“Bumpety Bump” by Pat Hutchins There are fun movements and sounds on almost every page of this charming book. It’s great for this time of year, when many young children are visiting farms for pumpkin picking and hayrides. The ride in “Bumpety Bump” is a wheelbarrow ride, given to a young boy by his grandfather […]
Category Archives: Stories
“Are You a Horse?’ by Andy Rash “Are You a Horse?” is one of those stories where the protagonist is clueless and the children listening to the story know what’s going on. Children LOVE these stories, because they give them a chance to be the smart ones. Roy gets a saddle for his birthday and he […]
“Looking for a Moose” by Phyllis Root This is one of my favorite stories for fall, especially because of the use of fall colors in the illustrations. It also has Phyllis Root’s great ear for rhythm and rhymes that captivate young children. There’s not really a lot of plot to “Looking for a Moose.” A […]
“Hiccups for Elephant” by James Preller Have you ever wondered what would happen if an elephant got the hiccups? Well, thanks to James Preller, we now know that some very silly things could happen! All of Elephant’s friends offer their own home remedies for curing hiccups, such as standing on his head, drinking water fast, […]
“The Crickets” from “Mouse Soup” by Arnold Lobel “The Crickets” is a perfect story for music time – funny, well-written. easy to follow, and very musical. It’s one of the stories in “Mouse Soup” by the great Arnold Lobel, about a mouse who puts off ( and escapes) his eventual inclusion in a weasel’s soup pot by […]
“Where’s Mary’s Hat?” by Stephane Barroux Simple, simple, simple – that’s what I’m looking for in a picture book for young children at the beginning of the school year. I want a book with the bare minimum of plot to follow: bright, bold illustrations; and plenty of silliness. Easy to understand and easy to enjoy. […]
“Where There’s a Bear, There’s Trouble” by Michael Catchpool I wish there were more picture books for young children just like this. It’s a very simple, gently humorous story, easy for children to understand, with sweet illustration in two-page spreads that again, are accessible for the very young. Best of all are the many opportunities to […]
“Pattern Fish” by Trudy Harris As you may have guessed, this story is all about patterns. Each fish, or other sea creature, has a distinct visual pattern or two or three colors. And each also has a sound pattern. This is repeated a few times, leaving the last sound of the pattern for the next […]
The rabbit is one of those animals that are so difficult to fit into “Old McDonald” and other songs and games since we don’t know what noise it makes. This book explores that timeless question! The main reason I like this book for music class is the rabbit’s rhythm as he thumps his foot – I […]
If you were a bear who lived in a neat cave right on the beach, you might not be that eager to take a trip to the city. But that’s what the bear in this story does, lured by the intriguing sounds of cars and trains. Of course, he has many adventures. When he tires […]
Music (and Science) For Young Children 