Musical Tales & Tunes

Thacher Hurd's great story about Miles the Possum who gets a new sax. No more loud music at home!  So he forms Swamp Band and gets a gig with the alligators.

John Steptoe's Caldecott Honor book retells Cinderella story and introduces the tale as well as history, culture of Zimbabwe.

The fairy tale of the miller's daughter who gets help spinning straw into gold.  LaVar Burton visits the Renaissance festival where daily life is re-enacted and traveling performers.

In the book by Jeanne Lee, a young Cambodian girl, who cannot hear or speak, is invited to become a dancer in the king's court. She finds a way to communicate through the beauty of movement and dance. 

In the book by Petra Mathers a shy mouse teaches herself to dance.  From mambo to hip-hop, host LeVar Burton does some fancy footwork, then he takes us on a tour of dance around the world.

The Paper Crane by Molly Bang. Celebrate Japanese culture by exploring the ancient art of origami and Japanese dance.

In Eve Bunting's book a boy travels to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial with his father to seek his grandfather's name. 

In the book by Mildred Pitts Walter, Ty meets a mysterius man who uses a washboard, comb, spooons and a pail to create a one-man band of found sounds.

In the book by Margaree King Mitchell, Uncle Jed, a black barber, struggles through the Great Depression to save enough money to open his own barbershop.

In the book by Lloyd Moss, a clever counting rhyme introduces instruments and ensembles.  Filmed on locationat Julliard School, LeVar Burton visits with an orchestra of 8 to 18 year-old and the performers of STOMP!

This Emmy Award-winning series inspires a love of reading in PreK-3, and offers an excellent introduction to many varieties of music through the medium of the best children's literature. Highly recommended.

A Bright and Early board book with great rhyme and rhythm! 

Story & pictures by Jeanette Winter.

by Sandra Boynton. Stomp your feet! Clap your hands! Everybody ready for Barnyard Dance! 

Iza Trapani's set of 9 charmingly illustrated paperbacks with tunes. 

Tony Milton, illus. by Guy Parker-Ross.  Lots of splashy movement in this creature pool party!

Twelve Tales from The Classic Ballets retold with a visual feast of illustrations by Jane Rosenberg.

Hear the story of Peg Leg Pete and the Underground Railroad by Jeanette Winter and celebrate the culture that emerged from slavery with LeVar Burton on the DVD.

by Karen Ehrhardt, illus by R.G. Roth. The traditional This Old Man gets a swinging makeover.

Paintings by folk artist Kathy Jakobsen capture the sweeping lyrics of Woody Guthrie's song that never fails to move us.