Summary
Jonathan London's picture book follows Oobie-do John, a cat from the country who heads to San Francisco with a dream of playing jazz. After rejection after rejection, he persists — and finally finds his audience. A celebration of jazz and following your dream.
Viewer safety
All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
A cat with a saxophone dreams of playing jazz in San Francisco.
- How many times does Oobie-do John get turned away? How does he keep going?
- What finally gives him his big break?
- What does this story teach about persistence and believing in yourself?
- What is something you want to get good at, even if it takes a long time?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: jazz, saxophone, improvise, persistence, rhythm.
Try it: Listen to a short jazz clip (ask your teacher). Write two words that describe how it made you feel, and draw what you imagined while listening.