What is your favorite music? Do you play it for your kids? Do you play other types of music for them? Today we are sharing some amazing books--four board books with sound and one picture book about music and a person with dementia and its importance. We will start with the picture book which is Searching for Mr. Johnson's Song by Ariel Vanece and illustrated by Jade Orlando. It is recommended for ages 5 to 8 but I would say it could be enjoyed by older kids as well especially if they have someone close to them experience some type of dementia.
About the Book:
A touching story of the friendship between a young boy and his elderly neighbor, and how that boy helps jog the man's disappearing memoryCaius spends summer mornings on his neighbor's porch, and although Mr. Johnson doesn't remember things as well as he used to, he can always sing the beginning of his favorite song, "Further Along." Caius understands how nourishing music can be, and so he decides to find the rest of Mr. Johnson's song. At the library he inspects shelves of hymnals and listens to recordings of protest tunes, but none of these is the one Mr. Johnson sings. How will he help his neighbor?
Exuding warmth, this story displays kindness and neighborliness, and portrays dementia with gentle authenticity.
From Me:
First, I love that Caius likes to spend his summer mornings with his elderly neighbor. His neighbor, Mr. Johnson, however, is losing his memory. He can't remember how his favorite song ends. Caius wants to help him. He knows the song is important to Mr. Johnson. He goes to the library to try to find the words to the song. Then he discovers his granny singing the song and gets so excited because he can finally help Mr. Johnson. The only problem is Mr. Johnson is not well enough for a few days to come on the porch. When he does though, Caius sings the song with Mr. Johnson, and it is a great day for Mr. Johnson.
This book shares a few things that are so important for kids. Having a father with Alzheimer's I know how hard it can be to connect with someone with dementia. My musical sister often plays him music or sings to him, and it helps him relax and makes him smile. Music is definitely a way to reach people with memory loss. It is also a wonderful way for children to connect with loved ones who are suffering from some form of dementia. I also love the connection Caius and Mr. Johnson has. The book shows respect for his elderly neighbor and caring for others. It is a lesson that so many of our children do not learn in these days of technology and over scheduling. The idea of a child sitting with an elderly neighbor for a few hours each day is wonderful.
Our next books are actually a series of books. They are board books with sound. Each book has an on and off switch in the back so the batteries will not be wasted and the sound doesn't drive adults crazy. The books are meant to help parents teach young children about different types of music and expose them to the different types that the parents may not play. All of these books are from Pirouette Kids. These books are for babies and toddlers or ages birth to four. Two of the books have music interpreted by my friend, Daria. One of the books is I Discover Folk Music inspired Tamara and Hugo, illustrated by Margarita Fomenko and songs interpreted by Daria.
About the Book:
Our interactive folk music book celebrates the timeless charm of folk tunes, featuring six beloved melodies that have been passed down through generations. Paired with delightful illustrations and easy-to-press sound buttons, this book is designed to captivate little ones while fostering a love for music and storytelling. Each 15-second excerpt brings these classic songs to life, encouraging early development and joyful exploration.Features:
🎵 Six classic folk songs like “Oh Susanna” and “This Land Is Your Land” to inspire sing-alongs and smiles.
✋ Interactive sound buttons - easy for babies and toddlers to press.
🖼 Whimsical illustrations featuring adorable, human-like animal characters to spark creativity.
📚 Durable board book made to withstand endless storytime fun.
🍼 Perfect for babies and toddlers (ages birth to 4 years).
From Me:
This book has six verses of different songs with colorfully illustrated pages to go with them. Each page has a spot to press and hear about 15 seconds of the song (sung by Daria). The songs are famous folk songs that many people know including "Oh Susanna," "This Land Is My Land," "Little Liza Jane," "Sarasponda," "Home on the Range," and "This Little Light of Mine." The illustrations are full of animals singing, playing music and having fun. It gives the true feeling of folk music for kids to experience. The kids will love being able to listen the quick clips of the songs as well as read the words to the songs.
The next book is I Discover World Music inspired Tamara and Hugo, illustrated by Margarita Fomenko and songs interpreted by Daria.
About the Book:
Our interactive world music book takes your little one on a global adventure through six captivating melodies from different cultures, paired with vibrant illustrations and easy-to-press sound buttons. Each tune plays a 15-second excerpt, offering an engaging way to introduce your child to the rich diversity of music while supporting their early development.Features:
🌍 Six traditional melodies from around the world to inspire cultural curiosity.
✋ Interactive sound buttons - easy for babies and toddlers to press.
🖼 Bright, colorful illustrations that celebrate global traditions and spark imagination.
📚 Durable board book made to withstand endless storytime fun.
🍼 Perfect for babies and toddlers (ages birth to 4 years).
From Me:
This book has songs from Mexico, South Africa, Eastern Europe, Brazil, Jamaica, and France. Four of the songs have words which Daria sings. These pages have the verse that Daria sings so the kids can read along with the music. The two songs that are instrumental however have information about the song and where it is from and ask the reader to do something like find something on the page and act out the song. This book is perfect for studying different countries and cultures. The links for each country or area will take you to other resources we have shared over the years about those countries. This book also introduces different languages as the four songs with words have words in the native tongue of the countries. It is a fun book with upbeat music that kid will enjoy!
Our next book is I Discover Classical Music inspired Tamara and Hugo, illustrated by Margarita Fomenko.
About the Book:
Our interactive classical music book features six iconic melodies paired with charming illustrations and an easy-to-press sound button, perfect for even the tiniest hands. Each tune plays a 15-second excerpt to keep little ones engaged and entertained while supporting early childhood developmentFeatures:
🎶 Six classical melodies from composers like Mozart, Beethoven and Vivaldi.
✋ Interactive sound buttons - easy for babies and toddlers to press.
🖼 Colorful illustrations that encourage exploration and creativity.
📚 Durable board book made to withstand endless storytime fun.
🍼 Perfect for babies and toddlers (ages birth to 4 years).
From Me:
From Little Einstein to all sorts of studies, we have all heard that classical music is good for babies and younger children. This book shares some popular symphonies from Mozart, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, and Debussy. Each page has a fun illustration to go with the song as well as description of the music and an activity for the kids to try to go with the song. It is such a fun book, and I love how it tries to include the reader with actions. I can see kids enjoying this book in class and trying the action or at home and also trying the action or answering the question asked. I can also see kids wanting to hear more than 15 seconds of the song and help introduce them to classical music with the fun symphonies picked!
Our final book is I Discover Blues Music inspired by Tamara and Hugo and illustrated by Sakshi Mangal.
About the Book:
Our interactive blues music book introduces little ones to the soulful rhythms and rich heritage of blues with six iconic melodies paired with charming illustrations and an easy-to-press sound button, perfect for even the tiniest hands. Each tune plays a 15-second excerpt to keep little ones engaged and entertained while supporting early childhood developmentFeatures:
🎶 Six classic blues tunes showcasing the essence of soulful melodies.
✋ Interactive sound buttons - easy for babies and toddlers to press.
🖼 Delightful illustrations that bring the story of the blues to life and spark creativity.
📚 Durable board book made to withstand endless storytime fun.
🍼 Perfect for babies and toddlers (ages birth to 4 years).
From Me:
This book features six songs that are a mix of instrumentals and ones sung. The songs are performed by many of the original artists that recorded them. The pages talk about the songs and their melodies as well as ask a question or ask the kids to do an action to the song. It features "Goodnight Irene," "John Henry Blues," "Careless Love," "Old Stack O'Lee Blues," "Jumpin' at the Woodside," and "See See Rider" with performers like Jerry Lee Lewis, Louis Armstrong, and Big Joe Turner. The clips of songs are fun and will get kids up and moving. I love that it asks the kids to walk or pretend to play an instrument from the song. It teaches about blues music and will entertain the kids.
These books are perfect for a music class for young children to introduce the various genres of music. It will also introduce some classic songs to sing like "Goodnight Irene" and "This Little Light of Mine." They are also perfect to be read at home. I know kids will love pressing the spots to hear the music and can see them doing this and learning the verse of the song or at least dancing or marching the music. They are fun books that kids will enjoy and learn from!
