Historical record · Former Bank Street Bookstore event
“Little Melba and Her Big Trombone” Read by Katheryn Russell-Brown (2014)
A historical record of Katheryn Russell-Brown’s 2014 reading at the Bank Street Bookstore, with notes for pairing her picture-book biography with music.
- Event date
- Saturday, September 20, 2014
- Venue
- Bank Street Bookstore, then at Broadway and West 112th Street, New York, NY
- Featuring
- Katheryn Russell-Brown
- Status
- Past event (historical record)
On Saturday, September 20, 2014, the author Katheryn Russell-Brown was scheduled to read her picture-book biography Little Melba and Her Big Trombone at the Bank Street Bookstore, according to an archived copy of the store’s event page. At the time the store was still at its earlier location at Broadway and West 112th Street; it moved to Broadway and 107th Street the following year. The publisher, Lee & Low Books, announced the reading for 10:30 that morning on its blog, which still links to the store’s event page; that link is why the event is recorded here.
About the book
Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, illustrated by Frank Morrison, tells the story of Melba Liston, a jazz trombonist, composer and arranger who taught herself to play as a child and built a career in a field where she often faced obstacles of race and gender. Our catalog suggests it for children of roughly five to nine.
Pairing the book with music
A picture-book biography of a musician begs to be heard as well as read.
- Listen before and after. Search a library music service or a reputable archive for recordings that feature Melba Liston as a player or arranger. Play a short piece before reading, then again afterwards: does it sound different now that you know her story?
- Name the instrument. Many young children have never seen a trombone up close. Look at the illustrations together: how does the slide work? Why might a big instrument have been a challenge for a small child?
- Talk about obstacles. Ask: what made things harder for Melba? Who helped her? What did she do when people doubted her?
- Make a rhythm. Use pots, spoons or clapping to play along with a recording — a simple way to feel the music the book describes.
For more biographies and stories of perseverance, see Separate Is Never Equal and our history and biography shelf.
The book
Age ranges are editorial estimates. Every book is checked against catalog records; see how we choose books.
Little Melba and Her Big Trombone
Katheryn Russell-Brown; illustrated by Frank Morrison · 2014
The story of jazz trombonist and composer Melba Liston, who taught herself to play as a child and went on to tour and arrange music in a male-dominated field.
Separate Is Never Equal
Duncan Tonatiuh · 2014
The story of Sylvia Mendez and her family's legal fight to end school segregation of Mexican-American children in California in the 1940s.
Sources
- “Little Melba and Her Big Trombone” Read by Author Katheryn Russell-Brown (archived copy), Internet Archive. Archived page; accessed 2026-11-11.
Supports: The store's own announcement of the reading (archived capture; details could not be re-read during the 2026-11-11 AI review because of Internet Archive rate limits). Date and time are corroborated by the Lee & Low Books blog. - Little Melba and Her Big Trombone (Lee & Low Books, 2014) — Open Library edition record, Open Library. Catalog record; accessed 2026-11-11.
Supports: Edition details: Lee & Low Books, ISBN 9781600608988, 2014. - Lee & Low at the Brooklyn Book Festival on Sunday, 9/21, Lee & Low Books blog (September 19, 2014). Secondary source; accessed 2026-11-11.
Supports: Announces Katheryn Russell-Brown's reading at the Bank Street Bookstore on Saturday, September 20, at 10:30 a.m., linking to the store's event page. - Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, Lee & Low Books. Official source; accessed 2026-11-11.
Supports: Publisher's description: Melba Liston taught herself the trombone as a child and, overcoming obstacles of race and gender, became a celebrated trombonist and arranger.