Baby Flo

Gr 3–5—Mills started singing for others at the age of three in Goat Alley, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Washington, DC, as she made laundry deliveries with her mother. Her dancing won many contests by the time she was six: she was a darling of the city's elite and her name was in lights at the local Bijou Theater by the time she was seven. Little Florence's beginning years as a performer are highlighted here as she enchanted those who admired her fast-flying feet and ability to sing popular favorites with unfettered joy. Narrative text set in a rather small font includes exuberant dialogue as soft watercolor scenes from full-page spreads to small portraits reveal the love on the faces of her family and impromptu audiences. This brief memoir traces Baby Florence's steps as she grows in size and confidence from the beaming smiles of her cakewalk to church or her bubbling energy in a simple shuffle-ball-change step. Maturing at the height of the Jazz Age, Mills was beloved by top entertainers of her age: Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, Paul Robeson, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, and Charlie Chaplin. An author's note is enhanced by photos of the adult Mills and commentary about her successes—her singing and dancing in the U.S. and abroad, her "flair for comedy"-and her tragic death at age 31 from tuberculosis. An accessible biography of a prominent Jazz Age personality.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX