Becoming Billie Holiday
by Carole Boston Weatherford

    BECOMING BILLIE HOLIDAY by Carole Boston Weatherford
    Art by:  Floyd Cooper
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  10/2008
    Publisher:  Wordsong
    Reviewed by:  Julie M. Prince
    Rating:  5 Stars


    Billie Holiday does not have a happy life story. After all, she sang the blues for a reason. A biography written in
    verse seems only appropriate for a woman who lived her life in song -- whose only reliable escape was via music.

    Weatherford uses Holiday songs as poem titles throughout the book, which, in addition to the first person
    perspective, serves to bring the reader close to the narrative. While the story of Holiday's life is disturbing,
    Weatherford does a fantastic job of pulling readers in for an occasional close-up, and in giving them much-needed
    distance -- room to breathe.

    Subtlety is key, and both author and artist seem to realize the delicate balance.  

    Floyd Cooper used a subtractive technique for the gorgeous illustrations, meaning he used erasers to make shapes
    and then enhanced them with mixed media. The heavily textured, sepia tones flow seamlessly into the verse.

    Then we have the book itself, smooth to the touch, but grainy and old school. Billie Holiday all over. This publisher,
    Wordsong, created a perfect marriage of author & artist, then packaged the work brilliantly in a book for the ages.