Play me a story

School Library Journal

K-Gr 4-A book and compact disc that seek to introduce young listeners to classical music. Most of the selections, which last from three to six minutes, are from well-known pieces by Mozart, Handel, Mendelssohn, and Bach. Each excerpt on the disc is accompanied by a full-page watercolor illustration and a poem that ranges from one-to-four pages. The narrative is read aloud, underscored by the music, and then the full musical excerpt is played alone. This format makes for limited interaction; restless page flipping seems inevitable. Rosenberg's text and illustrations try hard to reinforce the mood for music that can create its own mood quite well. And while they may help to tell the story of classic tales of Scheherazade or bring to life the character of Puck in Mendelssohn's ``March of the Elves,'' the ordinary verse and unexceptional art often seems irrelevant to the music introduced.-Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, NY