Book picks similar to
First Book Of Jazz by Langston Hughes
music
childrens-books
non-fiction
jazz
Poems for the Very Young
Michael Rosen - 1993
Its contents range from the hilariously funny to the thought-provoking, from playground rhymes and nonsense verse to poems by favourite writers, classic and modern.Imaginative and entertaining, this is an inspiring first poetry anthology for children and grown-ups to share.
Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons
Ann Rinaldi - 1996
Phillis Wheatley--as she comes to be known--has an eager mind and it leads her on an unusual path for a slave--she becomes America’s first published black poet. “Strong characterization and perceptive realism mark this thoughtful portrayal.”--Booklist
Home in the Woods
Eliza Wheeler - 2019
Eliza Wheeler's book tells the story of what happens when six-year-old Marvel, her seven siblings, and their mom must start all over again after their father has died. Deep in the woods of Wisconsin they find a tar-paper shack. It doesn't seem like much of a home, but they soon start seeing what it could be. During their first year it's a struggle to maintain the shack and make sure they have enough to eat. But each season also brings its own delights and blessings—and the children always find a way to have fun. Most importantly, the family finds immense joy in being together, surrounded by nature. And slowly, their little shack starts feeling like a true home—warm, bright, and filled up with love.
The Man with the Violin
Kathy Stinson - 2013
subway for a free concert. More than a thousand commuters rushed by him, but only seven stopped to listen for more than a minute. In The Man with the Violin, bestselling author Kathy Stinson has woven a heart-warming story that reminds us all to stop and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. Dylan is someone who notices things. His mom is someone who doesn’t. So try as he might, Dylan can’t get his mom to listen to the man playing the violin in the subway station. With the beautiful music in his head all day long, Dylan can’t forget the violinist, and finally succeeds in making his mother stop and listen, too. Vividly imagined text combined with illustrations that pulse with energy expertly demonstrate the transformative power of music. With a postscript explaining Joshua Bell’s story, and afterword by Joshua Bell himself.
Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan
Mary Williams - 2005
Based on true events.
Barnum's Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous Dinosaur in the World
Tracey E. Fern - 2012
Barnum, hoping that he would do something extraordinary--and he did! As a paleonotologist for the American Museum of Natural History, he discovered the first documented skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus Rex, as well as most of the other dinosaurs on display there today.An appealing and fun picture book biography, with zany and stunning illustrations by Boris Kulikov, BARNUM'S BONES captures the spirit of this remarkable man.
When Paul Met Artie: The Story of Simon & Garfunkel
G. Neri - 2018
As teens, they practiced singing into a tape recorder, building harmonies that blended their now-famous voices until they sounded just right. They wrote songs together, pursued big-time music producers, and dreamed of becoming stars, never imagining how far their music would take them. Against a backdrop of street-corner doo-wop gangs, the electrifying beginnings of rock ’n’ roll, and the rise of the counterculture folk music scene, G. Neri and David Litchfield chronicle the path that led two young boys from Queens to teenage stardom and back to obscurity, before finding their own true voices and captivating the world with their talent. Back matter includes an afterword, a discography, a bibliography, and a fascinating list of song influences.
Emma's Poem: The Voice of the Statue of Liberty
Linda Glaser - 2010
Give me your tired, your poorYour huddled masses yearning to breathe free...Who wrote these words? And why? In 1883, Emma Lazarus, deeply moved by an influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe, wrote a sonnet that was to give voice to the Statue of Liberty. Originally a gift from France to celebrate our shared national struggles for liberty, the Statue, thanks to Emma's poem, slowly came to shape our hearts, defining us as a nation that welcomes and gives refuge to those who come to our shores. This title has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades 4-5, Poetry)
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
Vashti Harrison - 2017
Among these biographies, readers will find heroes, role models, and everyday women who did extraordinary things - bold women whose actions and beliefs contributed to making the world better for generations of girls and women to come.Whether they were putting pen to paper, soaring through the air or speaking up for the rights of others, the women profiled in these pages were all taking a stand against a world that didn't always accept them. The leaders in this book may be little, but they all did something big and amazing, inspiring generations to come.
Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story
Mark Dillon - 2012
It is filled with new interviews with music legends such as Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Alan Jardine, Bruce Johnston, David Marks, Blondie Chaplin, Randy Bachman, Roger McGuinn, John Sebastian, Lyle Lovett, Alice Cooper, and Al Kooper, and commentary from a younger generation such as Matthew Sweet, Carnie Wilson, Daniel Lanois, Cameron Crowe, and Zooey Deschanel. Even hardcore fans will be delighted by the breadth of this musical-history volume. Plans for celebrating the golden anniversary of "America's band" include the long-awaited release of 1967's Smile--the most famous aborted album in rock history--and concerts reuniting the group's five main surviving members. The band's music is as influential as it was 50 years ago, and this retelling of how the iconic rock group found itself in the annals of pop culture couldn't come at a better time.
Change Sings: a Children's Anthem
Amanda Gorman - 2021
As a young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey, they learn that they have the power to make changes—big or small—in the world, in their communities, and in most importantly, in themselves.
ROAR-chestra!: A Wild Story of Musical Words
Robert Heidbreder - 2021
Each term is first featured on a spread beside an image of a conductor animatedly leading his (unseen) orchestra in alignment with the term. Turn the page, and we find a short line of text that provides a succinct physical definition of the term, along with expressive art showcasing the animal orchestra using movement to interpret the description. For glissando, we find: “Gently gliding, slipping, sliding,” with an image of animals flowing across the pages as if rolling on a wave. For fortissimo, the text reads, “Loudly crashing --- stomping, stamping,” while the animals are shown with their heads thrown back and their mouths wide open, roaring for all the world to hear. It's a performance so enticing, readers won't be able to resist joining in!This unique picture book provides an engaging and entertaining way for children to understand and remember the meanings of these common musical terms (all Italian and great fun to pronounce). But it is also sure to inspire readers to get up and move, following and mimicking the animals, or, perhaps, playing the conductor. An excellent choice for any unit on music, this book offers an accessible and effective way to learn musical terms as well as a fun opportunity to play with music.
Noah Webster and His Words
Jeri Chase Ferris - 2012
But who was that Webster? Noah Webster (1758–1843) was a bookish Connecticut farm boy who became obsessed with uniting America through language. He spent twenty years writing two thousand pages to accomplish that, and the first 100 percent American dictionary was published in 1828 when he was seventy years old. This clever, hilariously illustrated account shines a light on early American history and the life of a man who could not rest until he’d achieved his dream. An illustrated chronology of Webster’s life makes this a picture perfect bi-og-ra-phy [noun: a written history of a person's life].
Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes
Wab Kinew - 2018
Including figures such as Crazy Horse, Net-no-kwa, former NASA astronaut John Herrington and Canadian NHL goalie Carey Price, Go Show the World showcases a diverse group of Indigenous people in the US and Canada, both the more well known and the not- so-widely recognized. Individually, their stories, though briefly touched on, are inspiring; collectively, they empower the reader with this message: "We are people who matter, yes, it's true; now let's show the world what people who matter can do."
A Time to Keep
Tasha Tudor - 1977
There were homemade valentines and Easter eggs, Fourth of July picnics and family birthdays. Thanksgiving brought visits from relatives—so many, the children had to sleep in the barn! And finally, there was Christmas, the best of all “times to keep,” with handmade presents, an Advent calendar, and a “beautiful tree in a shine of candles.” Month by month, Tasha Tudor’s delicate illustrations bring to life the holidays of an earlier time. A warm-hearted celebration of family and tradition, this treasury of “times to keep” will be cherished and enjoyed all year long.