Non-Fiction Book Review - 'Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe' by Vivian Kirkfield (Writer), Alleanna Harris (Illustrator)

A beautifully told and illustrated picture book about the little-known and little-publicised friendship between Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe.

Indeed, in every other book about Marilyn I've read, Ella isn't mentioned at all. I have to wonder why.

But at least this book that everyone of all ages can read rectifies that.

I also need to rectify my lacking in knowledge of Ella Fitzgerald, and listen to and reignite my love of jazz.

'Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe' - the title fulfils its promise. Most importantly, it is about the women as individuals, and their (truncated) backgrounds, careers, and what they achieved in their goals and lives, as well as their relationship with one another.

It is about how Ella inspired Marilyn (specifically, on how to be a better singer and performer), thus leading the latter to lend a fellow star she admired a helping hand in return. Ella was Marilyn's idol; the Hollywood movie star was a big fan of the jazz singer, and vice versa. In different ways, they each helped prosper the other's career.

As another reviewer pointed out, 'Making Their Voices Heard' manages to avoid the white saviour trope by giving equal page time and respect to both women, and by making it plainly, carefully clear that they were both capable of making their dreams come true on their own, and were strong, passionate and persistent enough in their own right, to overcome any obstacles. It's just that everyone needs a little help and endorsement (and inspiration on Marilyn's part) every now and then, for wider, universal exposure. Sadly, this was true during a time of racial segregation in 1950s America.

'Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe' - it's a better version of another Ella and Marilyn picture book, 'Ella Queen of Jazz'.

Cheers to two amazing, shining female stars and singers, who broke so many barriers of discrimination, and whose work has stood the test of time - because of their passions, talents, voices, charms, stage presences, warmth, love, and staying true to themselves, no matter what anyone else tried to dictate about who they could be and where.

Female friendship knows no societal bounds.


'Ella and Marilyn. On the outside, you couldn't find two girls who looked more different. But on the inside, they were alike--full of hopes and dreams, and plans of what might be.'

'Ella's heart sang, and in doing so, she had helped Marilyn find her voice.'

'For the rest of their lives, Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe remained good friends. Ella never missed one of Marilyn's movies. And Marilyn never stopped listening to Ella's songs.'


Final Score: 5/5