Music & Literacy

MUSIC AND LITERACY GO HAND IN HAND. YOUR CHILD LEARNS SO MUCH ABOUT FLUENCY, TRACKING, RHYME, AND RHYTHM JUST FROM BEING IN MUSIC CLASS.....AND ALL THESE SKILLS CAN HELP THEM WITH READING!
 
HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE BOOKS TO USE FOR MAKING MUSIC :-)
 

This list is not even CLOSE to being comprehensive. There are hundreds of books that I could add to this list and more being published every year. 
 
 
Charlie Parker Played Be Bop Chris Raschka
Leaf Man Lois Ehlert
Max Found Two Sticks Brian Pinkney
Thump Thump Rat-a-Tat-Tat Gene Baer
Abiyoyo Pete Seeger, illus by Michael Hays
The Music Teacher from the Black Lagoon Mike Thaler
We All Went on Safari: A Counting Journey through Tanzania Laurie Krebs and Julia Cairns
Chalk Bill Thomson (This book is GREAT for introducing opera. Students sing an improvised story to this book.)
M is for Music Kathleen Krull
Dance
Dictionary of Dance Liz Murphy
My Many Colored Days Dr. Suess
The Story of the Nutcracker Ballet Deborah Hautzig
Sing the Book
America the Beautiful Scholastic

Blowin' in the Wind Bob Dylan, illus John J. Muth
Don't Laugh at Me Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin
Froggie Went a-Courtin' Iza Trapani
Grandma's Feather Bed Christopher Canyon (lyrics by John Denver)
Puff the Magic Dragon Peter Yarrow, Lenny Lipton
Senor Don Gato illustrated by John Manders
Take Me Home, Country Roads Christopher Canyon (lyrics by John Denver)
Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs Alan Katz
There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow Lucille Colandro
There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat Lucille Colandro
There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell Lucille Colandro
There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly Simms Taback
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell Lucille Colandro
What a Wonderful World Tip Hopbood
Possum Come a-Knockin' Nancy Van Laan
 
Biography and Careers in Music
 
Some of these books are chapter books, so students may only get to read a portion of the book during music class. If something is quite popular I let our school librarian, Mrs. Johnson know.
Who Is Dolly Parton? True Kelley
Who Was Elvis Presley? Geoff Edgers
Who was Michael Jackson? Megan Stine
Who Were the Beatles? Geoff Edgers
There are more titles in this series that you might like. Elton John and Bruce Springsteen are a few more musicians you can find.
Marvin Makes Music Jim Madsen
When the Beat was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop Laban Carrick Hill
Composers
 
Aaron Copland (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia
Duke Ellington (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia
George Gershwin (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia
George Handel (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia
I, Vivaldi Janice Shefelman
Johann Sebastian Bach (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia
John Philip Sousa (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia
Ludwig van Beethoven (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) Mike Venezia
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Mike Venezia
Young Mozart Rachel Isadora
Famous Composers Reference Book Usborne

Patriotic
I teach a "Star-Spangled Banner" unit and like to have a few books on hand for students who finish early. These are a couple of my favorites.
By the Dawn's Early Light, The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner Steven Kroll
Can You Sing "The Star-Spangled Banner"? Martha E.H. Rustad

History
Do Re Mi: If You Can Read This Thank Guido A'rezzo Susan Roth
Everyday History: Song and Dance John Malam
The Rock and Roll Alphabet Jeffrey Schwartz
V is for von Trapp: A Musical Family Alphabet William Anderson
We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song Debbie Levy
When Marian Sang Pam Munoz Ryan
Before John Was a Giant Carole Boston Weatherford
John Henry Julius Lester, illus Jerry Pinkney
Instruments
I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello Barabara S. Garriel
Lemony Snicket The Composer is Dead Nathaniel Stookey
M is for Melody Kathy-jo Wargin
Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo John Lithgow
The Remarkable Farkle McBride John Lithgow
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin Lloyd Moss
Moses Goes to a Concert Isaac Millman
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