Ringstad, Arnold. True Stories of Animal Tricks and Talents. Mankato: The Child's World, 2015. 24p.
This book is about creative and talented animals! Did you know that pigs are very smart? Look in this book to find out what they can do!
Move over, Mozart- You have competition now! Some dogs, like Jacob and Jessica, are very talented at playing the piano, but they have other talents too!
Did you know that dolphins are good at trick-or-treating? You may ask, "What?! They eat candy?!" No, they eat an amazing treat! You may not like it though! Read this book to find out what other tricks these animals are up to!
We recommend this book for second and third grade. Teachers can use the book for character education lessons to help kids see and brainstorm their talents. It's also perfect for nonfiction lessons because it has a table of contents, headings, captions, fact boxes, a glossary and an index. Your students will love reading it!
By: Guest bloggers Eric and Zach L., 4 Chaddock
Stinson, Kathy. The Man with the Violin. Ontario: Annick Press, 2013. 32p.
Dylan, a young boy, hears glorious music and begs his mom to stop and listen to the violinist playing within a Washington, D.C. metro station. His mom refuses, shuffling him along as they move on with their day. That night, they hear the song from the metro on the radio. As they finally take time to appreciate the music together, they discover that the subway violinist was famous musician Joshua Bell.
This book is based on a real-life experiment in which world-class musician Joshua Bell dressed in street clothes and played one of the finest violins ever made for forty-three minutes in a D.C. subway station. Although people pay over one hundred dollars a ticket for his concerts, only seven individuals stopped to listen to him play that day. While many children tried to stop, they were rushed along by busy adults.
Use this book to discuss its valuable moral, to emphasize the importance of music in our lives, or to launch a writing activity in which students persuade adults to slow down and appreciate one of life's overlooked joys!
Garriel, Barbara. I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello. Honesdale: Boyds Mills Press, 2004. 32p.
A shy fellow swallows many large instruments, but when he swallows a small bell, he is in for a big surprise! This cumulative story begs to be read aloud and will help students learn instruments- Place the instruments' names and pictures on the SMART Board for students to read each time the instruments appear in the text!
Hamlisch, Marvin. Marvin Makes Music. New York: Dial Books, 2012. 32p.
This is the story of famous composer Marvin Hamlisch's childhood. After overcoming his performance jitters, Marvin was the youngest student ever accepted into Juilliard and went on to compose music for Broadway, movies and much more. Included in the back of the book is a CD featuring Marvin Hamlisch's original song, "The Music in My Mind." An inspiring read for music fans or for anyone who has ever had to overcome nervousness to achieve goals!
Bates, Katharine. America the Beautiful: Together We Stand. New York: Orchard Books, 2013. 32p.
The lyrics of "America the Beautiful" are pictorialized by famous children's book illustrators in this gorgeous tribute to our country. Each two-page spread includes a verse from the poem/song, an illustration, and a quote from an American president. Use this book to teach the song's meaning and/or to discuss the values upon which our country is built.
