Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe

“Ella and Marilyn. On the outside, you couldn’t find two girls who looked more different. But on the inside, they were alike—full of hopes and dreams, and plans of what might be.” Readers may blanch at this opener, which appears above an illustration of the two women, but the story that follows embodies allyship. Monroe idolized Fitzgerald, studying her albums to learn how to sing in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Afterward, Monroe thanked Fitzgerald for her help and used her star power to persuade a prejudiced nightclub manager to give Fitzgerald a career-changing engagement and secure for herself roles that better reflected her intellectual sensibilities. In the extensive author’s note, Kirkfield (Sweet Dreams, Sarah) quotes Fitzgerald: “Marilyn was an unusual woman. A little ahead of her times.” Simple but effective text is supported by Harris’s realistic scenes, which have a stylized, digital gloss. Ages 4–8. [em](Jan.) [/em]