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Tag: Music

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Published on 2 Comments on Heart and Soul by Carol Ann Martin and Tull Suwannakit

 

Charlie Wintergreen is an elderly musician who rescues a no-name pup from the Dog’s Home and gives him a home of his own and the name Louis. They become a team as Charlie plays his trumpet at night and Louis joins in with his ooh-ooh song.

“Louis you have to have heart and soul. It’s the only way to play!”

When Charlie gets sick, Louis becomes a lonely street dog, scavenging and scrounging for food and sleeping in dark corners until music brings Pete into his life along with one other special surprise.

This is a gentle and uplifting story of friendship that shows how friends can become the family we choose. It reminds us of how precious our elderly people are and celebrates the way music brings joy and connects us no matter our age.

I first discovered Tull Suwannakit when he illustrated one of my favourite books, Sad the Dog by Sandy Fussell. The front cover looked so much like a photo I had taken of my dog Jambo watching autumn leaves fall in my backyard. Can you see the likeness?

To illustrate this book, Tull uses a small palette of gentle watercolours that give the story a warm vintage feel. Can you see the colours he has chosen? Tull has designed beautiful moss green endpapers covered in musical notes. How might these have a connection with Charlie?

Author Carol Ann Martin’s husband is a jazz musician and I wonder if he was the inspiration for this story.

Heart and Soul is a book that will warm your heart and soul and might even bring a tear to your eye, in a good way.

Happy reading!

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Published on 2 Comments on The Besties by Felice Arena

Oliver and Ruby have been besties forever...

Felice Arena has taken reading to a whole new level of fun for young readers with his latest series called The Besties.

Not only can you have adventures with Ruby and Oliver in their books, you can also sing along with Ruby's songs that Felice and his besties had lots of fun recording or play along with the ukulele!

Felice has created The Besties World where you can download 'The Besties: The Ukulele Album'. You will also be able to learn to draw like Oliver, watch videos that teach you how to play the ukulele like Ruby and other cool things that Felice has in store for you...so keep an eye on the website as it develops.

Ruby and Oliver have everyday adventures at school, at home, in the backyard, even in the living room!
What do you like doing with your bestie?
What is one of your favourite adventures with your bestie? 

The Besties to the Rescue

What would you do if you found a baby bird that had fallen out of its nest? How would you teach it to fly?

When Oliver tries to record Ruby's awesome flips on the trampoline, they discover he has recorded the neighbourhood cat, Cutie Pie pouncing on a bird's nest and a baby bird has fallen out. After coming to the rescue, Ruby and Oliver come up with a clever idea to teach the baby sparrow how to fly.

Little bird, little bird, it's time, little guy.
Little bird, little bird, it's time to fly

The Besties Show and Smell

What is something you have shared at Show and Tell?  Have you shared a special talent? 

Ruby is excited for her turn at Show and Tell, but her teacher is away and replaced with grumpy Mr Botham. Instead of doing Maths worksheets, Ruby is determined to find a way to sing and play her ukulele for the class. Cheeky Zac also wants his turn to share a special talent and before you know it....Show and Tell becomes Show and Smell! 

Ding dang dong! Show and tell.
Sing that song and sing it well.
Dinga danga dong! Show and tell.
Ding dang dong. Ring that old school bell!

 At the end of each book look out for Ruby's song, Oliver's comic, The Bestie's Best Jokes and some 'How To' information.

The Besties are fun stories brought to life with Tom Jellett's cartoon illustrations and perfect for little people starting out reading. There are two more books coming soon....The Besties Party On and The Besties Make a Splash.

Happy reading!

Published on Leave a comment on The Heart of a Whale by Anna Pignataro

The Heart of a Whale by Anna Pignataro is a gentle story of a whale whose enchanting song brings happiness and hope, magic and wonder to the ocean and its inhabitants, but whale is lonely and nothing can fill his empty heart.

 Anna's whimsical water colour illustrations will take you swimming into the depths of the ocean through seagrass taller than a forest, past seabeds, through fathoms and over dreaming turtles and forgotten treasure and it will warm your heart when whale's wish is finally heard from far away.

Anna has used water colour, ink and pencil to create her illustrations. Open the book to see the full page front cover and have fun finding the many colourful sea creatures and plants throughout the story. This beautiful story is like a poem so read it aloud and let the rhythm of the words carry you along just like the ocean carried whale's song...

Do you have a favourite illustration or sentence?

Watch this video if you're interested in learning more about why whales sing.

Happy reading!

Published on Leave a comment on Dr Boogaloo and The Girl Who Lost Her Laughter by Lisa Nicol

Can you imagine what your life would be like without laughter?

Dr Boogaloo is no ordinary doctor. Strange disorders and unusual complaints are his specialty. Dr Boogaloo is the doctor you see when you have Talks In Slow Motion Syndrome or You Can Only Sleep Hanging Upside Down Syndrome. Dr Boogaloo and his family use the most powerful medicine of all to cure patients…music! The Boogaloo Family Clinic of Musical Cures has never had a complaint that couldn’t be cured until Blue arrived. Ten-year-old Blue hasn't laughed for 712 days!

Dr Boogaloo suspects Blue has No Laughing Syndrome and sends her to The Snorkel Porkel Crumpety Worpel Laughter Clinic to be sure. Unlike you and I, Blue doesn’t laugh or even giggle at the Tickle Machine, blooper reels, hula-hooping cats in bikinis, YouTube videos of epic fails, or even at Gassy Gus who can blow up balloons with his bottom.

Dr Boogaloo has two weeks to compose an urgent cure for Blue before she loses her laughter forever. Blue needs the right dose of the right music, but there’s no point listening to a jive if you're in need of some boogie-woogie, and you can't just substitute a toot for a blow! Blue patiently listens to talented musicians playing music and instruments she didn’t know existed and even summons the courage to swim with Leonard the Blues singing humpback whale in an attempt to help her laugh again. It isn’t until Dr Boogaloo has almost given up in despair that he finds the cure he needs for Blue in an unexpected place.

One of my favourite parts of the story is the daily ride Blue takes to the clinic on Bessie's extraordinary iBike. This strange contraption looks like it has an entire orchestra collapsed on it and plays over a million tunes that change with the landscape as you ride along. It would be fun to draw or make your version of the iBike (and even include music and a matching landscape) after reading the fabulous description on pages 41-42.

This is a quirky, funny and sometimes sad story that celebrates laughter, friendship and the power and magic of music.

“Not everyone hears the right music – or knows how to listen. And they suffer terribly… if you don’t let your heart fly, your tune gets right out of whack. It’s a bit like spending your whole life indoors – it’s just not good for your health.” (Bessie)

Happy reading!

Teaching notes

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