Swing Sisters ─ The Story of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm

In 1909 Dr. Laurence Clifton Jones opened a special home for African American orphans in Mississippi called Piney Woods Country Life School. There, students worked hard on their studies, and no one worked harder than the young musicians who played in the Sweethearts, the school's all-girl swing band. Their music had rhythms and melodies that got people dancing! When the Sweethearts left Piney Woods, they moved to Washington, D.C., to try to make it to the big-time. It wasn't always easy, and it wasn't always safe, but the talented Sweethearts of Rhythm ultimately became an international sensation. Joe Cepeda's exuberant illustrations celebrate these brave musicians who chipped away at racist and sexist barriers, and whose music reminded audiences how great it feels to be alive.

Karen Deans has worked as a journalist and is also a muralist, illustrator, fine artist, and entrepreneur. She lives in the Washington, D.C., area with her husband and three children.