When Sonny's mother loses her job during the Depression, they can't pay the rent and face eviction

Author: William Miller
Illustrator: Charlotte Riley-Webb
Format: Hardcover
Published: Lee & Low, 2001

When Sonny's mother loses her job during the Depression, they can't pay the rent and face eviction from their New Orleans home. But Smilin' Jack, a popular jazz musician, helps Sonny throw a rent party, where all their friends and neighbors contribute money to hear Smilin' Jack play his horn. Spirited illustrations complement the heartwarming story. An informative Afterword explains the Southern origins of rent parties and their link to the popularity of jazz.