Karen Deans is the author of Playing to Win: The Story of Althea
Gibson, illustrated by Elbrite Brown. She is also an artist whose
favorite medium is oil paint on panel. Ms. Deans lives with her
husband and three children in the Washington DC area.
Joe Cepeda is an award-winning illustrator of more than twenty
books for children. He lives in Southern California with his wife
and their son.
"The infectious joy of swing music comes across nicely . . .
Cepeda's colorful and richly textured full-bleed acrylic-and-oil
paintings match the mostly upbeat mood . . . An appealing and
informative composition"—Kirkus Reviews
"Deans's text shines a light on the racial, social, and gender
boundaries the band crossed, while emphasizing the bond of
sisterhood that these girls created because of their talent, mutual
struggle, and love of swing. . . . Cepeda's oil and acrylic paint
illustrations . . . appear as if they might reverberate off the
page at any moment."—School Library Journal
"A heartening tribute to a group of pioneering, dedicated
musicians."—Publishers Weekly
"More than just a history of the band, this takes on a larger
picture, including Jim Crow laws and how the Sweethearts helped
break down both gender and racial barriers. . . . An appealing
piece of American history."—Booklist
California Reading Association Eureka! Gold Award Winner
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
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