Two icons of the mid-twentieth century: Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald. Who knew that they were friends? The picture book biography Making Their Voices Heard tells the story of how they met and how they supported each other.

About the story

Both Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe were famous, but both faced discrimination. Ella was banned from some venues because of her race. She was sometimes sidelined because she was overweight and wasn’t considered a beauty. Marilyn was passed over for serious roles because she was considered too beautiful to be smart. She struggled to have a say in which movies she would appear.

But then Marilyn listened to recordings of Ella to prepare for her role in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The movie became a big hit, and Marilyn became a star. She used her star power to arrange a meeting with her idol, Ella.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes gave Marilyn power in the movie industry. She could finally choose her scripts and directors. When she found out that a famous Hollywood club blocked Ella from appearing,, Marilyn used her star power again to change the club owner’s mind. The back matter reports that Ella said that after her friend intervened, “I never had to play a small jazz club again.”

About the book

I love how author Vivian Kirkfield uses page turns to show the similarities between the two women. One spread details Ella Fitzgerald’s background. The page turn reveals the very same design but details Marilyn Monroe’s background. On some spreads, Marilyn is on one side of the spread, Ella on the other.

The art by Alleanna Harris is beautiful. She gives each woman glamor and humanity. My favorite image is the final one, where Marilyn and Ella face each other across the book’s gutter. Their separation is shattered, however, by a hand reaching across the gutter, uniting the two of them.

The back matter has a luminous photo of the two women together and gives more detail about their relationship.

Where to go for more

Marilyn Monroe talks about her childhood.

Short video biography of Ella Fitzgerald.

A review of another nonfiction picture book by Vivian Kirkfield.

Making Their Voices Heard: the Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield, illustrated by Alleanna Harris. (little bee: 2020).