Django

Gr 2–5—Bonnie Christensen's heartwarming true story (Flash Point, 2009) about Django Reinhardt, a Gypsy boy who became a famous jazz guitarist and overcame adversity, is written in lyrical prose. The inspiring story covers Django's birth in Belgium in 1910 and his family's nomadic lifestyle. Music, however, was a constant thread throughout his young life. After being abandoned by his father, Django moved to Paris where he played his banjo-guitar on street corners and in dance halls. In 1929, when he was nearly at the height of his career, tragedy struck and his left hand was badly burned. His prognosis was bleak and doctors thought that he would never be able to play the guitar again. But with unwavering fortitude and will, Django learned how to play using only the fingers on his left hand and made a triumphant return to the music world. Christensen's gorgeous impressionistic oil paintings and free verse text take students into the flamboyant world of gypsies in 1920 Paris. George Guidall's pleasing narration is accompanied by appropriate sound effects and beautiful jazz guitar music. An inspirational tale well told.—Caitlyn Walsh, Fayetteville Public Library, Fayetteville, AR