Sylvie Bartram lives alone with Mr. Jackson the dog and her eccentric composer father, who invents strange and wonderful musical instruments. One day she returns from school to find a message left in toothpaste on the bathroom mirror: her father has been kidnapped. Later that night, the house is visited by a terrifying apparition—a half-man, half-creature who is searching for something and will not rest until he has found it. Sylvie uncovers an underground world of magic and evil, and with help from her friends, she must hold off a power that threatens the lives of all beings in the world. The Songman is at large, and is determined to steal music and use it for his own evil ends.
Music
Dancing Turtle: A Folktale from Brazil
After being caught by a hunter, a clever turtle uses her wits and her talent playing the flute to trick the hunter’s children into helping her escape.
Naty’s Parade
Naty is excited to be dancing in the fiesta parade, until she gets lost in the city streets and cannot find the parade again.
Five Nice Mice
Five nice mice are sitting in the garden one night when Baba hears faint music in the distance. What can this wonderful sound be? They decide to go and find out, and they discover a fabulous frog concert. But mice aren’t allowed in. So they return home and decide to form an orchestra of their own—no frogs allowed. They practice and practice, and finally put on a great show. When all the cheers die down, the mice are shocked to see an audience full of frogs! It turns out that you can’t keep good music to yourself after all.
The Song Of Six Birds
Wishing to make beautiful music with the flute that was given to her by her mother, young Lindiwe captures the songs of six different birds in her flute and shares the irresistible tune with the people of her African village.
Tortoni Tremolo: The Cursed Musician
Musician Tortoni Tremolo’s constant practicing so annoys his neighbor that she puts a curse on him, but to her dismay the spell does not have the desired effect.
Ant And Grasshopper
When Ant spies a carefree Grasshopper playing a fiddle outside on the lawn, Ant immediately harrumphs at the insect’s foolishness and continues to go about his very serious business of gathering and counting his food for the winter. But Ant finds Grasshopper’s music and whimsy more catchy than he’d like, and soon he’s distracted by his own rhyming and doodling! When the harsh winter hits and Ant finds Grasshopper cold and hungry in the snow, he can’t help but bring him inside. Only after opening his home to Grasshopper does Ant realize that music, dancing, and laughter have their place in his life, too. Luli Gray’s funny twist on this fable will have readers giggling and singing. With Giuliano Ferri’s lush and whimsical illustrations, this book is both heartwarming and lovely to behold.
For the Love of Music
By the time she was 12, she was considered one of the finest pianists in Europe, but today few people know her name. Maria Mozart, like her famous brother Wolfgang, was a musical prodigy. The talented siblings toured Europe, playing before kings and empresses, were showered with gifts and favors, and lived in a whirlwind life of music and travel. They were best friends, collaborators, and confidantes. As they grew older, Wolfgang was encouraged to pursue his musical ambitions, while Maria was told she must stop performing and, ultimately, marry. But she was determined to continue playing the piano every day, for the love of music…. From the Hardcover edition.
My Tata’s Guitar/La guitarra de mi tata
While sharing stories of their Mexican-American family’s past, a father gives his young son the guitar he received from his own father.
I And I Bob Marley
Brimming with imagination and insight, this biography of reggae legend Bob Marley features soulful, sun-drenched paintings that transport young readers to Marley’s homeland of Jamaica, while uniquely perceptive poems bring to life his journey from boy to icon. Full color.