Duke Hiatt No.1: If I Only Had a Horn, written by Roxanne Orgill, is a beautifully illustrated book with an inspiring tone. We start the book with a young Louis Armstrong in a poverty-stricken family situation. At his Uncle’s house, there are eight people trying to eat out of one pot of rice and beans. After eating, the entire family expresses themselves through music and Louis is inspired. He writes a song. Due to unfortunate events, Louis is thrown in jail. Depressed, Louis gravitated to the one thing that would keep him happy; the jail’s brass band. At first he did not get into the band, but he perseveres, and becomes the lead. I would read this book as part of a larger project and or unit about jazz at the elementary general music level.
Ray Charles written by Sharon Bell Mathis depicts the life of Ray Charles in a different light for many students. Ray Charles has become on the most influential jazz musicians in the United States. Yet, his journey to fame was not easy. Mathis gives an in-depth timeline of his life starting with the struggles of being blind as child and attempting to learn music at the same time as learning Braille. Throughout the book, Mathis explains how Ray Charles broke through all the barriers that were holding him back and learned how to love music. Fame didn't come easy to Ray Charles but music did and that is why he was able to keep going after each set back. He demonstrates that no matter how many obstacles you have to go through, it's all going to be worth it in the end. I would use this book during a jazz unit in a Middle School general music class. I would pair it with a project of famous musicians who have greatly impacted Jazz music.
The Dancing Zok written by Jack Spindler encourages children to think outside of the box when attempting to learn new concepts. The author starts of the book with a note to the reader to read the book through twice. Once to follow the rhythm and sing song tone of the book and again to recognize numbers on the bottom of the page. This demonstrates the music and other core subjects can be taught at the same time to benefit children of a young age. The story is very easy to follow as well. It starts off with a farmer going to check on his animals in the farm but instead hears music coming from inside. When he opens up the door he is shocked to see all of the animals listening to music and dancing. The most incredible creature to dance was the Zok. The Zok amazed all the other animals with its knowledge of dances. The illustrations paired with the story work well together to teach children animals, counting, and colors at a very young age. I would use this book in an elementary general music class after speaking with the classes teacher to see what the students have been learning in class.
Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart written by Yona Zeldis McDonough gives an in-depth look of Mozart's life. Growing up in a very musical family, Mozart found his love for music at a very young age. Mozart began to play many instruments and over the span of 35 years composed over 600 concertos, sonatas, symphonies, and operas. His success came with great effort and dedication. Without his love of music, he would have not been able to compose as many, if not, pieces.
Along with detailed information about Mozart's life, McDonough includes facts about the music, dress, and penmanship of the 18th century in the book as well. This adds to background information to help understand Mozart's life. I would use this book in the Middle School General music class to help teach about classical composers and musical structure from the 18th century.
Duke Hiatt No.2 : She Sells Sea Shells, Illustrated by Bruno (Mars)Merz, is a a book made for sing-a-long participation. The first couple pages explain how to use the book, according to their parameters, what the song is about, and even chord changes for the song. The whole book is nicely drawn and would be wonderful to present to a kindergarten or 1st grade class as a quick and fun activity. The illiteration will be fun and difficult at the same time for the children to sing. I would either play the chord changes on piano or guitar.
Duke Hiatt No3: The book Stringed Instruments, as simple as it sounds, offers a pretty in-depth explanation of stringed instrument families as well as pitch and resonance. The book starts off by explaining how vibrations of the strings make a pitch. It then goes into all the instrument sub-sections that stringed instruments have. Guitars, harp, Piano, and violins are discussed, with nice real photos (non-cartoon). The reading level is actually quite high for Kindergarten or 1st, so I would use this book to aid in a unit of instrument families for 3rd-5th. I think this book would brake up the potential monotony of teaching instrument families.
Rebecca Panitch: Keyboards by Wendy Lynch https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348901447l/9876621.jpg
This informational book described the fundamental physical parts, concepts, and cultural aspects of different types of keyboard instruments. There were helpful, large photographs to accompany the brief explanations about various aspects of keyboards. First, Lynch wrote about general concepts of music-making as well as describing different types of keyboard instruments. Lynch also simplified the actual physics of how keyboard instruments make sound. She then mentioned different ways to play the keyboard such as the performance settings and styles. There are also two activities as well as a glossary at the end of the book. This book would definitely be suitable for an elementary music class learning about different instruments, specifically the keyboard in this case. The useful pictures and simple writing style in this book would be convenient to use to teach the keyboard to students. Keyboard instruments are an important part of several music genres which makes it helpful to learn about.
Rebecca Panitch: Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saëns by Barrie Carson Turner and illustrations by Sue Williams http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VJWDTEGWL.jpg
This book gives descriptions of the musical concepts in the piece “Carnival of the Animals” by Saint-Saëns. Turner begins the book by explaining the definitions of the orchestra and types of instruments within the orchestra for this piece. Then, Turner provides commentary on the actual piece in the order in which each section of the piece occurs. There are colorful illustrations that help describe the animals as well as the mood in the particular part of the piece. This book can be very useful because some young students might not be able to infer what is going on by just listening to a piece, so a textual and visual aid will help them form ideas. For each section in the piece, Turner includes questions asking if the reader can hear specific moments in the piece. This is a great way to have children think about the musical concepts they are listening to.
Rebecca Panitch: Let it Shine by Ashley Bryan http://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/book_images/cvr9780689847325_9780689847325_hr.jpg
This book provides the text to three different spirituals along with colorful illustrations taking up almost the entire page. There are one to two lines from the spirituals at the bottom of each page, and the illustrations describe what is happening in the text. It is formatted in a logical way in which the lines are distributed evenly throughout each page. This allows the reader/singer to go at a smooth pace in terms of turning the pages (not too fast and not too slow). This book would be great for a young music classroom because it allows young students to connect what they’re seeing, what they’re hearing, and what they’re singing/saying all at once. This is also great for students who don’t know anything about spirituals because they can learn about an important genre of music they are unfamiliar with.
This book is a great book for young musicians that are looking for some inspiration as to what instrument they should pick. It is a very thorough introduction to playing the trumpet. The book begins by talking about the history of the trumpet, then it gets into the anatomy of the trumpet and even explains some of the physics of sound and how the particular shape of the trumpet allows it to make noise. It gives the reader a comprehensive list of the performance contexts of playing the trumpet, like being in an orchestra or jazz band. It inspires the reader by telling them about the great trumpet players of history, like Wynton Marsalis, Miles Davis, Maurice Andre, and Louie Armstrong. I would present this book to any aspiring 5th grader to see if they really want to pursue the instrument.
This book introduces the reader to the band Ralph’s World, a children’s music group created by Ralph Covert. Ralph’s music is very accessible to children as young as one year old. It covers simple topics like ants, lemons, and Halloween. All of his songs, while not exactly complicated, deal with various rhythms and genres, and allow for dancing and singing along without feeling flustered. The book is filled with bold colors, zany illustrations, and capitalizations on the key words so that the children that are either reading or singing along can know when to join in. And that might be the best and most important part of this book and this kind of music: it tells children that music is communal, and joining in on the artist is a normal part of the experience. If I were teaching 2nd or 3rd graders, I would use this book as well as his music in order to motivate them and help them learn musical terms through activities.
This book takes an original approach to the beloved Billy Joel classic celebrating New York by following a dog around a beautifully illustrated New York setting using water color. It goes through the song very slowly with each page (sometimes a double spread) containing one line of the song. Each page perfectly illustrates what the lyrics are saying. This book is important to children because it not only exposes them to the world of Billy Joel and his music, but it also shows them the wonderful marriage of fine art and music. It gives them an opportunity to realize that music does not only exist by itself. It has illustrative power and can express to others how we feel about a certain situation or in this case, a certain city. If I were teaching a Popular Music class for 4th and 5th graders, I would have them read through this book as the song is playing on a loudspeaker, and then give them some more Billy Joel music to listen to.
Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo http://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/book_images/cvr9781442467439_9781442467439_hr.jpg
Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo Never play music right next to the zoo is by John Lithgow and illustrated by Leeza hernandez. The book is a tale of someone's experience once when they went to a free concert in a zoo. In the story, the concert was over run by the zoo animals and leads to the zoo animals playing the instrument and putting on a concert of their own. This a beautifully illustrated book that not only utilizes very bright and vivid colors well but also uses contrast beautifully. The word choice used is very accessible, and even challenging at time, to a younger audience and the rhyme is easy to follow. Not only that, this is a great way to introduce new animals, but also new musical instruments. Overall this is a book that kids would enjoy and even gain from.
I Want To Be A Musician https://d4rri9bdfuube.cloudfront.net/assets/images/book/large/9781/5529/9781552977606.jpg
I want to be a music is by Dan Liebman. It is just one book in the int he “I Want To Be” series by Firefly Books. This book seeks to explore the idea of being a musician and looks at the various ideas surrounding the work musician. The book looks at the ways that someone could be considered a musician; i.e teacher, conductor, and player, the different terms associated with being a musician;practice, rehearsal, and recording, different requirements, and even examples from different cultures. Although not illustrated, the book has a great deal of pictures to go along with the text. Though the ago of the book is given away by the pictures, 14 yr, The content is still as relevant now as it was then. While the book does have a few difficult words in it it still is relatively easy for younger students to follow and enjoy.
Our Global Community: Music is a book by Lisa Easterling. This book looks a music and how it varies from place to place. The book starts off by talking about different ways that people from all over make music. It then talks about various instruments. Following that it explores various environments and reasons that people play music. Although not illustrated the book is loaded with pictures. This picture capture a variety of situations and is very diverse in people it portrays. This is a great way to get students accustomed to the idea of “world music” or music from other cultures. Along with that the book could be used to introduce elements of reading with its inclusion of a table of context, index, and glossary.
Caitlin Claytor Pippa at the Parade is about a little girl who is going to see a parade with her family and the book talks about everything she sees there such as acrobats, a man on stilts, and of course, a marching band. The book talks about some of the sounds she hears such as the “rat-a-tat-tat” of the drums and the cymbals crash. This could be a fun way to incorporate instruments such as these while reading along. This book would be good for kindergarten and first grade students as the words are very short and simple and easy to read.
Caitlin Claytor Music Class Today is a book about a shy little boy going to music class. Over the course of the day, the class does a variety of activities and with each one, the shy boy gets more and more interested. Despite the boy hesitating to participate, the music teacher never pushes the boy to participate and says to join whenever he wants. By the end he has started to join the rest of the class and loves participating in music class. This would be a good book for first, second, and third grade students for any students that may not be comfortable in music class yet. I like that each page has a new activity that we could even follow along with as a class.
Caitlin Claytor Little Einsteins Music of the Meadow is about this group of kids that go on educational adventures in their rocketship. This adventure is about finding the music of nature. On each page they find a new creature or landscape that makes different sounds or movements like a dance. They also ask the readers to make the sounds and do the movements with them. I would use this book with third and fourth grade students because it's much more wordy than other books. I especially like the idea that the book talks about finding music outside the music classroom and the traditional idea that music only comes from instruments is dispelled.
This picture book is great for younger students who are interested or fascinated with music or playing instruments in general and want to learn a little more about the subject. In this case younger students will gain a broad description about the trombone, what it looks like, and how it works technically. The book also gives details concerning wind instruments, especially different brass instruments of which the trombone belongs to. Another nice element of this book is the fact that it gives details concerning the history of the trombone back in the 1400s when it was called the sackbut. At the end of the book it offers many scenarios in which the trombone is used like marching band, jazz bands, and of course concert bands. There are also plenty of pictures used in the book to show what the trombone looks like and how people hold and play it. Overall students will be able to grasp a solid concept of what the trombone is, how it is played, its history, and ensembles in which it can be used in, and hopefully this sparks their curiosity to either take up the trombone and go and listen to pieces that showcase the instrument. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41B0Y1888NL.jpg
Brandon Jarot - Rap by Keith Elliot Greenberg This book mostly is recommended to students who are a little more mature and also enjoy listening to rap in general. Nice aspects about this book are the sections that delve deep into the history and roots of what people consider to be classic hip hop and rap. It explains that rap was highly influenced on jazz and soul music due to their particular groove and style while also incorporating a more African American audience during rap’s early days. Near the middle of the book there is a vocab section for those who are curious about specific terms used by rap artists alike. Some of the words are humorous in nature and overall are appropriate for younger readers. Some artists that are mentioned in this book include Run-D.M.C., MC Hammer, and Queen Latifah while also providing upcoming artists, which are very famous nowadays since the book’s publication. Pictures of these are scattered around the book in order for readers to put a face to an artist and spark their curiosity. Overall students should be able to grab a strong concept of rap and its roots with soul and jazz music. They should also be able to identify numerous famous artists from the genre and hopefully go out and listen to tracks by them that are age appropriate or censored. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41BIoA4nALL._SY373_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Written by Laura Ingalls Wilder and attractively illustrated by Holly Jones, My Little Songbook is a collection of traditional, American songs that would be fun for children in an elementary school setting. These songs are succinct, tuneful, and they span a wide array of uses and occasions. All songs included taken from Ingalls’ Little House series. Some tunes are meant as celebrations of Independence Day, some for birthdays, and others are for encouragement in times of need.
I would be delighted to include this in my future classroom because all of the songs are really fun to sing, and could go well with a curriculum that ties into American history. They are classics like “Yankee Doodle Dandee,” and “America.” Most of these songs are cheerful and could be incorporated into a dance, like the song “Pop! Goes the Weasel.” My only criticism of the book is that some of the songs go out of a child’s singing range and would need to be altered or otherwise transposed before being used in a classroom setting.
Traditional Christmas carols, Illustrated by H. A. Rey
This picture book is a collection of Christmas songs, as illustrated by H. A. Rey, the author/illustrator of the Curious George series. I really like that Rey included George in each songs’ illustration, because this could be really exciting and appealing for the young reader. I remember learning to read and being introduced to Curious George books. Singing about him would be a great way to connect literacy and music in a general music classroom (k-8).
When I’ve heard about graphic music notation before, I imagined lines and shapes. H. A. Rey has a different interpretation of this method of writing music. He assigned different shapes to each song, each with a Christmas theme. Some pages use a series of holy leaves, and other songs use all Christmas lights. The color filling in the shapes determines that shape’s rhythmic value. It’s a blend of traditional notation too, because he uses the dots associated with normally notated notes and also the correct, five-lined staff with the correct clefs, time signatures, and key signatures to write the music out. Consequently, this would be a great book for learning to decode real music, similar to decoding written English.
Not only is this book illustrated very well, it also comes with a CD of Peter, Paul, and Mary performing the songs within it for children and the teacher to sing along to in the classroom. The book features an interesting combination of several childhood favorites. Obviously, the book includes the classic song, “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring,” but it also ties in the game of hide and seak, in addition to other classic nursery rhymes, as performed by the folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary.
With this picture book, I would encourage different children in class to take turns singing the returning refrain of “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring,” because it’s in the book seven times. If I repeated the book in the context of a lesson two to three times over, then students would become comfortable “performing” a solo for their peers and not even be nervous doing so, because of the prior repetition and the familiarity of this song.
Brandon Jarot -Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix by Gary Golio and illustrated by Javaka Steptoe
A beautiful and uniquely illustrated book will grab students’ attentions from the start and tell the tale of one of the most famous guitarists to ever walk to Earth. The writing is very smooth and poetic by telling the condensed story of Jimi Hendrix’s rise to fame from being a very creative and clever boy from Seattle, Washington and using his talents to paint pictures and base his music off them. Towards the end of the book the author provides a nice short biography that tells Jimi’s story in more detail than the story provides in case students want to know more about him. The illustrations are gritty and creative and lay out in a manner that would make story time with a classroom of children easy and enjoyable. Overall this book should be a nice introduction to an artist that is often overlooked or forgotten by younger students due to the fact that Hendrix has a limited amount of work due to his untimely death at age 27. It provides great artwork that will entice reader’s imaginations while telling the story of one of the greatest guitar players in history. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61whqOu3BuL._SY492_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Mason Manint- The Twelve Days of Christmas Illustrator: LeUyen Pham This beloved Christmas tune has turned into a Children’s book that allows the young reader to engage not only in the tune itself, but also learn how to further their reading. LeUyen Pham illustrates this tune perfectly in incorporating each next “Day of Christmas” with the object it associates with. For the First Day, Pham puts a pear next to the number 1 which means on the First Day of Christmas “my true love gave to me” was a Partridge in a pear tree. This 1st grade reading book allows students to either read it as a book or sing the tune while the read along with it.
Mason Manint- The Really Awful Musicians By: John Manders
This goofy tale tells the story how musicians first played together and how they learned how to play. This 2nd to 3rd grade book uses a lot of text painting to describe various ways on how to play music and goes through various instruments that most kids may encounter in a couple of years. What I really like about this book is that it has a short summary in the back of the book that expands more on the instruments used in this book. This gives students more knowledge about the instruments and get them more interested in music.
Duke Hiatt No4.: The Carnival of the animals, Illustrated by Mary Grandpre, is a wonderful book to teach to grades k-2. Along with being a book, it is an even more famous musical piece by the same name. It is a programmatic music that depicts different animals with different movements. So there are Elephants, Tortoises, Pianists, etc. through out the book. Each page gives a little drawing and description of the animal. I have already seen this activity work well in the classroom setting at one of my observation hours. She played the song that correlated with each animal. Or, for her more advanced students, she would play the song, and they would have to guess based on what they heard, which animal it is describing.
Duke Hiatt No5.: Forever Young, by Bob Dylan and illustrated by Paul Rogers, is a great book that pertains to popular-culture music. The book is about a kid that receives a guitar from a street guitarist and he learns to play it. He meets another boy and they form a duo that travels around in their van. They attend rallies and protests to stop war and promote peace. At the end of the book, he passes his guitar on to a little girl. While all of this happens, the lyrics to Dylan's "Forever Young" are passing by page to page. This is a great book to collaborate with a history teach about the 1960s and 70s. There are a lot of neat illustrations that pay tribute to the time and place. http://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=WADftFgL&id=CA964EC362DC11204A9BC8377D3703FF0E25638D&q=forever+young+bob+dylan+book&simid=607988373402157212&selectedIndex=0&ajaxhist=0
Duke Hiatt No.6: The Twelve Days of Christmas, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, is exactly what you would expect out of a twelve days of Christmas book. It illustrates each of the days in a charming way. I imagine that I could be playing the guitar or piano while we read through and sing parts of the song together. I think kids in 3rd grade would take to this song the best. Some of the melodies are pretty different than one another, which would make it hard to sing. But the book helps fully engage students in this activity.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61gkXKckhfL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg "Take Me Home Country Roads" introduces students to the legacy of John Denver as well as this incredibly popular tune. It’s densely packed with amazing illustrations over a quilt-like style that invokes themes of family happiness and togetherness. On top of that it’s a very catchy and accessible song that students will love. If I were to teach a class this song through this book I would bring in a box of Western themed props and first let them all dress up however they wanted, then tell them to make a “train” of people and move in time to the song.
"Waking Up Is Hard to Do" is based off of the beloved children’s music performer Neil Sedaka and tells children that getting up from bed and facing the day is an activity that should be happily anticipated, not dreaded. It contains beautiful illustrations and shows the main character (a crocodile) having fun with his friends and just enjoying life once he gets out of bed. Like “Jump Up!”, this book allows for the students to create their own tune, while at the same time containing a very catchy and accessible tune for the entire class to sing. I would probably use this book for my morning elementary music class, since they’ll probably feel like the crocodile and will want something to get them moving and excited for the rest of the day.
"Jump Up!" is an energetic and brightly colored songbook that will delight any child who wants to move while singing. Each page has an insert which either the student or the teacher can open to make the kids jump to the lyrics. The personification of literally everything…bees, flowers, rainbows, butterflies…will keep the kids entertained. The notes and rhythms are in the back of the book, so teachers have the freedom to allow the students to create their own tune. This is a good book to use with students who might be bored with class or are feeling a little antsy.
I’m Good at Making Music I’m Good at Making Music is a book by Eileen M. Day. The book seeks to explore the concept of making music and the various ways that music is created. The book walks the reader around an early percussion section and introduces various instruments like the drums, triangle, sticks and shakers. While doing this it gives a brief explanation as to how to play it. The book also has a variety of other features such as a table of context and a glossary. The book even goes as far as to offer a quiz. Overall this would be a good book for beginning students, because of its relatively easy text.
Kids Make Music!: Clapping & Tapping from Bach to Rock
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=xZktrO54&id=681037A99C7B704CD693BEC031645D79AC83BE73&q=Kids+Make+Music!%3a+Clapping+%26+Tapping+from+Bach+to+Rock&simid=608049318997917804&selectedIndex=0&ajaxhist=0 This is a book by Avery Hart and Paul Mantell and illustrated by Loretta Trezzo Braren. Although relatively old I think that this is an amazingly in depth book that looks to explain a great deal of musical concepts. These concepts vary greatly from one another. It looks at topics ranging from body movement to music set to text to complex musical concepts. This is an incredible detailed book that has a lot to offer to it’s readers. Not only is it informational but it is also very easy to follow for most readers. This would be a great resource for any beginning music classroom.
https://www.amazon.com/Young-Peoples-Book-Music-Pb/dp/1562947842/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487116183&sr=8-1&keywords=The+young+people%27s+book+of+Music+millbrook This is a book deep dives into the pool of music. This books covers just about any concept that may come up when talking about music. The book talks about famous composers, various styles of music, and different instruments. While very informative the book is very text heavy and some of it is relatively dense. Not only that but the book isn't all that appealing for students due to it’s text heavy nature and outdated photos.
Nina Chamberlin: Civil War Drummer Boy by Verla Kay
This book is very versatile because it touches on music as well as history. It follows a civil war dummer boy through his life before, during, and after the war. Although not a huge component, the book touches on the concept of slaves and death in war, but teaches a worthwhile lessons about the dark sides to war and the ability for the South to go on without unpaid labor from slaves. It can also teach children that both sides of wars suffer, and that one can gain sympathy and understanding through examining a different point of view. Although this book is a tad bit dark for younger readers, it can be a great story to link to any history lessons about the Civil War. It also illustrates how important music can be in a variety of situations, and not just a concert hall.
Nina Chamberlin: Can You Dance, Dalila? By Virginia Kroll
This book follows a child through her young life, and her journey through dance. She is introduced to many styles of dance, and each teaches her about different heritages and ways of expression. The musical part of the book is in the little girl’s interactions with the different types of dance. If I were to read this book to a class, I would ask them what they think the music would sound like for each different dance style, and then I would play an example to help connect different types of art together, as well as the vivid illustrations in the story. This book can also serve as a reminder to stay open to different cultures and ways of expression: a powerful lesson for children to learn. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51CZBD6YD4L._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Repost from Homepage on Jan. 24: Nina Chamberlin- Boo-Hoo Moo by Margie Palatini: This book follows a set of barnyard animals in their quest to lift the spirits of one of their friends. Their friend, a cow, has been mooing in a very sad and undesirable tone, and the animals are tired of hearing it. They decide that the cow is sad because she has no one to sing with, so the friends decide to construct a singing ensemble for her. It is revealed, through this process, that the animals would also like to share some of this spotlight, and they would all like to be a part of the ensemble they are creating. After creating this ensemble, they present it to their cow friend only to find out that she has given up singing to become a dancer. Although this book does a great job of drawing attention to the musical sounds animals make, it also shines a light on people acting for the best interest of themselves over their friends. If I were to teach this book, I would use these concepts to help my students self-reflect on their actions in their own lives. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51pdRa4oS%2BL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Repost from Homepage on Jan. 24: Nina Chamberlin- ¡Marimba!: Animales from A to Z by Pat Mora: This book tells the fictional tale of a zoo full of fun-loving animals throwing a party inspired and driven by a monkey playing a marimba. Once the zookeepers are asleep, he reader is taken on an alphabetical tour of the festivities, and with every letter of the alphabet, the readers get to learn an animal’s Spanish name. This book has a great place in music classrooms because it not only shows how music can bring people together, but it shows the beauty of including and celebrating other cultures. During the party, the animals are enjoying Hispanic foods, dances, and musical styles, and it is important for children to see many and all cultures celebrated in their early lives. This way, they are not fearful of people who are not exactly like them when they grow older. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/519976611CL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Repost from Homepage on Jan. 24: Nina Chamberlin- The Ear Book by Al Perkins: This book is a simple exploration of what a child may hear in their everyday lives. The large illustrations and very simple text makes it an easy text for a beginning reader to practice reading. The pictures can undoubtedly help provide meaning to the text. This can be a very useful book in a music classroom because it can open p the discussion about what music truly is, and it can expand students’ minds about their everyday experiences. As a teacher, I would ask what similarities and differences there are between the flute player and the dripping faucet in the book, and I would have my students think of other examples like those. If the students can open their minds about music, they can open their minds to all the other skills they are working to develop in school. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51IbTiJbWKL._SX367_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Nina Chamberlin: Spring Goes Squish! By Marty Kelley This book follows a child as she experiences the season of spring. She describes her experiences through onomatopoeia. This is a very interesting way to look at music, because music is not simply pitches and lyrics. Music can be made by anything, including the effects of spring on the earth and human experiences. The children can read this book and ponder how the main character’s experiences are similar what they would call music, and how it is different. A class could even put together the onomatopoeia words and make them into a song, further proving the point that music can come from anywhere. http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1335752720l/6534538.jpg
Woodwind by Wendy Lynch This book offers a good introduction to the woodwind instrument family. In general it goes into detail of where woodwinds can be found including orchestra, band and jazz settings and also goes into details concerning the recorder and focuses a good number of pages on this subject matter. Later on it describes the other different types of woodwinds including the flute, saxophone, oboe, and clarinet and how they are used and played. It even gives the reader a word perspective in how other different woodwinds are played including bagpipes. Overall this book provides big pictures that students can use to relate the information they are reading to. The information here may be a little overwhelming at first, but if the student attempts to read it over and over again they will most likely retain the information better. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41xpLC2WtzL._SX446_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Tina Turner by Teresa Koenig This picture book is a nice and concise biography of the life and career of Tina Turner, one of the greatest singers of her generation. The book offers a little section that talks about her upbringing and how she decided to become a professional performer and singer. The book goes on to talk about how she made it to the top and met important people along the way including Ike which would be her future husband. There are other sections that provide addition details about meeting up with artists like Mick Jagger and Lionel Richie and doing songs with them. The closing section covers Tina's other hobbies and activities that she does outside of her professional career. Overall if a student was very interested in a specific artist similar to or exactly Tina Turner this book would surely grab their interest. It is a longer read for younger students but nonetheless a feat worth tackling. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwinpJ3CuJHSAhWg8oMKHdH_DpwQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTurner-Center-Stage-Teresa-Koenig%2Fdp%2FB002WOQQB4&psig=AFQjCNHPlm7Oy4VvvcAMTNMa_93JOnVlgQ&ust=1487225285880289
Brass by Wendy Lynch This picture book is similar to the ones that I have found in the library concerning instruments for young readers. In this particular book their are very nice and colorful pictures that are nice references to the details being provided by the author. Some of these details include the members of the brass family which includes french horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba. Similar to the Woodwind book this book shows and talks about the different ensembles that brass players can play in including orchestra, band, jazz, and specified brass bands. It also shows how to hold and play these particular instruments listed. Overall this is a nice introduction for young readers as to what constitutes a brass instrument, what they look like, and how they are played. Books like this can possible stimulate interest to start playing these in band or orchestra. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41AnUvdRUnL._SX398_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
"Are You Quite Polite" is an entertaining book loaded with intense illustrations and witty dialogue. Each page has a rhyme set to a well-known tune to teach kids how to be polite. It does this a bit indirectly, though. It focuses a lot on humor and over the top lyrics to keep the attention of the kids reading it. It would be wise to read this with kids that a bit older though, like 8 or 9, since it appeals more to that age group. I would probably read this book to a group of elementary students during the first few weeks of school so they will understand the expectations of classroom etiquette. I also might modify the lyrics so that they’re more appropriate for a musical context.
“Jo MacDonald Had a Garden” is a different take on the classic children’s song by, as the title suggests, giving it a more garden-like spin. The focus is also on the apparent grand daughter of Old MacDonald named Jo. It’s also one of the more educational children’s books out there. At the end of the book there is a lot of information about gardens and the kind of creatures that inhabit it, like ladybugs and butterflies. There’s a list of activities that kids can do with an indoor garden, and tips on how to be a good gardener. This is a good song to teach elementary school students if they’re more inclined to be outside and learn about music; it could work very well as a “start of year” lesson.
“A-tisket a-tasket” is full of cut-out illustrations that give a very modern and urban look on life. The benefit of reading a book like this is that it exposes kids to the great artist Ella Fitzgerald, an African-American jazz singer who had such nicknames as The First Lady of Song and the Queen of Jazz. The pictures are huge, covering 90% of the page, and each page contains about one line of text so that children don’t get overwhelmed by trying to learn all of the lyrics. Since there’s a lot of action involved in the lyrics, teaching this song to elementary students is a good idea since it will keep them busy and they will also be able to use props.
“Arroz Con Leche” is a great book to spread cultural awareness to students. The sub-title of this book is “Popular Songs and Rhymes from Latin America”. All songs are in both English and Spanish. Most of them are very short and easy to remember, so it works best for elementary students. It’s also good for teachers as it helps them to understand the language of Spanish as well as how the kids feel in their class who maybe don’t speak English too well yet. The notes and rhythms of the songs are in the back of the book, as well as fun facts about the Latino culture. This is an essential book if you wish to teach a variety of ethnic music to your students and help them realize that great music exists all over the world.
Caitlin Claytor Going to a Concert is a step by step instruction type book that explains to the reader just what it means to be an audience member. This can be useful if the class is going to go on a field trip to a concert of some sort. The book emphasizes in bold font many vocabulary words associated with attending a concert such as “audience” and “usher” with pictures that are associated with each vocabulary word. I think this would be a great book for first and second grade students as the text is large and mostly simple but is also starting to introduce words they may not yet know.
Caitlin Claytor My Family Plays Music is about a young girl who is describing every member of her very musical family and how each one participates in music. Each family member is involved with very different types of music from one another so it shows a wide variety of music styles. The narrator also mentions how she participates in each musical activity by playing a different percussion instrument associated with each style such as triangle for her dad’s orchestra, cymbals for her sister’s marching band, and maracas for her uncle’s big band. I think this would be a second and third grade book because it is slightly wordy but the words aren’t terribly difficult or unfamiliar minus perhaps the styles of ensemble.
Caitlin Claytor Mary Had a Little Lamb is a book based off of the very popular nursery rhyme of the same name. The poem in this book is far more extended than most kids know from the basic one or two verse poem that is normally sung. I would perhaps first read this to the students straight through and then go back again and sing it in context with the tune. This is a good book for kindergarten and first grade students as it is based on a tune that they should already know, and if they don’t already know it, this would be a way of introducing them to it.
Mason Manint- Sweet Music in Harlem By: Debbie A. Taylor Illustrated: Frank Morrison
C. J, a photographer from Highnote magazine, is on his way to photograph Uncle Click. Uncle Click, who is a well-known jazz musician, loses his hat. And now it's up to C. J. to find the hat in time for the photo shoot. C.J. will turn around and find lots of surprises that will make him see more to music than what he originally imagined. https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Music-Harlem-Debbie-Taylor/dp/1584301651/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488238455&sr=8-1&keywords=Sweet+Music+in+Harlem
Mason Manint- Yankee Doodle Illustrations and written by: Mary Ann Hoberman & Nadine Bernard Westcot In this fun book, the familiar tune to Yankee Doodle is set to have Yankee Doodle meeting a few friends along the way to pick up and take to town with them. Prior to the big event, Yankee and all his friends plan a big feast for the festival for the Fourth of July where readers might realize where the feather in his cap came from. This book is great to allow students to sing along to the familiar tune they know and love. The students also get a funny story out of the familiar tune which can set up for an activity that allows the students to get together into small groups and make up a story from their early childhood tunes. https://www.amazon.com/Yankee-Sing-Along-Stories-Hoberman-2004-04-28/dp/B01N3YPKGP/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1488245532&sr=8-3&keywords=yankee+doodle+sing+along+stories
Mason Manint- Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush By: Jane Cabrera In this whimsical book, we see two energetic puppies go through their day from brushing their teeth, to jump roping, to going to bed. These illustrations are set to appease a younger crowd of about 1st Grade. The illustrations are a nice foreground that allows the reader to go in depth of the story without reading any of the words. This book is great to allow students to sing along to the familiar tune they know and love. The students also get a nice story behind the beloved tale. https://www.amazon.com/Here-We-Round-Mulberry-Bush/dp/0823422887/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488246542&sr=8-1&keywords=here+we+go+round+the+mulberry+bush+jane+cabrera
Mason Manint- Frosty the Snowman By: Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins Illustrated by: Richard Cowdrey This 1st Grade book is a nice segway into the Holiday Season. This very familiar tune is illustrated in the winter where Frosty comes out to play. He, once again, is brought to life by the old silk hat and comes out for the children. The children and Frosty head out to the village where they go find another place to play around. This book also ends in a happier ending than most renditions where Frosty runs off into the snow. This book would also be good for another project during the Holiday Season where students pick a Holiday tune and illustrate it or do a presentation on it. https://www.amazon.com/Frosty-Snowman-Steve-Nelson/dp/0439729904/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488247980&sr=8-2&keywords=frosty+the+snowman+steve+nelson+jack+rollins
Mason Manint- If You’re Happy and You Know It Illustrated by Cyd Moore This quick and easy 1st grade book goes through a fun and interesting twist to If You’re Happy and You Know It. It's Monkey's birthday and all his friends are getting together to celebrate, but it's a surprise. Rabbit makes the invitations, Hedgehog brings the balloons, and Fox makes the dessert all while keeping the surprise. I enjoy how the end of the book has all of the verses to the book and have traditional chords to the staff notation as well in case any teacher wants to practice the verses and whole tune before going through the book. This is also the case where an elementary choir director reads this book and puts the piece into her concert cycle. https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Happy-Know-Raffi-Songs/dp/0375829199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488249308&sr=8-1&keywords=if+youre+happy+and+you+know+it+cyd+moore
Brandon Jarot - Guitars by Cynthia Klingel and Robert B. Noyed
This brief and basic level one children's book about guitars is ideal for students who are learning how to read and around the age of 5 or 6 years. For the most part each page has text and a picture and the text varies from one to two sentences each page, so overall not a difficult read for most children. As far as content goes it is very shallow in terms of what the guitar is, how you play it, and its history. As previously stated each new page contains a brief sentence that may or may not coincide with the next pages. Some of these sentences are more like facts like a guitar has six strings, or there are many different kinds of guitars, and that guitars have been around for a few hundred years. The pictures are nice and show the guitar in a numerous amount of settings. Overall the book is solid for beginning readers and provides a good amount of information about the use and different aspects about the guitar. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51r63ztqxgL.jpg
This children's book provides illustrations and words to very popular nursery songs that most kids at this age have either heard or sang. If children have not been exposed to such songs then this book is a great place to turn to for some instant classics. "My First Songs" includes songs like "The Wheels on the Bus," "Old Macdonald," and many more to choose from. Although the book does not contain the music for these songs adults or parents can help out the younger readers learn the songs and then correlate these words with the words on the page and potential introduce them to reading or learning newer vocabulary. Overall the book is great for beginner readers to learn new songs with a little help with sibling or adult supervision in order for them to learn the songs an then correlate the appropriate words with the book. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51X7kg8PKYL._SX490_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Duke Hiatt No. 7: Duke Ellington illistrated by Andrea Davis Pinkly would be the perfect pairing for a book I annotated earlier in the semmester on Louis Armstrong. The book tells the story of his life in a way best suited for children K-3. Both of these books can be taught sequentially in honor of black history month, or in part of a over arching lesson on Jazz composers. It is beautifully illistrated and would help keeping kids engauged with the material.
Duke Hiatt No. 8 : Mason turned me on to the book The Really Awful musicians by John Manders. The light hearted book goes through struggles of learn how to first play. This book would be perfect for the corresponding age. I think it was in 3rd grade that my elementary would allow you to join orchestra and band. The book could make some real connections with children learning how to play for the first time. This book can be used to facilitate a discussion about what instruments they like and are interested in.
Brandon Jarot - Who Were The Beatles? by Geoff Edgers
This book has very colorful and unique illustrations that are sure to grab the attention of younger readers interested in the Beatles. Overall the book gives a nice synopsis of the successful careers of one of the most influential bands to ever perform. The book gives bios about all four of the Beatles John, Paul, George and Ringo and gives some insight on their rise to fame in Britain and also the U.S. This book would be great for students who have experience in reading and are looking for a book that will broaden their knowledge on such groups such as The Beatles. I would recommend students in either 2nd or 3rd grade to tackle this material. Overall the pictures in the book alone make it worth the read while providing concise paragraphs on each page about the specific content for The Beatles. Not too much stuff going on each page and just difficult enough for the desired age group. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51HXj3xwjLL._SX344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Brandon Jarot - The Cat in the Hat Songbook by Dr. Seuss
This silly songbook is great for children who are both a fan of singing and are also a fan of Dr. Seuss books. This book contains a wide array of songs for children to try and learn while providing sheet music in the book as well for those that are fluent enough to read the notation. If not parental help may be needed in order to teach the songs to the students. Overall the book has a selection of goofy and funny songs that have clever and simple rhymes that students will pick up on immediately. As for the music itself it is not at all too difficult for a music student who is able to the read the notation and also encourages students to learn the notation either on their own or with help from the teacher. The book also provides classic Dr. Seuss illustrations that add the the enjoyment of learning the songs. Overall a nice book to have students read from and have a good time in doing so. The illustrations are nice and colorful and the music is not half bad for a children's book. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51-2Mxi2YbL._SX365_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Duke Hiatt No.9 : Who Was Elvis Presley? by Geoff Edgers is another installment of his formulaic children's reads. It is very well illustrated and depicts the life of the King from humble beginnings. Growing up in the depression to becoming the greatest rock n roll legend of all time. The language is easy to understand and light-hearted. I think this would be great for almost any grade K-5. It can be used in a lesson pertaining to the emergence of rock n roll in popular music in the 1950s. You can start by talking about Elvis and then move on to the British invasion with Geoff Edgers book about who the Beatles were. An entire Geoff Edgers lesson.
Duke Hiatt No. 10: The book Music Class Today, is a sort of "meta" book to teach to grades K-2. It is a book that goes through a day in the life of a boy that does not want to participate in music class. This book is perfect to read the first day or week of music classes. The boy is shy at first in the book, but eventually opens up to trying the activities that they other students are participating in. Everyone will have those children that don't feel like participating, or are too shy, so this book, read very early on in the course, could help break down any barriers students may have.
Lullaby for Baby Bear - France Quatromme. This book is about a baby bear who’s mom fell asleep before him so other mother animals try to sing him to sleepy but none of it is working. Finally his mother comes and sings a lullaby to him and he falls asleep. This book shows the power of music and how certain music speaks to different people in different ways. It would connect to students who can name their favorite songs and try to explain what it means to them.
“Clang” Went the Cymbals - Dana Hall Jordan is a book about a boy who loses his bear and spends the story searching for it. He realizes when he finds it that he doesn't care if it is dirty or not. This book can relate to children especially for the plot but in a musical setting seeing how all the different words for the noises can help make sense for children learning the different sounds that instruments make.
Tuba Lesson - T.C. Bartlett and Monique Felix. This story is about a boy who is on his way to his tuba lesson when he gets distracted by many things along the way. There are animals who make sounds at him and the smaller animals have smaller sounds and the bigger animals have bigger sounds. This shows children how dynamics can be present in music and also gives lessons about the staff with the boy walking on five lines throughout the story.
Catfish Kate and the Sweet Swamp Band - Sarah Weeks. This story is about the main character Catfish Kate creating a song and all the animals from the swamp come to join in and play different instruments with her. The conflict of the story arises when the skunks do not want to hear the loud music. The other animals give them earplugs and all is happy. This story can teach kids how you have to be respectful of other people when being loud in general and also how many different instruments make sounds.
Movie Musicals - Andrea Staskowski. This book is basically a history on how musicals came to be on film. It has lots of good information as well as pictures to give demonstrations to some kids who might not be as strong of readers. It gives lots of examples of musicals that got turned into movies and could very well relate to a young reader who might have seen one of the musicals or heard about it in class before. I think this book might be for some of the more advanced readers though.
The Really Awful Musicians - John Manders. This book is about what it is like to learn how to play an instrument. It is very relatable for children of the age who learn how to play an instrument, which for me was in the fourth grade. It helps them see that it is not easy to learn how to play an instrument that with practice and hard work they can get there. It also may help students who are unsure of what instrument they might want to learn how to play.
If You’re Happy and You Know It - Illustrated by Cyd Moore. This book is an spin off of the song which is really good for very young kids possibly in kindergarten who would most likely be singing the song in a group music class. It helps them bring more meaning to the lyrics and is a very good light-hearted story which they will come to associate the lyrics with. I definitely think it is easier for kids to make associations when learning if they have something they can easily attach themselves to.
Tina Turner - Teresa Koenig. This story is a picture book about the life of Tina Turner who was arguably one of the greatest singers of her generation. It talks a lot about her upbringing and a lot of the people that she met along the way on her journey to the top. It is really easy to understand and would make for a great biography for a music class project for lots of kids to do.
Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs - Alan Katz. This is a book of songs that all kids learn growing up but it changes the lyrics around to make them creative and stimulates kids brains. The lyric changes are very interesting and make for a great switch up to keep kids interested and learning. All my life I have loved to switch up the lyrics to popular songs on the radio with my friends for fun and because i think coming up with new rhymes is really fun, so this one stuck out to me as a keeper.
Raffi’s Top 10 Songs to Read - Raffi. This is a very cool book which is a typed out version of Raffi’s songs for kids to read and enjoy. His songs are very catchy and made for kids. The book is really good because when kids already enjoy listening to the music having the lyrics available for them to read is a great way to stimulate learning. Prior knowledge is definitely the bomb when it comes to this one.
I chose Before John was a Jazz Giant, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and Illustrated by Sean Qualls because of my own experience listening to Coltrane to develop my own sound. It goes into detail of some of the different sounds and experiences he had around him growing up in the south. It shows not only music and its influence there but some racial pretexts that can be extremely important when educating young people.
Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson: Taking the Stage as the First Black-and-White Jazz Band in History, written by Lesa Cline-Ransome, follows the story of Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson and how they grew up very separate and the different musical ideas they had going on throughout their own lives. It continues to delve into the two musicians playing together as well. This is a good introduction to big band musicians for a middle school or earlier jazz band so that kids can broaden their horizons from a younger age.
Jazzmatazz by Stephanie Calmenson and illustrated by Bruce Degan, is a book to introduce young kids to ideas about rhythms and sounds using sounds around the house. It uses seemingly unmusical ideas, such as animals moving around or a fish blowing bubbles to emphasis that music is everywhere. This book is ideal for very young or beginning students to just introduce numerous basic concepts to them at a young age.
The First Music by Dylan Pritchett is a story about the idea of music coming from nowhere, meaning only the sounds of nature around the animals in the story. The animals become more and more aware of the idea of music as the story progresses, which is a cool idea about music inclusivity and how anyone can take part in it. I’d recommend this book to an early general music class to encourage more children to take part in band or choir.
Drummer Boy by Loren Long uses a somewhat familiar idea of the little drummer boy around Christmas time to introduce rhythmic development to younger students. There is a very interesting idea in the writing style here that introduces different ideals of feel and meter just by the grouping of the words on the page. This helps cement the idea of his drumming and give it a complexity that even young kids should be able to identify as difficult without it being out of reach. This book would be ideal for young children starting to learn about different ideas of the feeling of music.
In Making Music: 6 Instruments You Can Create, written by Eddie Herschel Oates, the book outlines not only basic instrument groups, but how to construct a few basic instruments using things from around the house. Some examples of this are things like a tube and funnel to project sound. I’d use this to introduce how simple it is to make music to young children, primarily K-2 for a grade level.
Strings, written by Wendy Lynch, is a book that shows a lot of pictures of different types of string instruments as a basic introduction to the instrument family. It also discusses how sound is produced on the different instruments in the family and touches on a few non-traditional string instruments to give a better world scope of the instrument family. I’d say this book best fits in an early general music class during an instrument family section of curriculum.
Musical Instruments: Woodwind, written by Wendy Lynch, is a fantastic intro into the woodwind family of instruments. It is also written as a book with lots of pictures of different woodwind instruments so that a connection is formed between sight, name, and hopefully audio. This book, similarly to other books in the author’s series would be a fantastic fit into a general music curriculum around the same time as other idea of instrumental introduction.
Duke Ellington, written by Andrea Davis Pinkney, is a beautifully drawn biography following the life and music of the Duke. This book is written so that it is more entertaining than a biography. Though still factual, it doesn’t seem to drag on at any points and this can be a fantastic resource to give some music history as well as a great intro into America’s first unique music style. This book would once again be best suited in a younger general music class and can be tailored to fit many different ideas surrounding jazz.
When Louis Taught Me Scat, written by Muriel Harris Weinstein, is a fantastic introduction to jazz and jazz scat. It follows a young girl who is visited in a dream by the great Louis Armstrong. The direction it takes is great because it’s playful and doesn’t take the art of scat too seriously and makes games out of it. I’d use this as an introduction to jazz history in a 4th or 5th grade classroom.
Nina Chamberlin- Lullaby for Baby Bear, by France Quatromme and Parastou Haghi
This book is about a baby bear struggling to fall asleep one night. His cries wake up other animal mothers, and they each try to sing him a lullaby to make him sleepy. All of their songs fail, however, because their lyrics reflect the needs of their own children, and not the baby bear. Finally, the mama bear comes and sings him the lullaby that he needs, and he falls asleep. This book does a great job of illustrating the power of music in a way that very young kids can understand. It can make you feel something, and it is also a very personal experience. This book shows children the power of shared music, and it also paves the way to a sort of create-your-own lullaby project.
This book is very unique because it is all in the form of a rap. The rap is in the perspective of a stray dog who is lamenting his lonely life on the streets. As he gets introduced to different types of music, however, he blossoms into an incredible hip hop artist. The most amazing and stimulating aspect of this book is the way the words are illustrated to reflect the form if the rap song. All of the rhyming words are bolded so it is clear how the rhyme scheme works. Also, every chorus is written in a spiraling circle, so one must turn the book upside down several times to read any given chorus. It reflects how the form of the song works, and this can be a hugely meaningful illustration for young students.
Link to cover photo: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51asMnfUCVL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Nina Chamberlin- The First Music, by Dylan Pritchett
This book tells the tale of African animals learning how to make music together. It starts with an accidental noise from an elephant, and one by one, each animal learns what they have to offer to the holistic ensemble. Sadly, the frogs do not join in because they believe that their body proportions prohibit them from dancing or playing a musical instrument. Towards the end, the frogs realize that they can sing, or croak, to contribute to their wonderful ensemble of African animals, and the whole group learns how to put their individual strengths and creativity together to create something really special that they can all love.
Link to cover photo: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51%2BK-rTrmFL._SX384_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
This book is a humorous story of a boy who strongly dislikes playing the piano, even though his mother insists he practices. The boy’s grandpa introduces him to new experiences outside of the piano, and he ultimately decides that he wants to pick up the tuba. Now, the boy loves practicing because he is passionate about the tuba. Lots of kids end up taking piano lessons much earlier before they are allowed to pick an instrument of their own, so many students can relate to this young boy’s struggles. A perfect takeaway from this book is that just because a student dislikes what they are currently doing, it does not mean that they hate music, or the broader version of what they feel forced to do. The little boy was a musician in his heart, after all! He just needed to find the kind of music that best suited him!
Link to cover photo: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51QAPlGUV7L._SY365_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Mason Manint- Hickory Dickory Dock Written by Keith Baker https://www.amazon.com/Hickory-Dickory-Dock-Keith-Baker/dp/0152058184/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490652350&sr=8-1&keywords=hickory+dickory+dock+keith+baker
Remembering about the old nursery rhymes sung to as a child, this nursery rhyme turned children’s book is exactly what you would expect for a young kids book. Not only is it sung in the tune of Hickory Dickory Dock, but it has extended lyrics that makes the clock hit every hour of the day with new animals. This book would be extremely educational for students who are learning how to tell time and are learning about certain animals.
Mason Manint- 88 Instruments Written By: Chris Barton Illustrated By: Louis Thomas https://www.amazon.com/88-Instruments-Chris-Barton/dp/0553538144/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490651047&sr=8-1&keywords=88+instruments
For the little boy, it is tough making a decision, let alone picking an instrument that he likes. In this onomatopoeic and rhythmic text, this boy goes through 88 different instruments from a local music store. From hearing certain sounds and timbres to playing a few of them along the way, the mom and dad said he could only pick one along with their approval. This short book allows the students to keep the beat while reading along. It also gives the students a little more knowledge on certain instruments and what they look like. Thankfully, the author gave a few details describing certain instruments in how they play so the students can aurally visualize those sounds.
Mason Manint- Maestro Mouse and the Mystery of the Missing Baton Written and Illustrated by: Peter W. Barnes and Cheryl Shaw Barnes https://www.amazon.com/Maestro-Mouse-Mystery-Missing-Baton/dp/1621570363/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490648831&sr=8-1&keywords=maestro+mouse+and+the+mystery+of+the+missing+baton
In this whimsical tale, Maestro Mouse conducts the National Symphony Orchestra where he soon finds that his baton is missing. While the children offer to help, they go through each individual instrument within the Symphony Orchestra and talk a little about each instrument. They also talk a little bit about the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. while looking for the baton. Once they find the baton, they continue on with the show and finish in dramatic fashion. This cute little book, gives students an insight on certain instruments but also focus more on the Symphony Orchestra and the world renown John F. Kennedy Center. In the back of the book, it has a little more information on the Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The Garden Symphony Written by: Victoria Kintner Griswold Illustrated by: Sharon Vargo. https://www.indianapolissymphony.org/education/families/teddy-bear-series/the-garden-symphony
Created from one of the programs of the award winning Indianapolis Symphony's Teddy Bear Series, The Garden Symphony follows a ladybug’s search through the garden for her own special song. This book links to music recorded by members of the ISO and also provides movements cues for children to do along with the music. This book introduces the oboe, clarinet, cello, violin, and harp.
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ReplyDeleteDuke Hiatt No.1: If I Only Had a Horn, written by Roxanne Orgill, is a beautifully illustrated book with an inspiring tone. We start the book with a young Louis Armstrong in a poverty-stricken family situation. At his Uncle’s house, there are eight people trying to eat out of one pot of rice and beans. After eating, the entire family expresses themselves through music and Louis is inspired. He writes a song. Due to unfortunate events, Louis is thrown in jail. Depressed, Louis gravitated to the one thing that would keep him happy; the jail’s brass band. At first he did not get into the band, but he perseveres, and becomes the lead. I would read this book as part of a larger project and or unit about jazz at the elementary general music level.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.amazon.com/If-Only-Had-Horn-Armstrong/dp/061825076X#reader_061825076X
DeleteRay Charles written by Sharon Bell Mathis depicts the life of Ray Charles in a different light for many students. Ray Charles has become on the most influential jazz musicians in the United States. Yet, his journey to fame was not easy. Mathis gives an in-depth timeline of his life starting with the struggles of being blind as child and attempting to learn music at the same time as learning Braille. Throughout the book, Mathis explains how Ray Charles broke through all the barriers that were holding him back and learned how to love music. Fame didn't come easy to Ray Charles but music did and that is why he was able to keep going after each set back. He demonstrates that no matter how many obstacles you have to go through, it's all going to be worth it in the end. I would use this book during a jazz unit in a Middle School general music class. I would pair it with a project of famous musicians who have greatly impacted Jazz music.
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The Dancing Zok written by Jack Spindler encourages children to think outside of the box when attempting to learn new concepts. The author starts of the book with a note to the reader to read the book through twice. Once to follow the rhythm and sing song tone of the book and again to recognize numbers on the bottom of the page. This demonstrates the music and other core subjects can be taught at the same time to benefit children of a young age. The story is very easy to follow as well. It starts off with a farmer going to check on his animals in the farm but instead hears music coming from inside. When he opens up the door he is shocked to see all of the animals listening to music and dancing. The most incredible creature to dance was the Zok. The Zok amazed all the other animals with its knowledge of dances. The illustrations paired with the story work well together to teach children animals, counting, and colors at a very young age. I would use this book in an elementary general music class after speaking with the classes teacher to see what the students have been learning in class.
ReplyDeleteWho Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart written by Yona Zeldis McDonough gives an in-depth look of Mozart's life. Growing up in a very musical family, Mozart found his love for music at a very young age. Mozart began to play many instruments and over the span of 35 years composed over 600 concertos, sonatas, symphonies, and operas. His success came with great effort and dedication. Without his love of music, he would have not been able to compose as many, if not, pieces.
ReplyDeleteAlong with detailed information about Mozart's life, McDonough includes facts about the music, dress, and penmanship of the 18th century in the book as well. This adds to background information to help understand Mozart's life. I would use this book in the Middle School General music class to help teach about classical composers and musical structure from the 18th century.
Duke Hiatt No.2 : She Sells Sea Shells, Illustrated by Bruno (Mars)Merz, is a a book made for sing-a-long participation. The first couple pages explain how to use the book, according to their parameters, what the song is about, and even chord changes for the song. The whole book is nicely drawn and would be wonderful to present to a kindergarten or 1st grade class as a quick and fun activity. The illiteration will be fun and difficult at the same time for the children to sing. I would either play the chord changes on piano or guitar.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.musictogether.com%2Fstore%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2Fmedium%2Ff3bde9ce1c19d8b07a04a7fd92e6135d.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.musictogether.com%2Fstore%2Fsingalong-storybooks%2Fshe-sells-sea-shells-storybook&docid=pdGjfvSidTeGOM&tbnid=DN3GBchHhSyGsM%3A&vet=1&w=299&h=239&client=ms-android-sprint-us&bih=560&biw=360&q=she%20sells%20seashells%20book&ved=0ahUKEwjJ9_PTx_7RAhVo6YMKHUf0BQAQMwgcKAEwAQ&iact=mrc&uact=8
Duke Hiatt No3: The book Stringed Instruments, as simple as it sounds, offers a pretty in-depth explanation of stringed instrument families as well as pitch and resonance. The book starts off by explaining how vibrations of the strings make a pitch. It then goes into all the instrument sub-sections that stringed instruments have. Guitars, harp, Piano, and violins are discussed, with nice real photos (non-cartoon). The reading level is actually quite high for Kindergarten or 1st, so I would use this book to aid in a unit of instrument families for 3rd-5th. I think this book would brake up the potential monotony of teaching instrument families.
ReplyDeleteRebecca Panitch: Keyboards by Wendy Lynch https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348901447l/9876621.jpg
ReplyDeleteThis informational book described the fundamental physical parts, concepts, and cultural aspects of different types of keyboard instruments. There were helpful, large photographs to accompany the brief explanations about various aspects of keyboards. First, Lynch wrote about general concepts of music-making as well as describing different types of keyboard instruments. Lynch also simplified the actual physics of how keyboard instruments make sound. She then mentioned different ways to play the keyboard such as the performance settings and styles. There are also two activities as well as a glossary at the end of the book. This book would definitely be suitable for an elementary music class learning about different instruments, specifically the keyboard in this case. The useful pictures and simple writing style in this book would be convenient to use to teach the keyboard to students. Keyboard instruments are an important part of several music genres which makes it helpful to learn about.
Rebecca Panitch: Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saëns by Barrie Carson Turner and illustrations by Sue Williams http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VJWDTEGWL.jpg
ReplyDeleteThis book gives descriptions of the musical concepts in the piece “Carnival of the Animals” by Saint-Saëns. Turner begins the book by explaining the definitions of the orchestra and types of instruments within the orchestra for this piece. Then, Turner provides commentary on the actual piece in the order in which each section of the piece occurs. There are colorful illustrations that help describe the animals as well as the mood in the particular part of the piece. This book can be very useful because some young students might not be able to infer what is going on by just listening to a piece, so a textual and visual aid will help them form ideas. For each section in the piece, Turner includes questions asking if the reader can hear specific moments in the piece. This is a great way to have children think about the musical concepts they are listening to.
Rebecca Panitch: Let it Shine by Ashley Bryan http://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/book_images/cvr9780689847325_9780689847325_hr.jpg
ReplyDeleteThis book provides the text to three different spirituals along with colorful illustrations taking up almost the entire page. There are one to two lines from the spirituals at the bottom of each page, and the illustrations describe what is happening in the text. It is formatted in a logical way in which the lines are distributed evenly throughout each page. This allows the reader/singer to go at a smooth pace in terms of turning the pages (not too fast and not too slow). This book would be great for a young music classroom because it allows young students to connect what they’re seeing, what they’re hearing, and what they’re singing/saying all at once. This is also great for students who don’t know anything about spirituals because they can learn about an important genre of music they are unfamiliar with.
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ReplyDeleteThis book is a great book for young musicians that are looking for some inspiration as to what instrument they should pick. It is a very thorough introduction to playing the trumpet. The book begins by talking about the history of the trumpet, then it gets into the anatomy of the trumpet and even explains some of the physics of sound and how the particular shape of the trumpet allows it to make noise. It gives the reader a comprehensive list of the performance contexts of playing the trumpet, like being in an orchestra or jazz band. It inspires the reader by telling them about the great trumpet players of history, like Wynton Marsalis, Miles Davis, Maurice Andre, and Louie Armstrong. I would present this book to any aspiring 5th grader to see if they really want to pursue the instrument.
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ReplyDeleteThis book introduces the reader to the band Ralph’s World, a children’s music group created by Ralph Covert. Ralph’s music is very accessible to children as young as one year old. It covers simple topics like ants, lemons, and Halloween. All of his songs, while not exactly complicated, deal with various rhythms and genres, and allow for dancing and singing along without feeling flustered. The book is filled with bold colors, zany illustrations, and capitalizations on the key words so that the children that are either reading or singing along can know when to join in. And that might be the best and most important part of this book and this kind of music: it tells children that music is communal, and joining in on the artist is a normal part of the experience. If I were teaching 2nd or 3rd graders, I would use this book as well as his music in order to motivate them and help them learn musical terms through activities.
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ReplyDeleteThis book takes an original approach to the beloved Billy Joel classic celebrating New York by following a dog around a beautifully illustrated New York setting using water color. It goes through the song very slowly with each page (sometimes a double spread) containing one line of the song. Each page perfectly illustrates what the lyrics are saying. This book is important to children because it not only exposes them to the world of Billy Joel and his music, but it also shows them the wonderful marriage of fine art and music. It gives them an opportunity to realize that music does not only exist by itself. It has illustrative power and can express to others how we feel about a certain situation or in this case, a certain city. If I were teaching a Popular Music class for 4th and 5th graders, I would have them read through this book as the song is playing on a loudspeaker, and then give them some more Billy Joel music to listen to.
Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo
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Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo
Never play music right next to the zoo is by John Lithgow and illustrated by Leeza hernandez. The book is a tale of someone's experience once when they went to a free concert in a zoo. In the story, the concert was over run by the zoo animals and leads to the zoo animals playing the instrument and putting on a concert of their own. This a beautifully illustrated book that not only utilizes very bright and vivid colors well but also uses contrast beautifully. The word choice used is very accessible, and even challenging at time, to a younger audience and the rhyme is easy to follow. Not only that, this is a great way to introduce new animals, but also new musical instruments. Overall this is a book that kids would enjoy and even gain from.
I Want To Be A Musician
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I want to be a music is by Dan Liebman. It is just one book in the int he “I Want To Be” series by Firefly Books. This book seeks to explore the idea of being a musician and looks at the various ideas surrounding the work musician. The book looks at the ways that someone could be considered a musician; i.e teacher, conductor, and player, the different terms associated with being a musician;practice, rehearsal, and recording, different requirements, and even examples from different cultures. Although not illustrated, the book has a great deal of pictures to go along with the text. Though the ago of the book is given away by the pictures, 14 yr, The content is still as relevant now as it was then. While the book does have a few difficult words in it it still is relatively easy for younger students to follow and enjoy.
Our Global Community: Music
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Our Global Community: Music is a book by Lisa Easterling. This book looks a music and how it varies from place to place. The book starts off by talking about different ways that people from all over make music. It then talks about various instruments. Following that it explores various environments and reasons that people play music. Although not illustrated the book is loaded with pictures. This picture capture a variety of situations and is very diverse in people it portrays. This is a great way to get students accustomed to the idea of “world music” or music from other cultures. Along with that the book could be used to introduce elements of reading with its inclusion of a table of context, index, and glossary.
Caitlin Claytor
ReplyDeletePippa at the Parade is about a little girl who is going to see a parade with her family and the book talks about everything she sees there such as acrobats, a man on stilts, and of course, a marching band. The book talks about some of the sounds she hears such as the “rat-a-tat-tat” of the drums and the cymbals crash. This could be a fun way to incorporate instruments such as these while reading along. This book would be good for kindergarten and first grade students as the words are very short and simple and easy to read.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1590785673/?tag=mh0b-20&hvadid=3486027880&hvqmt=p&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_15z2vnvfnx_p
Caitlin Claytor
ReplyDeleteMusic Class Today is a book about a shy little boy going to music class. Over the course of the day, the class does a variety of activities and with each one, the shy boy gets more and more interested. Despite the boy hesitating to participate, the music teacher never pushes the boy to participate and says to join whenever he wants. By the end he has started to join the rest of the class and loves participating in music class. This would be a good book for first, second, and third grade students for any students that may not be comfortable in music class yet. I like that each page has a new activity that we could even follow along with as a class.
http://mackidsbooks.com/musicclasstoday/
Caitlin Claytor
ReplyDeleteLittle Einsteins Music of the Meadow is about this group of kids that go on educational adventures in their rocketship. This adventure is about finding the music of nature. On each page they find a new creature or landscape that makes different sounds or movements like a dance. They also ask the readers to make the sounds and do the movements with them. I would use this book with third and fourth grade students because it's much more wordy than other books. I especially like the idea that the book talks about finding music outside the music classroom and the traditional idea that music only comes from instruments is dispelled.
https://www.amazon.com/Disneys-Little-Einsteins-Music-Meadow/dp/0786855371
Brandon Jarot - Trombones by Bob Temple
ReplyDeleteThis picture book is great for younger students who are interested or fascinated with music or playing instruments in general and want to learn a little more about the subject. In this case younger students will gain a broad description about the trombone, what it looks like, and how it works technically. The book also gives details concerning wind instruments, especially different brass instruments of which the trombone belongs to. Another nice element of this book is the fact that it gives details concerning the history of the trombone back in the 1400s when it was called the sackbut. At the end of the book it offers many scenarios in which the trombone is used like marching band, jazz bands, and of course concert bands. There are also plenty of pictures used in the book to show what the trombone looks like and how people hold and play it. Overall students will be able to grasp a solid concept of what the trombone is, how it is played, its history, and ensembles in which it can be used in, and hopefully this sparks their curiosity to either take up the trombone and go and listen to pieces that showcase the instrument.
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Brandon Jarot - Rap by Keith Elliot Greenberg
ReplyDeleteThis book mostly is recommended to students who are a little more mature and also enjoy listening to rap in general. Nice aspects about this book are the sections that delve deep into the history and roots of what people consider to be classic hip hop and rap. It explains that rap was highly influenced on jazz and soul music due to their particular groove and style while also incorporating a more African American audience during rap’s early days. Near the middle of the book there is a vocab section for those who are curious about specific terms used by rap artists alike. Some of the words are humorous in nature and overall are appropriate for younger readers. Some artists that are mentioned in this book include Run-D.M.C., MC Hammer, and Queen Latifah while also providing upcoming artists, which are very famous nowadays since the book’s publication. Pictures of these are scattered around the book in order for readers to put a face to an artist and spark their curiosity. Overall students should be able to grab a strong concept of rap and its roots with soul and jazz music. They should also be able to identify numerous famous artists from the genre and hopefully go out and listen to tracks by them that are age appropriate or censored.
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Vance Bollinger - - My Little Songbook
ReplyDeleteLaura Ingalls Wilder
Written by Laura Ingalls Wilder and attractively illustrated by Holly Jones, My Little Songbook is a collection of traditional, American songs that would be fun for children in an elementary school setting. These songs are succinct, tuneful, and they span a wide array of uses and occasions. All songs included taken from Ingalls’ Little House series. Some tunes are meant as celebrations of Independence Day, some for birthdays, and others are for encouragement in times of need.
I would be delighted to include this in my future classroom because all of the songs are really fun to sing, and could go well with a curriculum that ties into American history. They are classics like “Yankee Doodle Dandee,” and “America.” Most of these songs are cheerful and could be incorporated into a dance, like the song “Pop! Goes the Weasel.” My only criticism of the book is that some of the songs go out of a child’s singing range and would need to be altered or otherwise transposed before being used in a classroom setting.
Vance Bollinger – Curious George: Christmas Carols
ReplyDeleteTraditional Christmas carols, Illustrated by H. A. Rey
This picture book is a collection of Christmas songs, as illustrated by H. A. Rey, the author/illustrator of the Curious George series. I really like that Rey included George in each songs’ illustration, because this could be really exciting and appealing for the young reader. I remember learning to read and being introduced to Curious George books. Singing about him would be a great way to connect literacy and music in a general music classroom (k-8).
When I’ve heard about graphic music notation before, I imagined lines and shapes. H. A. Rey has a different interpretation of this method of writing music. He assigned different shapes to each song, each with a Christmas theme. Some pages use a series of holy leaves, and other songs use all Christmas lights. The color filling in the shapes determines that shape’s rhythmic value. It’s a blend of traditional notation too, because he uses the dots associated with normally notated notes and also the correct, five-lined staff with the correct clefs, time signatures, and key signatures to write the music out. Consequently, this would be a great book for learning to decode real music, similar to decoding written English.
Vance Bollinger - It’s Raining, It’s Pouring
ReplyDeleteIllustrated by Christine Davenier
Not only is this book illustrated very well, it also comes with a CD of Peter, Paul, and Mary performing the songs within it for children and the teacher to sing along to in the classroom. The book features an interesting combination of several childhood favorites. Obviously, the book includes the classic song, “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring,” but it also ties in the game of hide and seak, in addition to other classic nursery rhymes, as performed by the folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary.
With this picture book, I would encourage different children in class to take turns singing the returning refrain of “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring,” because it’s in the book seven times. If I repeated the book in the context of a lesson two to three times over, then students would become comfortable “performing” a solo for their peers and not even be nervous doing so, because of the prior repetition and the familiarity of this song.
Brandon Jarot -Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix by Gary Golio and illustrated by Javaka Steptoe
ReplyDeleteA beautiful and uniquely illustrated book will grab students’ attentions from the start and tell the tale of one of the most famous guitarists to ever walk to Earth. The writing is very smooth and poetic by telling the condensed story of Jimi Hendrix’s rise to fame from being a very creative and clever boy from Seattle, Washington and using his talents to paint pictures and base his music off them. Towards the end of the book the author provides a nice short biography that tells Jimi’s story in more detail than the story provides in case students want to know more about him. The illustrations are gritty and creative and lay out in a manner that would make story time with a classroom of children easy and enjoyable. Overall this book should be a nice introduction to an artist that is often overlooked or forgotten by younger students due to the fact that Hendrix has a limited amount of work due to his untimely death at age 27. It provides great artwork that will entice reader’s imaginations while telling the story of one of the greatest guitar players in history.
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Mason Manint- The Twelve Days of Christmas
ReplyDeleteIllustrator: LeUyen Pham
This beloved Christmas tune has turned into a Children’s book that allows the young reader to engage not only in the tune itself, but also learn how to further their reading. LeUyen Pham illustrates this tune perfectly in incorporating each next “Day of Christmas” with the object it associates with. For the First Day, Pham puts a pear next to the number 1 which means on the First Day of Christmas “my true love gave to me” was a Partridge in a pear tree. This 1st grade reading book allows students to either read it as a book or sing the tune while the read along with it.
https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Days-Christmas-LeUyen-Pham/dp/0385374135
Mason Manint- The Really Awful Musicians
ReplyDeleteBy: John Manders
This goofy tale tells the story how musicians first played together and how they learned how to play. This 2nd to 3rd grade book uses a lot of text painting to describe various ways on how to play music and goes through various instruments that most kids may encounter in a couple of years. What I really like about this book is that it has a short summary in the back of the book that expands more on the instruments used in this book. This gives students more knowledge about the instruments and get them more interested in music.
https://www.amazon.com/Really-Awful-Musicians-John-Manders/dp/0547328206/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1486514026&sr=1-1&keywords=the+really+awful+musicians
Duke Hiatt No4.: The Carnival of the animals, Illustrated by Mary Grandpre, is a wonderful book to teach to grades k-2. Along with being a book, it is an even more famous musical piece by the same name. It is a programmatic music that depicts different animals with different movements. So there are Elephants, Tortoises, Pianists, etc. through out the book. Each page gives a little drawing and description of the animal. I have already seen this activity work well in the classroom setting at one of my observation hours. She played the song that correlated with each animal. Or, for her more advanced students, she would play the song, and they would have to guess based on what they heard, which animal it is describing.
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DeleteDuke Hiatt No5.: Forever Young, by Bob Dylan and illustrated by Paul Rogers, is a great book that pertains to popular-culture music. The book is about a kid that receives a guitar from a street guitarist and he learns to play it. He meets another boy and they form a duo that travels around in their van. They attend rallies and protests to stop war and promote peace. At the end of the book, he passes his guitar on to a little girl. While all of this happens, the lyrics to Dylan's "Forever Young" are passing by page to page. This is a great book to collaborate with a history teach about the 1960s and 70s. There are a lot of neat illustrations that pay tribute to the time and place. http://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=WADftFgL&id=CA964EC362DC11204A9BC8377D3703FF0E25638D&q=forever+young+bob+dylan+book&simid=607988373402157212&selectedIndex=0&ajaxhist=0
ReplyDeleteDuke Hiatt No.6: The Twelve Days of Christmas, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, is exactly what you would expect out of a twelve days of Christmas book. It illustrates each of the days in a charming way. I imagine that I could be playing the guitar or piano while we read through and sing parts of the song together. I think kids in 3rd grade would take to this song the best. Some of the melodies are pretty different than one another, which would make it hard to sing. But the book helps fully engage students in this activity.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Days-Christmas-LeUyen-Pham/dp/0385374135
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ReplyDelete"Take Me Home Country Roads" introduces students to the legacy of John Denver as well as this incredibly popular tune. It’s densely packed with amazing illustrations over a quilt-like style that invokes themes of family happiness and togetherness. On top of that it’s a very catchy and accessible song that students will love. If I were to teach a class this song through this book I would bring in a box of Western themed props and first let them all dress up however they wanted, then tell them to make a “train” of people and move in time to the song.
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ReplyDelete"Waking Up Is Hard to Do" is based off of the beloved children’s music performer Neil Sedaka and tells children that getting up from bed and facing the day is an activity that should be happily anticipated, not dreaded. It contains beautiful illustrations and shows the main character (a crocodile) having fun with his friends and just enjoying life once he gets out of bed. Like “Jump Up!”, this book allows for the students to create their own tune, while at the same time containing a very catchy and accessible tune for the entire class to sing. I would probably use this book for my morning elementary music class, since they’ll probably feel like the crocodile and will want something to get them moving and excited for the rest of the day.
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ReplyDelete"Jump Up!" is an energetic and brightly colored songbook that will delight any child who wants to move while singing. Each page has an insert which either the student or the teacher can open to make the kids jump to the lyrics. The personification of literally everything…bees, flowers, rainbows, butterflies…will keep the kids entertained. The notes and rhythms are in the back of the book, so teachers have the freedom to allow the students to create their own tune. This is a good book to use with students who might be bored with class or are feeling a little antsy.
I’m Good at Making Music
ReplyDeleteI’m Good at Making Music is a book by Eileen M. Day. The book seeks to explore the concept of making music and the various ways that music is created. The book walks the reader around an early percussion section and introduces various instruments like the drums, triangle, sticks and shakers. While doing this it gives a brief explanation as to how to play it. The book also has a variety of other features such as a table of context and a glossary. The book even goes as far as to offer a quiz. Overall this would be a good book for beginning students, because of its relatively easy text.
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ReplyDeleteKids Make Music!: Clapping & Tapping from Bach to Rock
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=xZktrO54&id=681037A99C7B704CD693BEC031645D79AC83BE73&q=Kids+Make+Music!%3a+Clapping+%26+Tapping+from+Bach+to+Rock&simid=608049318997917804&selectedIndex=0&ajaxhist=0
This is a book by Avery Hart and Paul Mantell and illustrated by Loretta Trezzo Braren. Although relatively old I think that this is an amazingly in depth book that looks to explain a great deal of musical concepts. These concepts vary greatly from one another. It looks at topics ranging from body movement to music set to text to complex musical concepts. This is an incredible detailed book that has a lot to offer to it’s readers. Not only is it informational but it is also very easy to follow for most readers. This would be a great resource for any beginning music classroom.
The young people's book of Music
ReplyDeletehttps://www.amazon.com/Young-Peoples-Book-Music-Pb/dp/1562947842/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487116183&sr=8-1&keywords=The+young+people%27s+book+of+Music+millbrook
This is a book deep dives into the pool of music. This books covers just about any concept that may come up when talking about music. The book talks about famous composers, various styles of music, and different instruments. While very informative the book is very text heavy and some of it is relatively dense. Not only that but the book isn't all that appealing for students due to it’s text heavy nature and outdated photos.
Nina Chamberlin: Civil War Drummer Boy by Verla Kay
ReplyDeleteThis book is very versatile because it touches on music as well as history. It follows a civil war dummer boy through his life before, during, and after the war. Although not a huge component, the book touches on the concept of slaves and death in war, but teaches a worthwhile lessons about the dark sides to war and the ability for the South to go on without unpaid labor from slaves. It can also teach children that both sides of wars suffer, and that one can gain sympathy and understanding through examining a different point of view. Although this book is a tad bit dark for younger readers, it can be a great story to link to any history lessons about the Civil War. It also illustrates how important music can be in a variety of situations, and not just a concert hall.
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DeleteNina Chamberlin: Can You Dance, Dalila? By Virginia Kroll
ReplyDeleteThis book follows a child through her young life, and her journey through dance. She is introduced to many styles of dance, and each teaches her about different heritages and ways of expression. The musical part of the book is in the little girl’s interactions with the different types of dance. If I were to read this book to a class, I would ask them what they think the music would sound like for each different dance style, and then I would play an example to help connect different types of art together, as well as the vivid illustrations in the story. This book can also serve as a reminder to stay open to different cultures and ways of expression: a powerful lesson for children to learn. https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51CZBD6YD4L._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Repost from Homepage on Jan. 24:
ReplyDeleteNina Chamberlin- Boo-Hoo Moo by Margie Palatini:
This book follows a set of barnyard animals in their quest to lift the spirits of one of their friends. Their friend, a cow, has been mooing in a very sad and undesirable tone, and the animals are tired of hearing it. They decide that the cow is sad because she has no one to sing with, so the friends decide to construct a singing ensemble for her. It is revealed, through this process, that the animals would also like to share some of this spotlight, and they would all like to be a part of the ensemble they are creating. After creating this ensemble, they present it to their cow friend only to find out that she has given up singing to become a dancer. Although this book does a great job of drawing attention to the musical sounds animals make, it also shines a light on people acting for the best interest of themselves over their friends. If I were to teach this book, I would use these concepts to help my students self-reflect on their actions in their own lives.
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Repost from Homepage on Jan. 24:
ReplyDeleteNina Chamberlin- ¡Marimba!: Animales from A to Z by Pat Mora:
This book tells the fictional tale of a zoo full of fun-loving animals throwing a party inspired and driven by a monkey playing a marimba. Once the zookeepers are asleep, he reader is taken on an alphabetical tour of the festivities, and with every letter of the alphabet, the readers get to learn an animal’s Spanish name. This book has a great place in music classrooms because it not only shows how music can bring people together, but it shows the beauty of including and celebrating other cultures. During the party, the animals are enjoying Hispanic foods, dances, and musical styles, and it is important for children to see many and all cultures celebrated in their early lives. This way, they are not fearful of people who are not exactly like them when they grow older.
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Repost from Homepage on Jan. 24:
ReplyDeleteNina Chamberlin- The Ear Book by Al Perkins:
This book is a simple exploration of what a child may hear in their everyday lives. The large illustrations and very simple text makes it an easy text for a beginning reader to practice reading. The pictures can undoubtedly help provide meaning to the text. This can be a very useful book in a music classroom because it can open p the discussion about what music truly is, and it can expand students’ minds about their everyday experiences. As a teacher, I would ask what similarities and differences there are between the flute player and the dripping faucet in the book, and I would have my students think of other examples like those. If the students can open their minds about music, they can open their minds to all the other skills they are working to develop in school.
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Nina Chamberlin: Spring Goes Squish! By Marty Kelley
ReplyDeleteThis book follows a child as she experiences the season of spring. She describes her experiences through onomatopoeia. This is a very interesting way to look at music, because music is not simply pitches and lyrics. Music can be made by anything, including the effects of spring on the earth and human experiences. The children can read this book and ponder how the main character’s experiences are similar what they would call music, and how it is different. A class could even put together the onomatopoeia words and make them into a song, further proving the point that music can come from anywhere.
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Woodwind by Wendy Lynch
ReplyDeleteThis book offers a good introduction to the woodwind instrument family. In general it goes into detail of where woodwinds can be found including orchestra, band and jazz settings and also goes into details concerning the recorder and focuses a good number of pages on this subject matter. Later on it describes the other different types of woodwinds including the flute, saxophone, oboe, and clarinet and how they are used and played. It even gives the reader a word perspective in how other different woodwinds are played including bagpipes. Overall this book provides big pictures that students can use to relate the information they are reading to. The information here may be a little overwhelming at first, but if the student attempts to read it over and over again they will most likely retain the information better.
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Tina Turner by Teresa Koenig
ReplyDeleteThis picture book is a nice and concise biography of the life and career of Tina Turner, one of the greatest singers of her generation. The book offers a little section that talks about her upbringing and how she decided to become a professional performer and singer. The book goes on to talk about how she made it to the top and met important people along the way including Ike which would be her future husband. There are other sections that provide addition details about meeting up with artists like Mick Jagger and Lionel Richie and doing songs with them. The closing section covers Tina's other hobbies and activities that she does outside of her professional career. Overall if a student was very interested in a specific artist similar to or exactly Tina Turner this book would surely grab their interest. It is a longer read for younger students but nonetheless a feat worth tackling.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwinpJ3CuJHSAhWg8oMKHdH_DpwQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTurner-Center-Stage-Teresa-Koenig%2Fdp%2FB002WOQQB4&psig=AFQjCNHPlm7Oy4VvvcAMTNMa_93JOnVlgQ&ust=1487225285880289
Brass by Wendy Lynch
ReplyDeleteThis picture book is similar to the ones that I have found in the library concerning instruments for young readers. In this particular book their are very nice and colorful pictures that are nice references to the details being provided by the author. Some of these details include the members of the brass family which includes french horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba. Similar to the Woodwind book this book shows and talks about the different ensembles that brass players can play in including orchestra, band, jazz, and specified brass bands. It also shows how to hold and play these particular instruments listed. Overall this is a nice introduction for young readers as to what constitutes a brass instrument, what they look like, and how they are played. Books like this can possible stimulate interest to start playing these in band or orchestra.
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ReplyDelete"Are You Quite Polite" is an entertaining book loaded with intense illustrations and witty dialogue. Each page has a rhyme set to a well-known tune to teach kids how to be polite. It does this a bit indirectly, though. It focuses a lot on humor and over the top lyrics to keep the attention of the kids reading it. It would be wise to read this with kids that a bit older though, like 8 or 9, since it appeals more to that age group. I would probably read this book to a group of elementary students during the first few weeks of school so they will understand the expectations of classroom etiquette. I also might modify the lyrics so that they’re more appropriate for a musical context.
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ReplyDelete“Jo MacDonald Had a Garden” is a different take on the classic children’s song by, as the title suggests, giving it a more garden-like spin. The focus is also on the apparent grand daughter of Old MacDonald named Jo. It’s also one of the more educational children’s books out there. At the end of the book there is a lot of information about gardens and the kind of creatures that inhabit it, like ladybugs and butterflies. There’s a list of activities that kids can do with an indoor garden, and tips on how to be a good gardener. This is a good song to teach elementary school students if they’re more inclined to be outside and learn about music; it could work very well as a “start of year” lesson.
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ReplyDelete“A-tisket a-tasket” is full of cut-out illustrations that give a very modern and urban look on life. The benefit of reading a book like this is that it exposes kids to the great artist Ella Fitzgerald, an African-American jazz singer who had such nicknames as The First Lady of Song and the Queen of Jazz. The pictures are huge, covering 90% of the page, and each page contains about one line of text so that children don’t get overwhelmed by trying to learn all of the lyrics. Since there’s a lot of action involved in the lyrics, teaching this song to elementary students is a good idea since it will keep them busy and they will also be able to use props.
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ReplyDelete“Arroz Con Leche” is a great book to spread cultural awareness to students. The sub-title of this book is “Popular Songs and Rhymes from Latin America”. All songs are in both English and Spanish. Most of them are very short and easy to remember, so it works best for elementary students. It’s also good for teachers as it helps them to understand the language of Spanish as well as how the kids feel in their class who maybe don’t speak English too well yet. The notes and rhythms of the songs are in the back of the book, as well as fun facts about the Latino culture. This is an essential book if you wish to teach a variety of ethnic music to your students and help them realize that great music exists all over the world.
Caitlin Claytor
ReplyDeleteGoing to a Concert is a step by step instruction type book that explains to the reader just what it means to be an audience member. This can be useful if the class is going to go on a field trip to a concert of some sort. The book emphasizes in bold font many vocabulary words associated with attending a concert such as “audience” and “usher” with pictures that are associated with each vocabulary word. I think this would be a great book for first and second grade students as the text is large and mostly simple but is also starting to introduce words they may not yet know.
http://www.worldcat.org/title/going-to-a-concert/oclc/54502061
Caitlin Claytor
ReplyDeleteMy Family Plays Music is about a young girl who is describing every member of her very musical family and how each one participates in music. Each family member is involved with very different types of music from one another so it shows a wide variety of music styles. The narrator also mentions how she participates in each musical activity by playing a different percussion instrument associated with each style such as triangle for her dad’s orchestra, cymbals for her sister’s marching band, and maracas for her uncle’s big band. I think this would be a second and third grade book because it is slightly wordy but the words aren’t terribly difficult or unfamiliar minus perhaps the styles of ensemble.
https://www.amazon.com/Family-Coretta-Steptoe-Talent-Illustrator/dp/0823415910/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1486768584&sr=1-1&keywords=my+family+plays+music
Caitlin Claytor
ReplyDeleteMary Had a Little Lamb is a book based off of the very popular nursery rhyme of the same name. The poem in this book is far more extended than most kids know from the basic one or two verse poem that is normally sung. I would perhaps first read this to the students straight through and then go back again and sing it in context with the tune. This is a good book for kindergarten and first grade students as it is based on a tune that they should already know, and if they don’t already know it, this would be a way of introducing them to it.
https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Little-Lamb-Sara-Josepha/dp/0761458247/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1486768541&sr=1-6&keywords=mary+had+a+little+lamb+book
Mason Manint- Sweet Music in Harlem
ReplyDeleteBy: Debbie A. Taylor
Illustrated: Frank Morrison
C. J, a photographer from Highnote magazine, is on his way to photograph Uncle Click. Uncle Click, who is a well-known jazz musician, loses his hat. And now it's up to C. J. to find the hat in time for the photo shoot. C.J. will turn around and find lots of surprises that will make him see more to music than what he originally imagined.
https://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Music-Harlem-Debbie-Taylor/dp/1584301651/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488238455&sr=8-1&keywords=Sweet+Music+in+Harlem
Mason Manint- Yankee Doodle
ReplyDeleteIllustrations and written by: Mary Ann Hoberman & Nadine Bernard Westcot
In this fun book, the familiar tune to Yankee Doodle is set to have Yankee Doodle meeting a few friends along the way to pick up and take to town with them. Prior to the big event, Yankee and all his friends plan a big feast for the festival for the Fourth of July where readers might realize where the feather in his cap came from. This book is great to allow students to sing along to the familiar tune they know and love. The students also get a funny story out of the familiar tune which can set up for an activity that allows the students to get together into small groups and make up a story from their early childhood tunes.
https://www.amazon.com/Yankee-Sing-Along-Stories-Hoberman-2004-04-28/dp/B01N3YPKGP/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1488245532&sr=8-3&keywords=yankee+doodle+sing+along+stories
Mason Manint- Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
ReplyDeleteBy: Jane Cabrera
In this whimsical book, we see two energetic puppies go through their day from brushing their teeth, to jump roping, to going to bed. These illustrations are set to appease a younger crowd of about 1st Grade. The illustrations are a nice foreground that allows the reader to go in depth of the story without reading any of the words. This book is great to allow students to sing along to the familiar tune they know and love. The students also get a nice story behind the beloved tale.
https://www.amazon.com/Here-We-Round-Mulberry-Bush/dp/0823422887/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488246542&sr=8-1&keywords=here+we+go+round+the+mulberry+bush+jane+cabrera
Mason Manint- Frosty the Snowman
ReplyDeleteBy: Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins
Illustrated by: Richard Cowdrey
This 1st Grade book is a nice segway into the Holiday Season. This very familiar tune is illustrated in the winter where Frosty comes out to play. He, once again, is brought to life by the old silk hat and comes out for the children. The children and Frosty head out to the village where they go find another place to play around. This book also ends in a happier ending than most renditions where Frosty runs off into the snow. This book would also be good for another project during the Holiday Season where students pick a Holiday tune and illustrate it or do a presentation on it.
https://www.amazon.com/Frosty-Snowman-Steve-Nelson/dp/0439729904/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488247980&sr=8-2&keywords=frosty+the+snowman+steve+nelson+jack+rollins
Mason Manint- If You’re Happy and You Know It
ReplyDeleteIllustrated by Cyd Moore
This quick and easy 1st grade book goes through a fun and interesting twist to If You’re Happy and You Know It. It's Monkey's birthday and all his friends are getting together to celebrate, but it's a surprise. Rabbit makes the invitations, Hedgehog brings the balloons, and Fox makes the dessert all while keeping the surprise. I enjoy how the end of the book has all of the verses to the book and have traditional chords to the staff notation as well in case any teacher wants to practice the verses and whole tune before going through the book. This is also the case where an elementary choir director reads this book and puts the piece into her concert cycle.
https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Happy-Know-Raffi-Songs/dp/0375829199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488249308&sr=8-1&keywords=if+youre+happy+and+you+know+it+cyd+moore
Brandon Jarot - Guitars by Cynthia Klingel and Robert B. Noyed
ReplyDeleteThis brief and basic level one children's book about guitars is ideal for students who are learning how to read and around the age of 5 or 6 years. For the most part each page has text and a picture and the text varies from one to two sentences each page, so overall not a difficult read for most children. As far as content goes it is very shallow in terms of what the guitar is, how you play it, and its history. As previously stated each new page contains a brief sentence that may or may not coincide with the next pages. Some of these sentences are more like facts like a guitar has six strings, or there are many different kinds of guitars, and that guitars have been around for a few hundred years. The pictures are nice and show the guitar in a numerous amount of settings. Overall the book is solid for beginning readers and provides a good amount of information about the use and different aspects about the guitar.
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Brandon Jarot - My First Songs by Jane Manning
ReplyDeleteThis children's book provides illustrations and words to very popular nursery songs that most kids at this age have either heard or sang. If children have not been exposed to such songs then this book is a great place to turn to for some instant classics. "My First Songs" includes songs like "The Wheels on the Bus," "Old Macdonald," and many more to choose from. Although the book does not contain the music for these songs adults or parents can help out the younger readers learn the songs and then correlate these words with the words on the page and potential introduce them to reading or learning newer vocabulary. Overall the book is great for beginner readers to learn new songs with a little help with sibling or adult supervision in order for them to learn the songs an then correlate the appropriate words with the book.
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Duke Hiatt No. 7: Duke Ellington illistrated by Andrea Davis Pinkly would be the perfect pairing for a book I annotated earlier in the semmester on Louis Armstrong. The book tells the story of his life in a way best suited for children K-3. Both of these books can be taught sequentially in honor of black history month, or in part of a over arching lesson on Jazz composers. It is beautifully illistrated and would help keeping kids engauged with the material.
ReplyDeleteIf I only had a horn was the book from earlier that is about Louis Armstrong!
DeleteDuke Hiatt No. 8 : Mason turned me on to the book The Really Awful musicians by John Manders. The light hearted book goes through struggles of learn how to first play. This book would be perfect for the corresponding age. I think it was in 3rd grade that my elementary would allow you to join orchestra and band. The book could make some real connections with children learning how to play for the first time. This book can be used to facilitate a discussion about what instruments they like and are interested in.
ReplyDeleteBrandon Jarot - Who Were The Beatles? by Geoff Edgers
ReplyDeleteThis book has very colorful and unique illustrations that are sure to grab the attention of younger readers interested in the Beatles. Overall the book gives a nice synopsis of the successful careers of one of the most influential bands to ever perform. The book gives bios about all four of the Beatles John, Paul, George and Ringo and gives some insight on their rise to fame in Britain and also the U.S. This book would be great for students who have experience in reading and are looking for a book that will broaden their knowledge on such groups such as The Beatles. I would recommend students in either 2nd or 3rd grade to tackle this material. Overall the pictures in the book alone make it worth the read while providing concise paragraphs on each page about the specific content for The Beatles. Not too much stuff going on each page and just difficult enough for the desired age group.
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Brandon Jarot - The Cat in the Hat Songbook by Dr. Seuss
ReplyDeleteThis silly songbook is great for children who are both a fan of singing and are also a fan of Dr. Seuss books. This book contains a wide array of songs for children to try and learn while providing sheet music in the book as well for those that are fluent enough to read the notation. If not parental help may be needed in order to teach the songs to the students. Overall the book has a selection of goofy and funny songs that have clever and simple rhymes that students will pick up on immediately. As for the music itself it is not at all too difficult for a music student who is able to the read the notation and also encourages students to learn the notation either on their own or with help from the teacher. The book also provides classic Dr. Seuss illustrations that add the the enjoyment of learning the songs. Overall a nice book to have students read from and have a good time in doing so. The illustrations are nice and colorful and the music is not half bad for a children's book.
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Duke Hiatt No.9 : Who Was Elvis Presley? by Geoff Edgers is another installment of his formulaic children's reads. It is very well illustrated and depicts the life of the King from humble beginnings. Growing up in the depression to becoming the greatest rock n roll legend of all time. The language is easy to understand and light-hearted. I think this would be great for almost any grade K-5. It can be used in a lesson pertaining to the emergence of rock n roll in popular music in the 1950s. You can start by talking about Elvis and then move on to the British invasion with Geoff Edgers book about who the Beatles were. An entire Geoff Edgers lesson.
ReplyDeleteDuke Hiatt No. 10: The book Music Class Today, is a sort of "meta" book to teach to grades K-2. It is a book that goes through a day in the life of a boy that does not want to participate in music class. This book is perfect to read the first day or week of music classes. The boy is shy at first in the book, but eventually opens up to trying the activities that they other students are participating in. Everyone will have those children that don't feel like participating, or are too shy, so this book, read very early on in the course, could help break down any barriers students may have.
ReplyDeleteLullaby for Baby Bear - France Quatromme. This book is about a baby bear who’s mom fell asleep before him so other mother animals try to sing him to sleepy but none of it is working. Finally his mother comes and sings a lullaby to him and he falls asleep. This book shows the power of music and how certain music speaks to different people in different ways. It would connect to students who can name their favorite songs and try to explain what it means to them.
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“Clang” Went the Cymbals - Dana Hall Jordan is a book about a boy who loses his bear and spends the story searching for it. He realizes when he finds it that he doesn't care if it is dirty or not. This book can relate to children especially for the plot but in a musical setting seeing how all the different words for the noises can help make sense for children learning the different sounds that instruments make.
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Tuba Lesson - T.C. Bartlett and Monique Felix. This story is about a boy who is on his way to his tuba lesson when he gets distracted by many things along the way. There are animals who make sounds at him and the smaller animals have smaller sounds and the bigger animals have bigger sounds. This shows children how dynamics can be present in music and also gives lessons about the staff with the boy walking on five lines throughout the story.
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Catfish Kate and the Sweet Swamp Band - Sarah Weeks. This story is about the main character Catfish Kate creating a song and all the animals from the swamp come to join in and play different instruments with her. The conflict of the story arises when the skunks do not want to hear the loud music. The other animals give them earplugs and all is happy. This story can teach kids how you have to be respectful of other people when being loud in general and also how many different instruments make sounds.
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Movie Musicals - Andrea Staskowski. This book is basically a history on how musicals came to be on film. It has lots of good information as well as pictures to give demonstrations to some kids who might not be as strong of readers. It gives lots of examples of musicals that got turned into movies and could very well relate to a young reader who might have seen one of the musicals or heard about it in class before. I think this book might be for some of the more advanced readers though.
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The Really Awful Musicians - John Manders. This book is about what it is like to learn how to play an instrument. It is very relatable for children of the age who learn how to play an instrument, which for me was in the fourth grade. It helps them see that it is not easy to learn how to play an instrument that with practice and hard work they can get there. It also may help students who are unsure of what instrument they might want to learn how to play.
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If You’re Happy and You Know It - Illustrated by Cyd Moore. This book is an spin off of the song which is really good for very young kids possibly in kindergarten who would most likely be singing the song in a group music class. It helps them bring more meaning to the lyrics and is a very good light-hearted story which they will come to associate the lyrics with. I definitely think it is easier for kids to make associations when learning if they have something they can easily attach themselves to.
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Tina Turner - Teresa Koenig. This story is a picture book about the life of Tina Turner who was arguably one of the greatest singers of her generation. It talks a lot about her upbringing and a lot of the people that she met along the way on her journey to the top. It is really easy to understand and would make for a great biography for a music class project for lots of kids to do.
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Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs - Alan Katz. This is a book of songs that all kids learn growing up but it changes the lyrics around to make them creative and stimulates kids brains. The lyric changes are very interesting and make for a great switch up to keep kids interested and learning. All my life I have loved to switch up the lyrics to popular songs on the radio with my friends for fun and because i think coming up with new rhymes is really fun, so this one stuck out to me as a keeper.
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Raffi’s Top 10 Songs to Read - Raffi. This is a very cool book which is a typed out version of Raffi’s songs for kids to read and enjoy. His songs are very catchy and made for kids. The book is really good because when kids already enjoy listening to the music having the lyrics available for them to read is a great way to stimulate learning. Prior knowledge is definitely the bomb when it comes to this one.
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I chose Before John was a Jazz Giant, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and Illustrated by Sean Qualls because of my own experience listening to Coltrane to develop my own sound. It goes into detail of some of the different sounds and experiences he had around him growing up in the south. It shows not only music and its influence there but some racial pretexts that can be extremely important when educating young people.
ReplyDeleteBenny Goodman and Teddy Wilson: Taking the Stage as the First Black-and-White Jazz Band in History, written by Lesa Cline-Ransome, follows the story of Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson and how they grew up very separate and the different musical ideas they had going on throughout their own lives. It continues to delve into the two musicians playing together as well. This is a good introduction to big band musicians for a middle school or earlier jazz band so that kids can broaden their horizons from a younger age.
ReplyDeleteJazzmatazz by Stephanie Calmenson and illustrated by Bruce Degan, is a book to introduce young kids to ideas about rhythms and sounds using sounds around the house. It uses seemingly unmusical ideas, such as animals moving around or a fish blowing bubbles to emphasis that music is everywhere. This book is ideal for very young or beginning students to just introduce numerous basic concepts to them at a young age.
ReplyDeleteThe First Music by Dylan Pritchett is a story about the idea of music coming from nowhere, meaning only the sounds of nature around the animals in the story. The animals become more and more aware of the idea of music as the story progresses, which is a cool idea about music inclusivity and how anyone can take part in it. I’d recommend this book to an early general music class to encourage more children to take part in band or choir.
ReplyDeleteDrummer Boy by Loren Long uses a somewhat familiar idea of the little drummer boy around Christmas time to introduce rhythmic development to younger students. There is a very interesting idea in the writing style here that introduces different ideals of feel and meter just by the grouping of the words on the page. This helps cement the idea of his drumming and give it a complexity that even young kids should be able to identify as difficult without it being out of reach. This book would be ideal for young children starting to learn about different ideas of the feeling of music.
ReplyDeleteIn Making Music: 6 Instruments You Can Create, written by Eddie Herschel Oates, the book outlines not only basic instrument groups, but how to construct a few basic instruments using things from around the house. Some examples of this are things like a tube and funnel to project sound. I’d use this to introduce how simple it is to make music to young children, primarily K-2 for a grade level.
ReplyDeleteStrings, written by Wendy Lynch, is a book that shows a lot of pictures of different types of string instruments as a basic introduction to the instrument family. It also discusses how sound is produced on the different instruments in the family and touches on a few non-traditional string instruments to give a better world scope of the instrument family. I’d say this book best fits in an early general music class during an instrument family section of curriculum.
ReplyDeleteMusical Instruments: Woodwind, written by Wendy Lynch, is a fantastic intro into the woodwind family of instruments. It is also written as a book with lots of pictures of different woodwind instruments so that a connection is formed between sight, name, and hopefully audio. This book, similarly to other books in the author’s series would be a fantastic fit into a general music curriculum around the same time as other idea of instrumental introduction.
ReplyDeleteDuke Ellington, written by Andrea Davis Pinkney, is a beautifully drawn biography following the life and music of the Duke. This book is written so that it is more entertaining than a biography. Though still factual, it doesn’t seem to drag on at any points and this can be a fantastic resource to give some music history as well as a great intro into America’s first unique music style. This book would once again be best suited in a younger general music class and can be tailored to fit many different ideas surrounding jazz.
ReplyDeleteWhen Louis Taught Me Scat, written by Muriel Harris Weinstein, is a fantastic introduction to jazz and jazz scat. It follows a young girl who is visited in a dream by the great Louis Armstrong. The direction it takes is great because it’s playful and doesn’t take the art of scat too seriously and makes games out of it. I’d use this as an introduction to jazz history in a 4th or 5th grade classroom.
ReplyDeleteNina Chamberlin- Lullaby for Baby Bear, by France Quatromme and Parastou Haghi
ReplyDeleteThis book is about a baby bear struggling to fall asleep one night. His cries wake up other animal mothers, and they each try to sing him a lullaby to make him sleepy. All of their songs fail, however, because their lyrics reflect the needs of their own children, and not the baby bear. Finally, the mama bear comes and sings him the lullaby that he needs, and he falls asleep. This book does a great job of illustrating the power of music in a way that very young kids can understand. It can make you feel something, and it is also a very personal experience. This book shows children the power of shared music, and it also paves the way to a sort of create-your-own lullaby project.
Link to cover photo: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51WLN2cr3JL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
ReplyDeleteNina Chamberlin- Hip Hop Dog, by Chris Raschka
ReplyDeleteThis book is very unique because it is all in the form of a rap. The rap is in the perspective of a stray dog who is lamenting his lonely life on the streets. As he gets introduced to different types of music, however, he blossoms into an incredible hip hop artist. The most amazing and stimulating aspect of this book is the way the words are illustrated to reflect the form if the rap song. All of the rhyming words are bolded so it is clear how the rhyme scheme works. Also, every chorus is written in a spiraling circle, so one must turn the book upside down several times to read any given chorus. It reflects how the form of the song works, and this can be a hugely meaningful illustration for young students.
Link to cover photo: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51asMnfUCVL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Nina Chamberlin- The First Music, by Dylan Pritchett
ReplyDeleteThis book tells the tale of African animals learning how to make music together. It starts with an accidental noise from an elephant, and one by one, each animal learns what they have to offer to the holistic ensemble. Sadly, the frogs do not join in because they believe that their body proportions prohibit them from dancing or playing a musical instrument. Towards the end, the frogs realize that they can sing, or croak, to contribute to their wonderful ensemble of African animals, and the whole group learns how to put their individual strengths and creativity together to create something really special that they can all love.
Link to cover photo: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51%2BK-rTrmFL._SX384_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Nina Chamberlin- Piano Piano, by Davide Cali
ReplyDeleteThis book is a humorous story of a boy who strongly dislikes playing the piano, even though his mother insists he practices. The boy’s grandpa introduces him to new experiences outside of the piano, and he ultimately decides that he wants to pick up the tuba. Now, the boy loves practicing because he is passionate about the tuba. Lots of kids end up taking piano lessons much earlier before they are allowed to pick an instrument of their own, so many students can relate to this young boy’s struggles. A perfect takeaway from this book is that just because a student dislikes what they are currently doing, it does not mean that they hate music, or the broader version of what they feel forced to do. The little boy was a musician in his heart, after all! He just needed to find the kind of music that best suited him!
Link to cover photo: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51QAPlGUV7L._SY365_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
Mason Manint- Hickory Dickory Dock
ReplyDeleteWritten by Keith Baker
https://www.amazon.com/Hickory-Dickory-Dock-Keith-Baker/dp/0152058184/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490652350&sr=8-1&keywords=hickory+dickory+dock+keith+baker
Remembering about the old nursery rhymes sung to as a child, this nursery rhyme turned children’s book is exactly what you would expect for a young kids book. Not only is it sung in the tune of Hickory Dickory Dock, but it has extended lyrics that makes the clock hit every hour of the day with new animals. This book would be extremely educational for students who are learning how to tell time and are learning about certain animals.
Mason Manint- 88 Instruments
ReplyDeleteWritten By: Chris Barton
Illustrated By: Louis Thomas
https://www.amazon.com/88-Instruments-Chris-Barton/dp/0553538144/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490651047&sr=8-1&keywords=88+instruments
For the little boy, it is tough making a decision, let alone picking an instrument that he likes. In this onomatopoeic and rhythmic text, this boy goes through 88 different instruments from a local music store. From hearing certain sounds and timbres to playing a few of them along the way, the mom and dad said he could only pick one along with their approval.
This short book allows the students to keep the beat while reading along. It also gives the students a little more knowledge on certain instruments and what they look like. Thankfully, the author gave a few details describing certain instruments in how they play so the students can aurally visualize those sounds.
Mason Manint- Maestro Mouse and the Mystery of the Missing Baton
ReplyDeleteWritten and Illustrated by: Peter W. Barnes and Cheryl Shaw Barnes
https://www.amazon.com/Maestro-Mouse-Mystery-Missing-Baton/dp/1621570363/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490648831&sr=8-1&keywords=maestro+mouse+and+the+mystery+of+the+missing+baton
In this whimsical tale, Maestro Mouse conducts the National Symphony Orchestra where he soon finds that his baton is missing. While the children offer to help, they go through each individual instrument within the Symphony Orchestra and talk a little about each instrument. They also talk a little bit about the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. while looking for the baton. Once they find the baton, they continue on with the show and finish in dramatic fashion.
This cute little book, gives students an insight on certain instruments but also focus more on the Symphony Orchestra and the world renown John F. Kennedy Center. In the back of the book, it has a little more information on the Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
The Garden Symphony
ReplyDeleteWritten by: Victoria Kintner Griswold
Illustrated by: Sharon Vargo.
https://www.indianapolissymphony.org/education/families/teddy-bear-series/the-garden-symphony
Created from one of the programs of the award winning Indianapolis Symphony's Teddy Bear Series, The Garden Symphony follows a ladybug’s search through the garden for her own special song. This book links to music recorded by members of the ISO and also provides movements cues for children to do along with the music. This book introduces the oboe, clarinet, cello, violin, and harp.