Summer Book Haul #1

One thing I love to do over summer break is visit all the thrift stores in town and sort through their children’s book section. I love having my own classroom library, and one of my biggest goals the past few years has been to add to it. I have a pretty good idea of what the book could be used for as I buy it. (Here’s a post on what I look for in books.) I don’t have complete lessons for these books yet, since I just got them, but I’ll post what they are and my ballpark of what they could be used for, as well as amazon links if you want to check them out.

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes, Eric Litwin

I’m kind of shocked I don’t have this one yet. The lesson has definitely made the internet rounds, and there’s a great Youtube video here with an extensive handout linked in the comments. One thing you could add is changing the dynamics or tempo for each color. You could also use it with older students for a lesson on theme and variation.

Over in the Garden, Jennifer Ward

This is a counting book with bugs. Each bug has a different locomotor movement. This book could be used solely for movement, you could add instruments, or you could split the class and do both. Bug finger puppets (or craft sticks with pictures of bugs on them) could be fun, though you would need a lot of them.

Going to Sleep on the Farm, Wendy Cheyette Lewison

This book explores farm animals and how they sleep, so lullabies would be very easy to tie-in.

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? Dr. Seuss

The book calls itself a “book of wonderful noises,” and it definitely delivers on that. Each page is a new sound effect, which is just begging to have those sounds transferred to instruments. I think I know what Kindergarten will be doing for Dr. Suess week!

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything, Linda Williams

Spooky enough for Halloween without actually saying anything about Halloween, this book is an add-on adventure with loads of sound effects. Eventually all the noisy parts following the old lady around make a scarecrow.

Caps for Sale, Esphyr Slobodkina

An oldie but goodie first published in 1940, this book follows a sleepy cap salesman who has a run-in with monkeys. He has 5 different types of hats, and the monkeys love to copy what he does. There are several things you could do with this book. Kids could echo with instruments or voice, be split into cap-groups for improvisation, or learn form using the caps/cap manipulatives. It could easily be adapted for a program as well.

Oh No, George! Chris Haughton

Similar to the Bad Kitty series, this book is a bit more accessible for music because George does one bad thing at a time. There are several repeated phrases, so it would be easy to create a song or two to go with this book.

Dinosaurumpus, Tony Mitton

This book features several dinosaurs movin’ and groovin’ and an obvious refrain that is begging to have a pentatonic melody. Movement could be a focus, as well as singing and playing the refrain.

Too Many Rabbits, Kay Cooper

This is a book of very short stories and poems with hand movements. It would be easy to add a melody to them, or have students add a melody to them. There are several about weather (rain and thunder is particular) that would work well with non-pitched instruments.

I’m Tyrannosaurus, Jean Marzallo

Animal Snackers, Betsy Lewin

 

Both of these books are collections of short poems. I love collecting poem collection whenever I can, because they can be great fun to transfer to drums. You can also have students use them as a base for composition. I like to isolate pitch or rhythm when students first compose so they don’t get overwhelmed, and a given poem is a great way to have students focus on pitch.

I hope you have fun finding the perfect book (or books!) for your kiddos!