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Children's Literature
One of my favorite things to do with my kindergarten and first-grade students is share a book with them each week! I love finding books that bring music to life, whether we’re singing along with the characters, discovering a new song, or using our voices to make the story more exciting. Reading together brings a little extra magic to our music classroom and gives students a chance to experience music in a whole new way. Here are some of my favorite books to share with my students!
Mortimer
Mortimer is my favorite children's book! I use pitched instruments when people go up/down the stairs, use the 4 voices (whisper/talk/yell/sing), pat the beat and have the students sing with Mortimer. Every child can relate to not wanting to go to bed at night!
Any of the Feierabend Books!
John M. Feierabend has some amazing folk song books. Currently there are over 14 books and they are all fantastic! My favorites are: There's A Whole In the Bucket, The Crab Fish and The Other Day I Met A Bear.
We're Going on a Bear Hunt!
This is one of the first books I do with Kindergarten in August. It helps them learn how to repeat after me. Plus it is a good introduction to fast and slow. Sometimes I add instruments to this book as well: wavy grass (scarves), stumble trip (castanets), going up the stairs (slide whistle), etc.
Pout Pout Fish
The Pout Pout Fish is a great book to do in the middle of the winter when students start getting on each others nerves. This book reminds kids and adults to remember to be nice to people when they are having a bad day. I get out my viberslap with this book and have the students hit it on the words "Glumb, glub glub!" They love it!
Raffi Books!
Raffi books are great song books to teach students a bunch of children's songs. The pictures are very detailed and have a lot of interesting things for the students to find. My favorites are Down By the Bay and Baby Beluga
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed A...
Lucille Colandro has many types of 'There Was an Old Lady" books for every occasion! I usually try to ham it up for the students and try the last one in one breath! My favorites are There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed: Snow and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves.
Llama Llama Red Pajama
By Anna Dewdney, Llama Llama Red Pajama is a bout a llama that is afraid to go to sleep. This book has some great social messages and also practices group chant. Such a neat book!
The Bear Went Over the Mountain
By Iza Trapani, The Bear Went Over the Mountain helps students learn a folk song while also learning about personal space. The bear gets to close to his friends and gets hurt each time. We then talk about why his friends got mad at him and why people need personal space.
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The Napping House
The Napping House by Don Wood is a great book with repetition. I have the students sing the phrase "Where everyone is sleeping!" The illustrations make the book so much fun!
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day
By Judith Viorst, this book is a great way to practice rhythm and reflect on some social-emotional skills. I give students instruments for this book and when the phrases "terrible, horrible, no good very bad day!" comes up they will play the instruments to the rhythm of the words. Additionally we talk about how we all have bad days sometimes!
Books Illustrated by Tim Hopgood
Tim Hopgood has illustrated some songs that students may hear at home! I love his books, especially Singing in the Rain, Moon River, and What a Wonderful World.
Pete the Cat
Pete the Cat by James Dean has great beat to it and also has great morals to the story. If you haven't done a Pete the Cat Book in Class you must! My Favorites are: Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons, Pete the Cat and his White Shoes, Pete the Cat Rockin' in My School Shoes.
Our First Day of School
By Bethany Main, this book is wonderful to read the first week of school. It gives kindergarteners a great understanding of what will happen in the music room and all of the things they can look forward to in music!
Over the River and Through The Woods
Emma Randall has a wonderful book for Thanksgiving! The illustrations are beautiful and the students get to learn a new song while you sing the book. The animals also follow the sled which the students love!
Home on the Range
Home on the Range retold by Steven Anderson is a great introduction to instruments used in bluegrass. I also have the students sing the chorus with me as well as we learn the instruments used in the story.