
Zaz, a Brazilian cricket with big dreams and an even bigger voice, dreams of moving to New York City to sing. She hitches a ride on a woman’s fruit hat and travels by boat to Manhattan. Zaz meets a fly named Buster who is hip to the music scene. Buster takes Zaz to the Swing Café on East 54th Street where they dance the night away. Zaz is inspired to take the stage and sing her little heart out.
The story, inspired by singer Carmen Miranda, is geared for kids in kindergarten through third grade. The poetic rhythm of the book was a little mature for my 4-year-old but he was so captivated by the music, the determination of Zaz and the surreal artwork that he didn’t complain. Zaz occasionally utters Portuguese phrases which challenged us both. Luckily for me he has no idea that I don’t speak or understand Portuguese. The complex text could be a great tool for parents looking to transition from picture books to chapter books.
The CD that comes with the book is a good introduction to jazz for little ones. There are snippets of songs woven throughout the storytelling portion of the disc. Seven of the songs are repeated in their entirety at the end of the CD. After reading about Zaz’s adventures I would put on the full-length songs and talk about the challenges and triumphs of the little cricket with my son.
The illustrations are worthy of a coffee table art book. Illustrator Rebecca Dautremer uses a mixture of painting and collage to bring you along on Zaz’s melodic journey. Dautremer uses surreal imagery to bring New York City to life. She imagines the Empire State Building sitting on top of a hydraulic lift and illustrates the boat that Zaz travels on as a folded newspaper.
I can’t wait until my kids are older and can really appreciate the story as much as I do.
Swing Cafe, $16.95, The Secret Mountain. Buy it on Amazon.
