Come and join best-selling author and illustrator Helen Hancocks in making colourful retro record sleeves to celebrate 100 years since the birth of amazing American singer Ella Fitzgerald.

 

Helen will also perform a live illustration, plus a short reading and chat about the book and its themes, Helen's book is about an inspiring true story of how a remarkable friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe was born - and how they worked together to overcome prejudice and adversity.

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The Bookseller

"This is wonderful … steeped in the glitz and glamour of 1950s Hollywood, the power of female friendship overcomes prejudice."

 

Booktrust

"The illustrations' glorious ice-cream colours and bold jazzy shapes ooze retro glamour in this story of two incredible women: their friendship, their talent and their determination to fight prejudice."

 

Daily Express

"Ella Queen of Jazz is a captivating tale of music, friendship and courage. Published to mark the centenary of Ella Fitzgerald's birth, it charts the life of the legendary singer, from her battle to overcome prejudice to her little-known friendship with Marilyn Monroe. Written by Helen Hancocks and aimed at children of four and up, it's bound to inspire a new generation of Ella fans."

 

Irish Times

"Hancock’s language sings with the cadence of African American idioms, and the vivid colour pallette and varied typographical styles help to make each nightclub set look different. The story, meanwhile, reaches beyond feminist empowerment to illuminate a broader appeal to equality, and the final page emphasises the importance of friendship: a refreshingly achievable ideal."