As a music educator and teacher educator, I'm always on the lookout for good books I can use in my work with children and recommend to my students. I have curated a large collection of materials - some with obvious connections to music and others with a less direct path. Many are common children's books that I have repurposed for musical ends. The list is always growing and never complete. If you have suggestions for new additions, feel free to send me an email and I'll check them out! See some of my favorites below:
About music and musicians
I Know a Shy Fellow who Swallowed a Cello - Barbara Barriel
Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and his Orchestra - Andrea Davis Pinkney
Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo - John Lithgow
Musical Life of Gustav Mole - Kathryn Meyrick
Ben’s Trumpet - Rachel Isadora
Mole Music - David McPhail
Max Found Two Sticks - Brian Pinkney
Charlie Parker Played Be Bop - Chris Raschka
Freddie the Frog (the series) - Sharon Burch
Musical sounds
Moo, Baa, La La La! - Sandra Boynton
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom - Bill Martin Jr.
The Very Busy Spider - Eric Carle
The Jazz Fly - Matthew W. Gollub
The Very Lonely Firefly - Eric Carle
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? - Bill Martin, Jr.
The Tiny Seed - Eric Carle
The Very Quiet Cricket - Eric Carle
For musical plays
Where the Wild Things Are - Maurice Sendak
Something Good - Robert Munsch
Mud Puddle - Robert Munsch
Giraffes Can’t Dance - Giles Andreae
Baby Bear Baby Bear, What do you see? - Bill Martin Jr.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? - Bill Martin Jr.
The Paper Bag Princess - Robert Munsch
Song stories
Shake My Sillies Out - Raffi
Down by the Bay - Raffi
Wheels on the Bus - Raffi
Down by the Station - Will Hillenbrand
Mary Had a Little Lamb - Iza Trapani
Jingle Bells - Iza Trapani
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star - Caroline Jayne Church
I’m a Little Teapot - Iza Trapani
Itsy Bitsy Spider - Iza Trapani
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed - Eileen Christelow
Row Row Row Your Boat - Iza Trapani
Five Little Ducks - Raffi
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Start - Iza Trapani
Can You Hear It? - William Lach
How Much Is That Doggie in the Window? - Iza Trapani
Shoo Fly! - Iza Trapani
Rain, Rain, Go Away - Caroline Jayne Church
Barnyard Dance! - Sandra Boynton
If You’re Happy and You Know It - Raffi