Flora and the Jazzers
Author: Astrid Sheckels
Illustrator: Astrid Sheckels
7 October 2025
Waxwing Books
40 pages
Book description from Goodreads: “What will become of the music in Flora’s heart?
Flora the ferret longs to attend a concert someday, but she is only a lowly scullery maid. She must save every penny.
When she discovers that the Jazzers, her favorite band, are performing at the hotel where she works, Flora is determined to hear them. But her manager forbids her from going. “Music is not for someone like you,” he tells her.
It turns out, however, that the Jazzers have a problem, and Flora might be just the one to help…
A Cinderella-like animal story set in the 1920s for readers with a song in their heart, written and illustrated by Astrid Sheckels.”
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Reading Activities inspired by Flora and the Jazzers:
- Before Reading–From looking at the front cover:
- What kind of story do you predict this will be–realistic, a fairy tale, or something else?
- What time period do the clothes, hair, and setting suggest?
- What do you think “the Jazzers” are: a band, a group of friends, a nickname, something else?
- What questions would you like to ask the author-illustrator before reading the book?
- After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story:
- What does Flora want most at the beginning, and what stands in her way?
- What moments show Flora’s courage, even when she feels small?
- How does the story use music as more than background?
- Which scene felt most like a turning point, and why?
- What did the illustrations help you understand about the hotel world and Flora’s place in it?
- What does the ending suggest about belonging and being seen?
- Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
- Soundtrack of a Scene:
Pick one spread and imagine the music playing underneath it. Is it fast or slow? Loud or soft? Smooth or bouncy? Write three “sound words” that match the mood, then read them out loud like a tiny poem. - Jazz Improv Drawing:
Fold a paper into four boxes. In each box, draw Flora in the same pose. Now “improvise” the details each time: change the hat, the background, the lighting, the expression By the last box, Flora is ready for the stage! - Hotel Map Challenge:
Draw a simple map of the hotel from Flora’s point of view. Include places she works, places she dreams about, and places she feels unwelcome. Add arrows showing how she moves through the space during the story. - Your Own “Music Is For…” Poster:
The manager says music is for certain people. Flora proves otherwise.
Make a poster that begins with: Music is for…
Fill it with drawings and words showing who belongs in the audience, on the stage, backstage, everywhere. - Fairy Tale Spin Workshop:
This story carries Cinderella energy. Create your own spin in three quick steps:
Choose the setting (hotel, diner, subway, amusement park)
Choose the dream (dance, cooking, painting, science)
Choose the “helper” (band, neighbor, stray cat, librarian, teammate)
Write a 6–8 sentence summary of your version. - Books, Books, and More Books! Check out these picture books about music, rhythm, and finding your voice:
Before John Was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Sean Qualls
A look at John Coltrane’s childhood, where ordinary sounds shape the way he hears the world. Notice how rhythm and repetition turn everyday noise into the beginnings of music.
Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxane Orgill, illustrated by Francis Vallejo
A neighborhood parade grows as jazz spills into the streets and pulls everyone along. Notice how rhythm and repetition in the text mirror the way music gathers a crowd.
Rap a Tap Tap: Here’s Bojangles—Think of That! by Leo and Diane Dillon
This lively tribute follows the rise and style of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson through sound-driven language and motion-filled art. Pay attention to how page design and pacing create a sense of dance.
The Sound of All Things by Myron Uhlberg, illustrated by Connie Schofield-Morrison
A boy who is deaf experiences the world through vibration, motion, and visual rhythm rather than sound. Watch how the illustrations translate music and noise into movement and pattern, inviting young readers to rethink what it means to “listen.”
Trombone Shorty by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, illustrated by Bryan Collier
A New Orleans kid with a trombone and a dream keeps pushing his way toward the music he loves. Look at how color captures energy, ambition, and a strong sense of place.
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