I went to three different public libraries this week to do some research for my book project. I wanted to find out what sorts of books about music the libraries currently have on their shelves in their children's picture book section. I looked up the call number for non-fiction books on music and found them shelved in the 780s. I ended up checking out about 20 books in all and browsed through them at home.

What I found didn't surprise me; there are some really amazing books in print about music, books that tell incredible stories and that are beautifully illustrated. Some recount the stories of specific musicians - instrumentalists, singers and composers - while others trace the evolution of instruments, instrumental notation and how music traditions have been shared, taught and maintained in different cultures over time.

One book that stood out to me was published in 2022. It's entitled “The Greatest Song of All - How Isaac Stern United the World to Save Carnegie Hall” and is written by Megan Hoyt and illustrated by Katie Hickey. Isaac Stern was a very prominent and influential 20th-century violinist who served as a diplomatic emissary of sorts throughout his lifetime. Born in Poland, but raised in the United States, Stern performed for the US troops during WWII. He was later granted access to perform and give master classes in countries such as China and Russia, which were largely isolated from the rest of the world. He is well known for the award-winning 1981 documentary, “From Mao to Mozart.” 

When I was in High School, I had the privilege of playing violin with the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. One Saturday afternoon, Isaac Stern was invited to one of our rehearsals. I recall him standing before us on the conductor’s podium singing one of the melodies from a symphony by Brahms that we were working on. What stands out most vividly about that particular scene is how he flung his arms about as he told us to imagine monkeys swinging from trees. I remember thinking at the time, “Wow, this man is fearless. Here is someone who loves music so much that he is not at all worried about being silly in front of a large group of highly-trained, young musicians. He will do anything to help us understand that at the end of the day, after all our hard work, music is meant to be enjoyed and loved.” He had a twinkle in his eye and a wry smile that was contagious. We were mesmerized. We would do anything he asked. Play as if we were monkeys swinging from a tree? No problem.

When my children were young I read to them every day and always at night. Picture books inspired creative thinking and were our portal into dreamland. I would regularly check out 15 to 20 books at a time from the library. I think I got as much enjoyment from reading those stories and basking in their artwork as my children did. 

When a friend offered to throw me a baby shower a month before our family moved to Italy, I requested that people only give us books. On every visit back to the States during the seven years we lived overseas, I stocked up on children's books, cramming them into our suitcases alongside jars of peanut butter and bags of M’nMs.

I am so glad that picture books about music are on the rise. In a world that is so fraught with conflict and suffering I am reminded of the importance to prioritize music and beauty by my own mother's unwavering support of artistic organizations. Once, when I asked her why she felt so drawn to supporting music, she replied: “A world without music is not a world in which I would want to live.” Music is a common language that crosses cultural barriers: it elevates the soul, stimulates imagination, increases understanding, and paves the way for peace.

Since I no longer have wee ones to read to, I’m afraid I’ve not been able to keep up with the latest trending books for children, but maybe some of you can help me out. Are there any picture books about music that you have enjoyed reading to your children? How did you learn about these books? What is it about these books that you like?

Here are some books that I checked out this week:

Crossingham, John. Learn to Speak Music. Illustrated by Jeff Kulak. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2020.

Hood, Susan. Ada's Violin: the Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay. Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2016.

Hoyt, Megan. The Greatest Song of All - How Isaac Stern United the World to Save Carnegie Hall. Illustrated by Katie Hickey. New York: Harper Collins, 2022.

 Nuovo, Avalon. Orchestra. Illustrated by David Doran. London: Flying Eye Books, 2019.

 Oliver, Carmen. Building an Orchestra of Hope: How Favio Chavez Taught Children to Make Music From Trash. Illustrated by Luisa Uribe. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2022

Winter, Jeanette. Sebastian: A Book about Bach. Illustrated by Winter. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1999.