Month: August 2020

Be You!

Sophie Rosen , ,

Reynolds, Beter H. Be You! New York: Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2020.
An upbeat and encouraging story by a master storyteller. The illustrations, the font, the design of each page all contribute to create a picture book for readers of all ages. A perfect companion to Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go! 

More stories of individuality

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” – Marie Curie

Because

Sophie Rosen , , ,

Willems, Mo. Because. New York: Hyperion Books For Children, 2019.

An encouraging story showing how we are all connected to each other, how one action by one person can lead to inspiration for others. Cheerful illustrations by Amber Ren help tell a story of Franz Schubert composing a symphony that leads to a young girl becoming a composer. The front endpaper shows Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 in B-Minor, while the back endpaper features Hilary Purrington’s The Cold, a piece composed especially for this picture book. The back flyleaf intriguingly relates the chain of events that led to the author’s and illustrator’s own careers.  A wonderful story for readers six to eleven-years-old, a discussion starter for teachers of middle school students. 

Listen to the The Cold and learn more about the creative ideas that led to this story HERE.

More stories about music and musicians