Joe Gardner is a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. A misstep takes him from New York City to The Great Before, a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities before going to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22, who has never understood the appeal of the human life. As Joe tries to show 22 what's great about life, he may discover...

A flavorful account of New York City politics during the 1920s Jazz Age centering on the intersecting careers of the city's popular "Night Mayor," Jimmy Walker, and the state's patrician governor, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Mitgang's extensive use of newspaper quotes and legal transcripts helps paint vivid portraits of Walker, Roosevelt and the large cast of characters who played a part in Walker's fall from grace and Roosevelt's meteoric rise to four-term...

A fun and easy way to learn to play the piano or keyboard, with helpful instruction on favorite jazz pieces. Written by the author of the best-selling Build It! series in collaboration with an experienced piano teacher, the Play It! books teach young readers how to play the piano or keyboard in a simple, effective way. Using color-coded notes and character icons, the books include piano sheet music of favorite popular songs, as well as a primer on...