Music is such a fun topic that covers such a wide range of information. This book list has a little taste of almost everything and was so much fun to compile. In it you will find books that cover everything from the science of sound to the how different types of instruments are made and used all around the world to music history to books that even include music/sound features that allow children to hear and experience music in addition to reading about it. These books make a great introduction to the world of music and are packed with enough information to keep your child busy and engaged with learning fascinating things about music for hours. Enjoy!
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ROAR-chestra!: A Wild Story of Musical Words by Robert Heidbreder and Susan Petricic- This book is a fun demonstration of some music vocabulary. Each page spread shows a conductor using a word such as “allegro” to instruct his group of animals. They then demonstrate the meaning of that word through the illustrations. A fun way to introduce a little music theory.
Sound: Shhh . . . Bang . . . POP . . . BOOM! by Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv- This introduction to sound covers everything from decibels to the meaning of noise pollution. Sound is an important concept to understand with music and this book is a visually appealing and informative introduction.
Wild Symphony by Dan Brown and Susan Batori- In this book Maestro Mouse is your guide as he introduces you to a bevy of musical animal friends. The really special part is that there is a free app created to pair with the book. The app has accompanying orchestra music for each set of animal friends on each page spread. Every selection embodies the characteristics and vibe of the animals represented and it’s such a fabulous introduction to symphonies.
The Story Orchestra: Four Seasons in One Day: Press the note to hear Vivaldi’s music (The Story Orchestra, 1) by Jessica Courtney-Tickle- With each turn of the page in this book you are led through the four seasons starting with spring through winter. Each page spread has a “press here” music note icon that you can press that plays a short selection of “The Four Seasons” that matches the season and the page spread (with incredible, over-the-top, gorgeously detailed, illustrations) you are currently enjoying and the accompanying story.
Guitar Genius: How Les Paul Engineered the Solid-Body Electric Guitar and Rocked the World by Kim Tomsioc and Brett Helquist- This nonfiction book features the work of Les Paul and the story behind him enineering the electric guitar. It is a fascinating history of the instrument and is both educational and fascinating.
The Stories of Musical Instruments by Stepanka Sekaninova and Jakub Cenkl- This book features many different instruments from around the world from Japanese flutes to didgeridoos. It is packed with interesting information from how the instruments are made, their cultural history, impacts they had on the music scene and so much more. There is a lot to read in this book and it is all nicely categorized by instrument type with a table of contents at the beginning.
The Walkabout Orchestra: Postcards from around the world by Chloe Perarnau- This search and find starts with an empty recital hall and a stressed conductor who needs to find all of his orchestra musicians who are out on holiday around the world. Each page spread thereafter features a different location around the globe along with a postcard from the missing musician or two that you need to find there. In the end the orchestra hall is full and the concert can commence. Not as educational as the other books on this list but we LOVE this one!
Music: A Fold-out Graphic History by Nicholas O’Neill, Susan Hayes and Ruby Taylor- This book has an ingenious format that consists of a sturdy, folded up page that is double sided that can be pulled out into an 8 ft long timeline of music history. It starts with ancient music and moves through music history through 2019. With a handy index and glossary at the end it is truly something special.
A History of Music for Children by Mary Richards, David Schwietzer and Rose Blake- This thick book is packed with information on music history. It starts with introducing music and sound and moves on to cover other topics such as composition, music for film, reading music, recording music and so much more. The bright and colorful illustrations and design throughout is eye catching and while I haven’t read this one yet, it looks spectacular.
Orchestra by Avalon Nuovo and David Doran- An oversized gem! This book features orchestras in such a comprehensive and beautifully designed way. It goes beyond the types of instruments in orchestras to cover other aspects including composers, composing music and even the history of orchestras.
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