What a Wonderful World

May 1, 1995
Taking the title of his entertaining memoir from a song he co-wrote for Louis Armstrong, record producer Thiele, aided by record executive and producer Golden, reminisces about his long career in the popular-music world. Having founded several private labels (the first in 1939, when he was 17) and been an executive at major recording companies, he knows almost everyone in the business, and anecdotes abound. Thiele describes battles with corporate bosses who wouldn't acknowledge such discoveries as Buddy Holly and the Crickets; the idiosyncrasies of stars he has recorded, among them Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Judy Garland, Johnny Mercer and Charlie Mingus; making a recording of Jack Kerouac reading his poetry; and numerous encounters with volatile personalities in the fast-paced record industry. He prides himself on making recordings of music he likes, not because he thinks they will be big sellers.

February 27, 1995
Launching off from the lyrics immortalized by Louis Armstrong, Bryan (The Story of Thunder and Lightning) spins a utopian confection of racial harmony and collaboration. The song extols the pleasures of this ``wonderful world'': ``I hear babies cry, I watch them grow./ They'll learn much more than I'll ever know,/ and I think to myself, `What a wonderful world.'" Bryan illustrates the lyrics by means of a puppet show performed by a cross-cultural group of children and a smiling black man with a trumpet (presiding adults will have to identify the figure as Armstrong; there's not even an explanatory note in the book). Fittingly, Bryan's gouache and tempera paints are as bright and varied as a rainbow, but even with the lyrics they don't tell a coherent story. Bursting with its upbeat message, this seems like a picture-book cross between ``Up with People'' and ``It's a Small World.'' Ages 4-8.

January 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 2-As a tribute to a favorite song, made famous by Louis Armstrong, Hopgood has illustrated the lyrics in a candy-colored retro fashion reminiscent of the It's a Small World ride at Disneyland. Unlike Ashley Bryan's version, with its emphasis on multicultural community, this book features a lone, olive-skinned boy who bonds with nature. A blue bird accompanies him on his adventures among friendly animals, lovely landscapes, and just a few children of varying skin tones. Although a recording is not included, the pacing of page turns will work well when paired with Armstrong's singing. The large trim size evokes the generosity of spirit of the song itself. A solid addition to most collections.-Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2015
Preschool-G Hopgood interprets this beloved ballad, written by Thiele and Weiss and made famous by Louis Armstrong. His colorful mixed-media collages present a hopeful world, filled with summery trees, sunny blue skies, and pastoral scenes from around the globe. The protagonist is an unnamed child who tours the world on foot, by hot-air balloon, astride an elephant, and submerged under the sea. Sometimes he encounters other diverse children, but mostly he is alone with nature. Additionally, musical notes float across the spreads, signaling the text's musical origins. Although Hopgood appends the words to this song and a note about Armstrong's connection to it, no music or recording is included here. Libraries already using Ashley Bryan's What A Wonderful World (1995)which brings Armstrong into the text as children put on a puppet show for himmay want to stick with it, but Hopgood's version makes an upbeat story hour selection, especially when paired with an Armstrong recording.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)