Although this book is light on words, the journey readers endure in thinking about music critically and abstractly is strong. At its foundation, Eric Carle's "I See a Song" is about a conductor who can see different images while performing/conducting. After that, readers dive into a vast bath of colorful imaginative illustrations, and are encouraged to think about what they see. This encourages the idea that all people experience things in different ways and have different perspectives, similarly to how readers may not 'hear' the same things the man in the story does. This book can lead to great discussions and encourage thought about critical thinking in music as well. How can you relate to this song? What parts did you enjoy? This idea of using another art form to explore music is powerful. Although some students may find it hard to initially interact with because of its abstract nature, its imaginative illustrations encourage connections to be made. What song 'matches' that picture? Have you ever felt like that? Why do you think he enjoys that song? The foundational literature that supports this is minimalist: again, only a paragraph of text introduces the reader to this colorful vat of art. But one does not read this in order to develop phonemes, stretch vocabulary, or develop familiarity with English. "Read" this to utilize its potential multi-modal exploration of art, music, and individual perspectives, which can not be found in another children's book.
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