J Is for Judy: Classic Hollywood's Leading Ladies from A to Z

by John Robert Allman, Peter Emmerich (Illustrator)

Overview

From Audrey Hepburn to Zsa Zsa Gabor, here is a star-studded alphabet book featuring the greatest ladies of the classic era of American movies. Brought to you by the creators of A Is for Audra and B Is for Broadway.

Grab your popcorn and find your seat for a star-studded celebration of the most iconic women of the silver screen, including Judy Garland, Rita Moreno, Marilyn Monroe, and Hattie McDaniel. Here’s your ticket to meet over fifty fabulous female film stars, plus trailblazing talent from behind the camera.

Packed with Hollywood history, spellbinding scenes, captivating costumes, and sparkling sets, this glittering, glamorous tribute to the groundbreaking women of Hollywood’s golden age is sure to earn raves from film fans young and old. Roll out the red carpet for J Is for Judy!

Also available:
A Is for Audra: Broadway's Leading Ladies from A to Z
B Is for Broadway: Onstage and Backstage from A to Z

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593565209
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	10/03/2023
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	48
File size:	17 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

JOHN ROBERT ALLMAN lives in New York City, where is works in television marketing. He is the author of A Is for Audra, B Is for Broadway, J Is for Judy, and three picture books with American Ballet Theatre: Boys Dance!, B Is for Ballet, and The Night Before the Nutcracker. John is a graduate of Northwestern University, NYU's Stern School of Business, and BMI's Musical Theatre Workshop. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @Johnny_Allman.

PETER EMMERICH is the acclaimed illustrator of A Is for Audra, B Is for Broadway, and J Is for Judy. He has worked with DreamWorks and the Walt Disney Company, for which he illustrated the U.S. Postal Service's "Art of Disney" stamp series. Peter is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology. Follow him on Instagram at @peteremmerich.

Editorial Reviews

"Perfect for an adult old-movie buff to share with a younger friend."—Kirkus Reviews

"Continues the magic found in A Is for Audra and B Is for Broadway. . . . Each page is a work of art that could stand alone as an homage to the featured actress. . . . A fun new addition for the biography section."—School Library Journal

"Included among the 'classic leading ladies' are such lesser-known figures as Lupe Vélez and Miyoshi Umeki, and helpful endnotes detail movies that the subjects appeared in. . . . a fun browse."—Booklist

From the Publisher

09/01/2023

K-Gr 4—Allman and Emmerich's latest collaboration continues the magic found in A Is for Audra and B Is for Broadway. This newest book focuses on the early leading ladies of the silver screen. Incorporated throughout are actresses like Joan Crawford, Rita Moreno, and Judy Garland, as well as women who worked behind the scenes as directors, producers, and cinematographers. Women of color, including Hattie McDaniel and Anna May Wong, are also highlighted. While following the format of an alphabet book, the text takes a few liberties by using last names or the word "experts" for X, but that does not take away from the joy and flow of the book. The caricature art lends a sophisticated whimsy to the simple text. Each page is a work of art that could stand alone as an homage to the featured actress. Younger readers will enjoy the illustrations and simple text. Older readers will love digging deeper into the lives of new-to-them actresses through the brief biographies in the back and the suggested movies in the descriptions on each page. VERDICT A fun new addition for the biography section; purchase where the previous books are popular.—V. Lynn Christiansen

School Library Journal

2023-07-26
The team behind A Is for Audra (2019) returns with an alphabet book devoted to female movie stars from Hollywood’s golden age.

“A is for Audrey, a sudden sensation / when she played a princess in Rome on vacation.” The opening lines of this work are accompanied by an image of a fresh-faced Audrey Hepburn smiling from a Vespa, muted scenes of the city in the background. Pages of rhythmic, rhyming accolades follow as Allman introduces performers such as Carmen Miranda, Hattie McDaniel, and Zsa Zsa Gabor. Some letters refer to several actors (“D is for Debbie and Donna and Doris, / the dynamite Dorothy, and dazzling Dolores”). Most subjects are depicted wearing costumes from famous film roles. The colorful, stylized art achieves likeness without ever resorting to caricature. Each woman’s full name, a movie role, and that movie’s date appear in a small font toward the bottom of the page. Cleverly, the letter X refers to behind-the-scenes “eXperts,” such as editor Barbara McLean and costume designer Edith Head. Endnotes offer more information but not enough for a 21st-century child reading this alone. Kids will likely have questions. Just for starters: Who was Alfred Hitchcock? What is Grauman’s Chinese Theatre? Nonetheless, it’s a slick, enjoyable package. Kudos to Allman for rhyming aquatic with hypnotic to describe swimmer-turned-actor Esther Williams. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Perfect for an adult old-movie buff to share with a younger friend. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews