Music+in+Books




 * The Remarkable Farkle McBride by John Lithgow **


 * __Summary: __**
 * The Remarkable Farkle McBride is a book about a young musician that begins playing instruments at age 3. After a while the remarkable Farkle McBride becomes bored with instrument and moves on to a new one. Learning how to play the instrument is no challenge for Farkle but finding satisfaction proves to be anything but easy for the Remarkable Farkle. Will he ever be happy with one instrument or will all his talent go to waste? Supported by beautiful illustrations by C.F. Payne this book is one that both children and adults will enjoy! The book features rhyme, descriptive text and information about musical instruments. **


 * __About the Author:__ John Lithgow is an actor most famously known for his role on 30 Rock from the Sun. He began writing children's songs and books in 1999. In interviews he said that he began writing his books to use as a tool to get kids interested in the arts. Some of his other books include arsupial Sue, Marsupial Sue P resents "The Runaway Pancake", Lithgow Party Paloozas!: 52 Unexpected Ways to Make a Birthday, Holiday, or Any Day a Celebration for Kids, Carnival of the Animals, A Lithgow Palooza: 101 Ways to Entertain and Inspire Your Kids, I'm a Manatee, Micawber, Mahalia Mouse Goes to College and I Got Two Dogs. Lithgow also records children's music. **


 * __Review:__ This book is wonderfully written and would be great to use in a classroom during shared reading. It could be used in all classrooms K-5 and is truly one that the kids will enjoy! I highly recommend using John Lithgow's other books as well to integrate the arts into literacy instruction. **


 * __Lesson ideas:__ Before and during reading the book The Remarkable Farkle McBride can be used to encourage students to make predictions. Before reading students could make predictions about what the book is going to be about. While reading the book there are many opportunities for student's to make predictions about what will happen next. **


 * The beginning of the book would also be a good time to begin discussing vocabulary like remarkable. Teachers could ask their students, "What does it mean if something is remarkable?" or "What kind of word is remarkable? Is it a noun?" **


 * While reading students could continue to question the author's word choice and explain how that effects the story by teacher posing questions, "Does his word choice make the book more or less interesting?" While reading the book there are many opportunities for students to make predictions about what will happen next. **


 * This book can also be used in lessons address text comprehension and sequencing. After reading the book students could use a graphic organizer to identify the order Farkle McBride learns each new instrument. **


 * The book also features rhyme and could be used as an introduction to teach students about rhyme. **

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 * Joseph Had a Little Overcoat By: Simms Taback **

__**Video: **__
 * __ Summary: __ **
 * As you read through the book, Joseph's overcoat becomes old and worn, each time Joseph makes many different things such as a vest, neck tie, scarf, and button out of his original overcoat. The book provides die cut-outs on each page to support the students predictions of what Joseph might make next. The poetic told story ends with a personal letter from Joseph to the reader as well as a Yiddish folksong about Joseph's overcoat and its journey that children can sing. This book is a great way to show students they can incorporate song into all of their writing, especially a personal narrative. **
 * The video clip provided above is a small clip of the Yiddish folk song "Joseph Had a Little Overcoat" By: Simms Taback. This is a great look into what the story is all about and the full song with lyrics is provided at the very end of the book. **


 * __Review: __ **
 * Joseph Had a Little Overcoat By: Simms Taback, is a great children's book that incorporates song and poetry into literacy. The book has a great moral about being able to always make something out of nothing. The moral of this story is a great discussion piece for students to talk about making a bad situation into something good, or a time when they thought something really bad might happen but everything ended up turning out to be okay in the end. **

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 * __<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">About the Author __ : **
 * Simms Taback has worked as an illustrator, writer, art director and graphic designer, and has taught at the School of Visual Arts and Syracause University. **
 * Among the 40+ childrens books he has written and/or illustrated, Simms’ books have won many awards, including the prestigious Caldecott Medal for //<span class="style_1">Joseph Had a Little Overcoat .// Simms has received a Caldecott Honor for //<span class="style_1">There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly //, one of two books designated as New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book, and the Children’s Book of the Year selection from The American Institute of Graphic Arts. He has also received several Notable Book designations from the American Library Association, Parents’ Choice Gold awards, and the Sidney Taylor Award. Simms illustrations also covered the first ever Mcdonald's Happy Meal box. Simms is a lifetime member of The Society of Illustrators and The Graphic Artists Guild. **

**__ Lesson Ideas __**** : **
 * ** Along with reading this book, students can be creating a prediction list of all the things they think Joseph is going to make out of his overcoat, and at the end students can make suggestions of what they would have made if they were in Joseph's position. This lesson will support student’s comprehension. **


 * ** Make a Bridge Thinking Map with students to help them retell the story and support comprehension. For example, “When he wore his jacket, he went to the fair; when he wore his vest, he danced at his nephew's wedding; when he wore his scarf, he sang in the chorus; when he wore his necktie, he visited his sister; when he wore his handkerchief, he drank a glass of tea; when he wore his button, he fastened his suspenders.” In the end, what did he have? Nothing, so he made a book! **


 * ** A great way to incorporate ELL or low level learners would be for them to have a Joseph doll, and follow along with the story while putting things on their paper doll. ** **The students can actually create the new clothes he makes as the garments get more and more tattered. Have students actually come up and make the jacket, vest, tie, etc.**


 * ** Have students write a personal narrative about a time in their lives when something changed, (i.e. becoming a big brother or sister, moving houses or schools, going to school for the first time, etc.) After students write their personal narrative, students will turn their personal narrative into a song. The song can be sung to an original tune or to a tune that students are familiar with, like “Mary had a Little Lamb”. **