Review by Booklist Review
This upbeat account of exuberant and innovative drummer Viola Smith is a lively newcomer to journalist and award-winning picture-book author Robbins' noteworthy collection of biographies of women pursuing big dreams with passion and persistence. From her early years touring the Midwest in a family orchestra of eight sisters, Viola's inventiveness and zeal propelled her to the pinnacle of artistry and acclaim as a twentieth-century percussionist. Smith's long life of curiosity and collaboration as a performer was punctuated by her persuasive WWII--era advocacy for women's acceptance as authentic professional musicians. As dynamic as Viola's drumming, Chapman's art vibrates with bright colors in retro palettes, with inventive compositions pulsating across the page and energetic hand-drawn words to amp up the rhythm. A note from the author, himself a trumpet player, enlarges on the rise of women as professional musicians in the last century, with a helpful glossary and resources. An engaging perspective on a vibrant life that inspires a reader to find her own unique beat.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Legendary jazz musician Viola Smith (1912--2020) gets a much-deserved spotlight in Robbins's ringing tribute. Onomatopoeic lines describe Smith's childhood exposure to drums as the youngest member of the Smith Sisters Orchestra, which traveled the U.S. Midwest ("Viola tried out a RAT-TAT-TAT on the snare. A BANG-BANG-BANG on the tom-tom"). Even after the group disbands, Smith's passion proves lifelong. Alliterative text highlights her asking other drummers for advice and her eventual prowess as "the fastest drummer," the formation of famed women's band the Coquettes, her door-opening wartime advocacy for female musicians, and more. Chapman's retro-style multimedia artwork snaps with vibrant color that captures the volume of Smith's music, and confetti and emanata celebrate the energy of her beats. Highlighting Smith's collaborative instincts, this profile offers a resounding reason to "clap your hands for Viola Smith!" An author's note and glossary conclude. Ages 7--9. (Mar.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--3--With endpapers of all the sticks and brushes one can use with a drum, this book opens right up to a promise that something fun and loud is about to happen. Then the title page appears where there are musical instruments and girls with curls. We see brushstrokes swirl, notes twirl, and sounds seem to rise from the paper. The book has not started, officially, but readers will be all in for the story of the Smith Sisters Orchestra: five strong, but they're considering adding a drummer--the sixth sister, Viola. She tries the snare, the tom-tom, the ride cymbal, and the hi-hats. She takes to the drums ferociously and the sisters entertain, adding two more siblings until they are eight sisters, traveling and performing across the Midwest in the 1920s. As the other sisters grow up and lose interest, Smith continues, always learning more, getting faster, playing through World War II, uplifting other female performers, and still drumming as a 100-year-old. As a biography, this captures the verve and brio of Smith's love for her art, delivering the facts with a rat-a-tat pace that parallels the life Robbins is covering. The pages are great fun; Chapman's expressive linework gives Smith's face an elasticity that always lets readers know what she's up to. It's practically a primer on drums and their parts. But our heroinr starts loud and ends loud. Every page is frenetic and there's no arc. Children will love the tumble through these pages, and then they'll be on to the next thing. VERDICT It's a gutsy biography that shouts to be loved, but it may be a very special one-time performance.--Ginnie Abbott
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Review by Horn Book Review
Sixth in line to choose an instrument in her family's band, Viola Smith (1912âe"2020) makes a life-changing decision when she picks the drums. At first her efforts result in a "terrible racket," but "Papa showed her the proper way to hold the sticks," and the Smith Sisters Orchestra makes its jazzy debut. Only thirteen and already touring the Midwest, Viola seeks "musical advice" from some of the greats and becomes "bolder, flashier, and faster." Even after her sisters step away from the stage in the 1930s, Viola leans into a life in music. Robbins's biography skillfully focuses on the pivotal moments in Smith's career: from her childhood in small-town Wisconsin to the formation of her own band, the Coquettes, to her classical timpani training. Chapman's upbeat illustrations create movement, sound, and emotion constantly swirling around "the fastest girl drummer in the world." With a decidedly mid-century feel, the art reverberates with Smith's active enthusiasm, with ripples from cymbals, starbursts from the bass drum, and twirling lines that trace the paths of her perpetually in-motion mallets. Robbins and Chapman collectively convey the vivacity and joy of this exceptional musician, and back matter further describes Smith's advocacy for women in music. Grace McKinney BeermannJanuary/February 2024 p.120 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Robbins and Chapman profile an extraordinary percussionist. Viola Smith wondered what instrument she could play in the Smith Sisters Orchestra along with her five siblings. She tried drums and cymbals and was hooked! After Papa taught her to hold the drumsticks properly, she joined her sisters as they played exuberant jazz tunes in his Wisconsin ballroom; patrons loved dancing to Viola's spitfire rhythms. Thirteen-year-old Viola sought other drummers' advice and drummed faster the more she practiced. In time, Viola's sisters stopped playing, but she carried on, anxious to play professionally--tough for a woman in the 1930s. To change minds about female musicians' abilities, Viola formed her own women's band. The group became renowned, and Viola was dubbed "the fastest girl drummer in the world." Wanting to help other female musicians, she wrote a magazine article when World War II started, encouraging big-name bands to hire women to replace servicemen. Viola herself performed with world-class bands and drummers. She started a solo act and played with symphony orchestras. Viola Smith was still drumming at age 100! Pulsing with energy, this lively book shines a much-deserved spotlight on an artist who became renowned playing an instrument most commonly associated with men. Appropriately, onomatopoeic words representing the sounds of drum crashes cavort playfully throughout the eye-popping watercolor, gouache, cut-paper, and digital illustrations. Bang the drums--loudly--for this arresting account of a gifted virtuoso. (author's note, musical terms, resources) (Informational picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
