Ah, Music!

Publishers Weekly

"Energetic art gives this ode to music, which covers everything from very basic terms to a `mini history' of jazz a lively visual pace," wrote PW. All ages. (Sept.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

"Music is for Everybody. It is for anyone who wants to hear the sound, dance to the rhythm, clap to the beat, sing along, or be still to imagine . . . ." The closing page summarizes Aliki's celebration of the many facets of music in this busy and informative book. Illustrated with her signature illustrations, Aliki has defined music, explained its creative art and writing, described an orchestra, discussed the components and applications of music, given a brief history of music, and mentioned diverse styles. The virtues of music are enthusiastically extolled in the concise, almost poetic text. The numerous detailed pictures feature people representing a wide variety of ethnic groups from throughout the world. 2003, HarperCollins,
— Phyllis Kennemer

School Library Journal

Gr 1-4-Like a carefully composed song, this ode to music slowly unfolds-note by note, line by line, stanza by stanza. The first several pages are devoted to the definition of music itself. With headings like "Music is Rhythm" or "Music is Volume," these terms are explained in an easy, child-friendly manner. For pitch, a boy playing a piccolo says, "A piccolo is so high, I hear it way at the top of my head." Then music as a written creation is introduced with a brief description of notes, likening them to handwriting. Next, "the creation comes to life" through the instruments and orchestra that play it, the voices that sing it, and even the dancers who perform it. With each of these elements, a few lines of explanation are followed by Aliki's signature figures that do so much in such a small space. The history of music is broken down into many stages, from prehistoric to classical to modern, and many composers are introduced with a small portrait captioned by a single sentence. Here, the author sometimes uses words like "motet" or "oratorio" without definition and only gives the briefest of glimpses into centuries and countries. However, the book is meant to be an introduction and Aliki's love of her subject shines through. This enjoyable title is best shared one-on-one and its format makes it ideal for browsing. It should lead young music lovers back to the shelves to find out more about a type of music or composer who has piqued their curiosity.-Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, NY Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Everything you’d ever want to know about music: from how to define it, to types of instruments, the voice as an instrument, how dance and music work together, its history and diversity, music as therapy, and the importance of practice. This comprehensive examination is accompanied by Aliki’s (One Little Spoonful, 2001, etc.) familiar, clear, child-friendly illustrations. Starting out simple, the first chapter defines something very basic: "If you hum a tune, play an instrument, or clap out a rhythm, you are making music," accompanied by a few spot illustrations. Then, diagrams of an entire orchestra are laid out, sophisticated terms such as "polyphonic" are defined, and lesser-known antique instruments are pictured. There is something here for everyone, from the youngest fans of the simplest melody, to older children looking for a starting point for research, to anyone interested in finding out more about a favorite art form. The joy of music is not lost in all the information, however--the energetic art, particularly in the chapter on dance, conveys the power of music to inspire. (Picture book. 4-10)