Isolating at home has led to so much creativity, from people recreating famous paintings with whatever they have on-hand at home to whole-family Tik Tok routines. And so many people have been revealing their hidden (or perhaps only-just-discovered) musical talents! Music is a wonderful way to spend time together, get your body moving and flex a different part of the brain. Here are books (all available in the NYPL e-collection) that can get kids started on their own musical journey…
For little ones:
It’s never too early to invest in a life-long love of music! These books are sure to get toddlers and pre-schoolers moving and shaking.
- Get Up, Stand Up adapted by Cedella Marley, illustrated by and John Jay Cabuay
- One Love and Every Little Thing adapted by Cedella Marley, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
- My First Songs: 12 Favorite Nursery Songs to Sing! illustrated by Tom Brannon
- Punk Farm (and Punk Farm On Tour) by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
- Music everywhere! by Maya Ajmera, Elise Hofer Derstine, and Cynthia Pon
- Hokey Pokey Elmo by Abigail Tabby, illustrated by Tom Brannon
- The Monsters on the Bus by Sarah Albee, illustrated by Joe Ewers
Biographies:
How better to develop a passion for music than to learn about those who have gone before? Many of these musical masters first discovered their love of music as children.
- Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum by Robert Andrew Parker
- Drummer Boy of John John by Mark Greenwood, illustrated by Frané Lessac
- Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael Lopez
- Ray Charles by Sharon Bell Mathis, illustrated by George Ford
- Baby Flo: Florence Mills Lights Up the Stage by Alan Schroeder, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu
- Harlem’s Little Blackbird by Renée Watson, illustrated by Christian Robinson
- A Horn for Louis by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by James Bernardin
- Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell, illustrated by Christian Robinson
For the budding master musician:
These books will help kids start to really know their stuff when it comes to the world of music.
- Palooza Readers series by Teresa Domnauer
- Rhythm Ride: A Road Trip through the Motown Sound by Andrea Pinkney Davis
- What is Rock and Roll? by Jim O’Connor, illustrated by Gregory Copeland
- Making Music by Ann Sayre Wiseman and John Langstaff ; illustrations by Ann Sayre Wiseman
- Want to Be in a Band? by Suzzy Roche & Giselle Potter
Sentimental value:
I challenge you not to get teary while reading these. Oh, the nostalgia…
- A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers by Fred Rogers, illustrated by Luke Flowers
- Sunny Day: A Celebration of the Sesame Street Theme Song by Bruce Hart, Jon R. Stone & Joe Raposo
