Music Class Today!

by David Weinstone, Vin Vogel (Illustrator)

Overview

Hooray!
Music class is underway!

As soon as the teacher starts to play his guitar and sing, the kids are whirling and twirling and having a blast. But for one hesitant little music maker, it is all a bit overwhelming at first. With energetic and bright illustrations, this reassuring story about the courage it sometimes takes to try something new will resonate with children everywhere.

From David Weinstone, the creator of the wildly popular Music for Aardvarks program, and the pitch-perfect Vin Vogel comes this infectious celebration of music class that will make you want to sing and dance with your own little ones!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466894747
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	09/15/2015
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	36 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	1 - 3 Years

About the Author

DAVID WEINSTONE is a classically trained former punk rocker who lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and three children. He founded Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals, an interactive music class for preschoolers, in 1997. Today, the classes are taught all over the country, and there are sixteen original albums that feature Weinstone's beloved songs.

VIN VOGEL is a Brazilian-born author and illustrator based in New York City. He has illustrated many books for children and young adults, including Maddi's Fridge and The Thing About Yetis.

Editorial Reviews

…[a] friendly, stylishly illustrated rhyme-fest…

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

[A] friendly, stylishly illustrated rhyme-fest.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Weinstone...certainly knows what makes a class tick (or rock). The children in the class are wonderfully diverse...[and] the mannerisms of the kids are spot-on. Listen to Weinstone sing the song (available for download from the publisher). It will become addictive. Reassurance for wallflowers everywhere.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Children will ask for repeated readings to catch all of the action in Vogel's boldly colored, expressive illustrations . . . A welcome addition to picture book collections.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

07/01/2015
PreS-K—A lively group of multicultural children and their adults stream into a brick building for a music class. Their guitar-strumming instructor sits on the floor, welcomes each by name, and sings out different activities including egg shakers, kicking feet, and various rhythm instruments. One boy is initially leery, by soon joins in the fun. Although this is based on Weinstone's franchise "Music for Aardvarks," this could be a scene from a public library program. Children will ask for repeated readings to catch all of the action in Vogel's boldly colored, expressive illustrations. This serves as an engaging model for a group activity along the lines of Anna McQuinn's Leo Loves Baby Time (Charlesbridge, 2014) and Julia Durango's rollicking Cha-Cha Chimps (S. & S., 2006). VERDICT A welcome addition to picture book collections.—Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI

School Library Journal

2015-06-10
A young boy is hesitant to join in doing music class. The hipster teacher (who sports an impressive mustache) grabs his guitar and begins to sing. Everyone perks up and is ready to move. Everyone, that is, except the one youngster who would rather sit and watch than sing and dance. He clutches his toy frog (and his mother) even tighter than before. The teacher belts out his repeating refrain: "That's all right, there's no rush. / Whenever you're ready, come play with us!" All kinds of music-class accoutrement are brought out: shakers, scarves, rhythm sticks, and instruments. With each one, the boy becomes more and more curious (and brave). Predictably, he ends up leaping in and never wanting to leave. Weinstone, the founder of Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals—an interactive music class that began in New York City—certainly knows what makes a class tick (or rock). The children in the class are wonderfully diverse, though the protagonist is Caucasian, and Vogel either attended a music class or received copious notes because the mannerisms of the kids are spot-on. They chew on scarves, lose their instruments, kick their shoes across the room, and otherwise make mayhem. The rhymes can seem syrupy and simple, but listen to Weinstone sing the song (available for download from the publisher). It will become addictive. Reassurance for wallflowers everywhere. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews