Frankie Liked to Sing

by John Seven, Jana Christy (Illustrator)

Overview

Frankie Liked to Sing celebrates the life of Frank Sinatra, whose iconic voice changed popular music forever and influenced generations of listeners all over the world. From his early days in Hoboken, New Jersey, to making it big in New York City, Sinatra was determined to follow his dream of being a singer and moving people with his voice. And now, one hundred years after his birth, his legacy lives on with this spirited and loving tribute.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419716447
Publisher:	Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	10/13/2015
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

John Seven and Jana Christy are a husband-and-wife, author-and-illustrator team. They are also the creators of A Year with Friends. They live in North Adams, Massachusetts, with their children. “That’s Life” is their favorite Frank Sinatra song.


John Seven and Jana Christy are a husband-and-wife, author-and-illustrator team. They are also the creators of A Year with Friends. They live in North Adams, Massachusetts, with their children. “That’s Life” is their favorite Frank Sinatra song.

Editorial Reviews

09/07/2015
Young Frank Sinatra wasn’t like other kids in his Hoboken, N.J., neighborhood: his mother “liked to dress him up fancy” in suits, and he sang constantly—in class, on the street, and while working. Inspired by seeing Bing Crosby perform, Sinatra took voice lessons, then began singing on the radio and recording. Seven gives a punchy overview of Sinatra’s rise to fame (“His voice could make a big tough guy cry. And could make a little guy feel big enough to ask a girl to dance”), while Christy’s illustrations have a light, flowing rhythm, as though echoing Sinatra’s crooning. A substantial endnote supplies additional autobiographical information. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Clearly a labor of love, Frankie Liked to Sing is a sweet introduction to the man behind the voice."

Booklist

"Clearly a labor of love, Frankie Liked to Sing is a sweet introduction to the man behind the voice."

Booklist

09/01/2015
Gr 1–3—This upbeat story of Frank Sinatra's early life emphasizes the value of drive and positive thinking. Frankie, as he is referred to, is described as a scrawny, less-than-stellar student, but the boy loved music and was willing to dream big. There are brief references to other musicians of the era who influenced Sinatra, such as Bing Crosby and Tommy Dorsey. Done in a pleasant palette of pastels and primary colors, the illustrations incorporate a balance of curving lines and geometric shapes, juxtaposing the buildings of Hoboken, NJ, with notes that indicate the flow of Sinatra's music. Christy's cartoon-style images feature jaunty hand-drawn lettering, which enriches the reading experience. The text focuses on Sinatra's youth and the moments that drove him to stardom. The thorough back matter includes a detailed author's note, which provides further insight into the singer's life, as well as a list of suggested tunes for young listeners making initial forays into Sinatra's music. VERDICT An enjoyable addition to the recent offerings of music-related picture book biographies.—Maggi Idzikowski, Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI

School Library Journal

2015-07-15
A picture-book biography of that legendary Jersey boy, Frank Sinatra. The lightly sketched, brightly hued images evoke both the style and spirit of their protagonist, from the 1920s and '30s through the '80s, bearing witness to the title, as in every image, the figure in the suit and fedora is singing. In this homage, the husband-and-wife author-and-illustrator team focuses on how much the Hoboken-born, Italian-American Frank Sinatra loved to sing, even from his earliest days, and how hard he worked in order to sing to more and more people. Brilliant small sketches of his album covers are sprinkled like jewels throughout the pages. Seven and Christy are also good at capturing how Sinatra's voice made his audiences feel: "When Frankie sang, girls screamed with excitement…because his singing made them burst with happiness." His fame in the movies and in recording is touched upon, although no mention is made of his marriages or the unsavory pieces of his life. But because the focus is on the power and influence of his voice, it works. There's even a list of a dozen songs the authors think children will especially love, including "High Hopes" and "Pocketful of Miracles." A remarkably successful lens into the life and career of one of the 20th century's formidable musical talents. (author's note, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews