Title: Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum Author and Illustrator: Robert Andrew Parker
Book Length: 40 Pages
Category of Book: Schneider Family Book Award
Citation: Parker, R. A. (2008). Piano starts here: The young art tatum. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade Books.
Genre/Type: Picture Book Biography
Summary: Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum goes through Art Tatum’s rise to fame. It explains how he started playing the piano and how he became well known throughout his city until he was playing in the big times. The illustrations seem to have been done with watercolors and the pictures seem out of focus.
Awards: Schneider Family Book Award, Young Children, 2009, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2009.
How does this book relate to young children?
This book shows children that they can achieve their dreams regardless of any handicap they may have. Children can listen to Art Tatum’s story and become inspired by his love of the piano and his rise to fame. I think this would be a story that children would want to hear over and over again.
How would you share/use this book with young children?
You could use this book as a read aloud and have the children discuss everything that happens within the book. Ask them about his handicap and whether it affected his piano playing or ask them if they think he would have become such a great piano player if he had been given perfect, instead of poor, eyesight.
Book Length: 32 Pages
Category of Book: Schneider Family Book Award
Citation:
Seeger, P., & Jacobs, P. D. (2006). The deaf musicians. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.
Genre/Type: Fiction, Picture Book
Summary: A musician named Lee loses his hearing and with it, his dreams of playing the piano in his band. Lee decides to go to a school for the deaf and he finds a friend that teaches him that he can still hear and play music even though he is deaf. The two of them start performing on the subway until they have a full band and prove that anyone and everyone will listen to a deaf musician. The illustrations are very sloppy looking and the colors are very bold, but together they make a very interesting combination.
Awards:
Seeger, P., & Jacobs, P. D. (2006). The deaf musicians. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.
How does this book relate to young children?
This is a great book to show that you should never give up on your dreams. Lee was told that no one would ever listen to a deaf musician so he almost gave up his dreams until he found someone who showed him how to succeed. Children will love the sounds that are created through the music the text creates. They will love saying the sounds along with the teacher while the book is being read.
How would you share/use this book with young children?
I would have students sit around and just have fun with the story. Have them each pick an instrument and say the sound and pretend to play that instrument everytime it comes up in the story. For example, when the piano is being played they would say, "plink-a-plink-BOMP-plink-plink. Yimba-timba-TANG-ZANG-ZANG." and they would play their air piano. The entire class will make up a band to go along with the band that Lee and his friend Max put together.
Book Length: 48 Pages
Category of Book: Schneider Family Book Award
Citation:
Stryer, A. S. (2007). Kami and the yaks (B. Dodson, Illustrator). Palo Alto, CA: Bay Otter Press.
Genre/Type: Fiction, Picture Book
Summary: Kami, a young deaf Sherpa boy, goes outside during a storm to find the yaks his family raises. Even though he is scared and alone, he finds the courage to persever through all odds. The illustrations are full page pictures with text written on top of them. The words are sometimes hard to read because of the white color against the designs behind them.
Awards: Schneider Family Book Award, Young Children, 2008.
How does this book relate to young children?
Kami wanted to make his father proud and prove that he could find the yaks. It shows children that you can be afraid to do something but be brave enough to accomplish it.
How would you share/use this book with young children?
This is a rather lengthy book so for young children, I don't see many of them reading this book on their own. This would be a good story to use to teach children about courage and bravery. Use it as a class read aloud and have the students discuss the book and the challeges Kami faced. Did the fact that Kami was deaf have any inpact on his bravery?
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