“Mortimer”
by Robert Munsch

This fun little story could have been written
expressly for music teachers! Not only is it all
about a song and the little boy who sings
it (over and over, noisily), it also involves a
“refrain” of foot-stomping sound effects that children
love.

Mother, Father, a crowd of brothers and sisters,
and even a couple of police officers ask (or
tell) Mortimer to be quiet as he goes to sleep,
but he’s just not sleepy. (Probably a common
and relatable dilemma for preschoolers!) When-
ever they leave his room and go downstairs,
Mortimer sings a very silly song – “Cling, clang,
walla bing-bang, gonna make my noise all day!”
(I make up my own tune, which I sing loudly
in a childish voice, and children usually sing
along enthusiastically.)

I also have the children stomp their feet on the floor
in front of them as the various authority figures go up
the stairs and down the stairs (thump thump thump
thump…)

It’s fun, too, after the story, to bring out a xylophone
so the kids can take turns making the music go
up and down. If you have a set of glockenspiels,
all the better.

“Mortimer” is a classic by the wonderful Robert Munsch,
who’s written many terrific children’s books including
the very sweet “Love You Forever.” So if your class
likes to make noise (and whose doesn’t?) enjoy
“Mortimer.” You’ll all have lots of noisy fun!