This Caldecott Honor book has the most beautiful black and white illustrations of musicians from the jazz era and a little boy who imagines himself playing the trumpet with them. The illustrations capture the feeling of jazz music and African American jazz musicians and the city, probably New York City, where its origins lie. Rachel Isadora was a professional ballet dancer in her youth before a foot injury redirected her interests into art and illustration. I think because of that experience as a dancer she has a feel for music and for the souls of musicians. That feeling comes through in the artwork in Ben’s Trumpet.

The story is rather simple. Ben, a young Black boy in the city loves to listen to the music coming from the Zig Zag Jazz Club near his home. He especially loves the trumpet, and he imagines that he is playing his own trumpet. When the other boys make fun of him and tell him that he doesn’t have a real trumpet, Ben is embarrassed and quits playing his imaginary trumpet. But the trumpeter from the Zig Zag Jazz Club comes to the rescue and becomes Ben’s mentor.

A few of the pictures in the book didn’t bother me, but might offend some. The men in the jazz club and in Ben’s family are shown with cigarettes and alcohol and playing cards, presumably gambling. And Ben’s naked baby brother sits on the couch in one picture, full frontal nudity. But he’s a baby, and babies do sometimes run around naked.

I am told that there is an audio version of this picture book that includes musical interludes and accompaniment appropriate to the story. The audiobook would probably enhance the reading of the book, but the illustrations are not to be missed. So ideally you should purchase and read both together.

Two of my favorite pictures from the book: