What do you think?
Rate this book
Make a Pretty Sound: A Story of Ella Jenkins―The First Lady of Children's Music
Once upon a time, children's music was just Mother Goose, nursery songs, and lullabies. And then came Ella Jenkins.
Ella Jenkins is an American folk singer and living legend dubbed “The First Lady of Children’s Music.” For nearly 70 years, she has been writing and performing music that has entertained and engaged generations of young listeners. In Make a Pretty Song, Ella’s life and legacy are captured in vibrant sights, sounds, and stories that leap right off the page.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, and raised in Chicago, Ella grew up loving music of all kinds—the call-and-response of Cab Calloway, the exciting rhythms of Moroccan and Indian records spun in a local record shop, the bluesy notes her uncle teased from his harmonica. She listened to music from around the world, and no matter what language it was in, she could feel what it meant—the bridge in understanding and feeling that music offers from one heart to another.
When she began working with children, she knew just what to do. She knew music would offer children a kinetic learning experience that engaged them physically, verbally, and empathetically, creating community out of song. Soon, she was recording her own albums and became an international star.
In these beautifully illustrated pages, Ella’s journey—from the gritty streets of Chicago to the classrooms where she found her calling to an opportunity to raise her voice for freedom alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., to the spotlight of the world’s stage—is rhythmically, joyfully, brilliantly illuminated. For readers familiar with Ella Jenkins or new to her work, this nonfiction picture book offers a treasury of inspiration that touches on American history, civil rights, cultural awareness, and the incredible power of music.
Ella Jenkins is an American folk singer and living legend dubbed “The First Lady of Children’s Music.” For nearly 70 years, she has been writing and performing music that has entertained and engaged generations of young listeners. In Make a Pretty Song, Ella’s life and legacy are captured in vibrant sights, sounds, and stories that leap right off the page.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, and raised in Chicago, Ella grew up loving music of all kinds—the call-and-response of Cab Calloway, the exciting rhythms of Moroccan and Indian records spun in a local record shop, the bluesy notes her uncle teased from his harmonica. She listened to music from around the world, and no matter what language it was in, she could feel what it meant—the bridge in understanding and feeling that music offers from one heart to another.
When she began working with children, she knew just what to do. She knew music would offer children a kinetic learning experience that engaged them physically, verbally, and empathetically, creating community out of song. Soon, she was recording her own albums and became an international star.
In these beautifully illustrated pages, Ella’s journey—from the gritty streets of Chicago to the classrooms where she found her calling to an opportunity to raise her voice for freedom alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., to the spotlight of the world’s stage—is rhythmically, joyfully, brilliantly illuminated. For readers familiar with Ella Jenkins or new to her work, this nonfiction picture book offers a treasury of inspiration that touches on American history, civil rights, cultural awareness, and the incredible power of music.
60 pages, Hardcover
Published January 7, 2025
67 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 28, 2025
Calling it: pretty certain this book will be my most favorite book to come out in 2025 (and if not the top, definitely top 3).
The rhythmic poetry of this book, the sounds it brings, the immense heart it has--this is art. Traci N. Todd's words flow like music and is such perfection. Eleanor Davis' illustrations have such a tight color palette that it's stunning to look at. Damn this book. Hooray for Ella Jenkins and the power of music, and the importance of music with kids. We'll sing a song together.
The rhythmic poetry of this book, the sounds it brings, the immense heart it has--this is art. Traci N. Todd's words flow like music and is such perfection. Eleanor Davis' illustrations have such a tight color palette that it's stunning to look at. Damn this book. Hooray for Ella Jenkins and the power of music, and the importance of music with kids. We'll sing a song together.
January 6, 2025
This rhythmic picture book biography celebrates the life of Ella Jenkins, known as "the first lady of children's music." It features bold, vibrant illustrations that complement the joyful tone of her songs, which not only entertained but also taught cultural awareness to children beginning in the 1950s.. The book includes detailed endpapers with a timeline of Ella's life, highlighting key historical events that influenced her music. It’s an engaging read-aloud for children of all ages and offers a wonderful introduction to her contributions and the study of music and cultural history. I’m adding Ella’s inspiring story to my collection of biographies of powerful women in history.
November 13, 2024
It’s rare for me to share a book that hasn’t been published yet, but Ella Jenkins’s recent death made me want to share this book with you. Even though you won’t find it on shelves until January, you can pre-order and have it delivered right to your door.
You may be familiar with Ella Jenkins’s most popular children’s song, “You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song“. Jenkins is known as the First Lady of Children’s Music. Jenkins died just last week, November 9, 2024, at the age of 100.
With a bit of history, civil rights, cultural diversity, and an appreciation for music, kids will learn about how music was important to Ella Jenkins. Ella Jenkins wasn’t just interested in music, she was also a table tennis champion. After being told she couldn’t whistle or couldn’t play, she defied the naysayers and did it anyway. She found ways to teach the children about music by adding words to the music they made.
Ella Jenkins traveled all over the world to bring music to the children. They begged her to sing them a song and to come back again and again. Ella Jenkins’s legacy of music will live on for years to come. A more detailed biography of Ella Jenkins is included at the end of the book. A full-page illustrated foldout of Ella Jenkins gathered with children singing and playing music is such a happy illustration. The inside covers of the book include a timeline of Ella’s life with a replica of her record. I’m sad Ella won’t be here to celebrate the publishing of this children’s book about her life, but I know that she is singing along with us while we sing her songs.
Check out my website for a Spotify playlist of her songs: https://www.sincerelystacie.com/2024/...
You may be familiar with Ella Jenkins’s most popular children’s song, “You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song“. Jenkins is known as the First Lady of Children’s Music. Jenkins died just last week, November 9, 2024, at the age of 100.
With a bit of history, civil rights, cultural diversity, and an appreciation for music, kids will learn about how music was important to Ella Jenkins. Ella Jenkins wasn’t just interested in music, she was also a table tennis champion. After being told she couldn’t whistle or couldn’t play, she defied the naysayers and did it anyway. She found ways to teach the children about music by adding words to the music they made.
Ella Jenkins traveled all over the world to bring music to the children. They begged her to sing them a song and to come back again and again. Ella Jenkins’s legacy of music will live on for years to come. A more detailed biography of Ella Jenkins is included at the end of the book. A full-page illustrated foldout of Ella Jenkins gathered with children singing and playing music is such a happy illustration. The inside covers of the book include a timeline of Ella’s life with a replica of her record. I’m sad Ella won’t be here to celebrate the publishing of this children’s book about her life, but I know that she is singing along with us while we sing her songs.
Check out my website for a Spotify playlist of her songs: https://www.sincerelystacie.com/2024/...
June 18, 2025
First sentence: Amid the blare and bleat
of taxicabs,
the screech of high-up trains,
the tambourines that ring
as preachers preach
and choirs sing--
amid the pool hall-gritty
beat of the city
a little girl named
Ella whistles with
the birds.
Little girls
shouldn't
whistle,
her mother says.
But ella wants
to make
a prety
sound.
Premise/plot: Make a Pretty Sound is a picture book biography of Ella Jenkins. It is written as a narrative poem. The rhythm of it WORKS. (I love it when that happens.) When writing about musicians, it is almost essential that attention is given to the narrative style, to getting the rhythm just right. So this picture book is the story of her life and her work. She is best known for her children's music. (I, for one, remember her appearances on MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD.)
My thoughts: I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend that if you are going to take the time to read a picture book biography of a musician, in this case, Ella Jenkins, you take the time to introduce children to the MUSIC as well. Take time to listen to some of Ella Jenkins' albums, or songs at least.
I enjoyed the narrative text. I enjoyed the illustrations. I appreciated listening to her music. (YT for the win!)
of taxicabs,
the screech of high-up trains,
the tambourines that ring
as preachers preach
and choirs sing--
amid the pool hall-gritty
beat of the city
a little girl named
Ella whistles with
the birds.
Little girls
shouldn't
whistle,
her mother says.
But ella wants
to make
a prety
sound.
Premise/plot: Make a Pretty Sound is a picture book biography of Ella Jenkins. It is written as a narrative poem. The rhythm of it WORKS. (I love it when that happens.) When writing about musicians, it is almost essential that attention is given to the narrative style, to getting the rhythm just right. So this picture book is the story of her life and her work. She is best known for her children's music. (I, for one, remember her appearances on MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD.)
My thoughts: I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend that if you are going to take the time to read a picture book biography of a musician, in this case, Ella Jenkins, you take the time to introduce children to the MUSIC as well. Take time to listen to some of Ella Jenkins' albums, or songs at least.
I enjoyed the narrative text. I enjoyed the illustrations. I appreciated listening to her music. (YT for the win!)
January 6, 2025
Amid the blare and bleat
of taxicabs,
the screech of high-up trains,
the tambourines that ring
as preachers preach
and choirs sing--
amid the pool hall-gritty
beat of the city
a little girl named
Ella whistles with
the birds.
BEAUTIFUL. With charming illustrations and rich-vocabulary, this book is sure to engage students in learning about the amazing Ella Jenkins, the First Lady of Children's Music (who passed away at 100 years old in November 2024).
RECOMMEND READING ALOUD in grades k-2 and even 3rd grade. Find a You Tube video of Ella Jenkins singing you'll sing a song and I'll sing a song for the students to sing along with - before or after reading. Pull out some instruments or anything that "makes a pretty sound" and just ENJOY learning about this amazing individual with your students. Leave this book in the library to be picked up again and again.
of taxicabs,
the screech of high-up trains,
the tambourines that ring
as preachers preach
and choirs sing--
amid the pool hall-gritty
beat of the city
a little girl named
Ella whistles with
the birds.
BEAUTIFUL. With charming illustrations and rich-vocabulary, this book is sure to engage students in learning about the amazing Ella Jenkins, the First Lady of Children's Music (who passed away at 100 years old in November 2024).
RECOMMEND READING ALOUD in grades k-2 and even 3rd grade. Find a You Tube video of Ella Jenkins singing you'll sing a song and I'll sing a song for the students to sing along with - before or after reading. Pull out some instruments or anything that "makes a pretty sound" and just ENJOY learning about this amazing individual with your students. Leave this book in the library to be picked up again and again.
April 19, 2025
This is a rollicking picture book, kids just everywhere, banging drums, whistling, tooting. So much energy and life, I almost forgot I was reading a biography about one single person. I recall Ms. Jenkins was alive when this book was in production, and now she's among the ancestors. This impressive work by Traci N. Todd makes a good start on celebrating her legacy. Hope to see more tributes in the future.
I bought a copy for a friend who grew up an enthusiastic student of Charity Bailey, a music educator pioneer who I guess was Ella Jenkins's spiritual-musical 'cousin' --with Ella in Chicago and Charity in NYC.
I bought a copy for a friend who grew up an enthusiastic student of Charity Bailey, a music educator pioneer who I guess was Ella Jenkins's spiritual-musical 'cousin' --with Ella in Chicago and Charity in NYC.
February 16, 2025
This is a 5 plus kind of book. Not only for the homage to Ella Jenkings showing in such amazing designed pages and artwork her entire life chronologically. She had her time in Chicago, adding to the history of the city. I love the use of colors but also the design of the dynamic font, making it part of the art. It has double pages that unfold into larger ones. Great surprise. I want to frame some of these pages as individual paintings. It's very inspiring but also filled with educational facts and information, and history.
June 18, 2025
Many thanks to author Traci N. Todd for writing this book which highlights a somewhat elusive Ella Jenkins as an American hero! To me, Ella Jenkins is one of our country's most important heroes! Imagine that, a woman, a black woman, a talented musician woman, a woman intrigued by and filled with joy for children as a hero! This children's and adult genre book is a beautiful story of hero, Ella Jenkins. It is a must read for anyone intrigued by and filled with joy for children. Read it for yourself and read it with a child!
February 6, 2025
Little birds learn to fly! I can be honest and say I don't know much about Ms. Ella Jenkins, but this picturebook has inspired me to do some research. A colorful book with pictures that just feel like home with odes to locations, characters, and sights we as Black people hold dear.
February 12, 2025
This was such a lovely book! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the illustrations in this one with their fun limited color palette and the expressive and diverse way different people are depicted. Ella Jenkins is also such a wonderful person that I knew nothing about before reading this!
April 8, 2025
Beautifully illustrated story of Ella Jenkins, her music, her community involvement, her part in the struggle for civil rights! I had not heard of Ms. Jenkins before reading this book. I really loved it!
April 20, 2025
What a pearl of a book. I love the illustrations and the timber of the telling. And it helps that it’s about Ella Jenkins—a gift to us all. Lovely book. It’s a bit too long for a read aloud. Maybe in a couple sittings. It’s another book for a music classroom or elementary school library.
June 25, 2025
A fantastic story/timeline about Ella Jenkins and her inspiring influence on children’s music and education. I adore stories that highlight women whose deeds aren’t as well known and this one is such a perfect example of that. Thank You, Ella!
August 8, 2025
I had no idea Ella Jenkins was considered “The First Lady of Children’s Music.” I love it when a kidlit biography teaches me incredible things about people I’ve heard of but not really studied.
Great use of end pages for timeline of her life.
Author’s Note
Great use of end pages for timeline of her life.
Author’s Note
March 17, 2025
Great artwork by Eleanor Davis. Some of the best of her career.
May 15, 2025
Fascinating story of a woman about whom I'd like to learn more.
July 29, 2025
Beautifully written.
October 19, 2025
Very well done biography with lovely illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews