dHHHHH
HHHHHH
Pamela
STRACHAN
An
Educator’s Survey of Children’s Literature
Fall 2002
Pamela
Strachan
Books and Music
This fall I took on the challenge
of the 2-3 year old story time.
They are wonderful; bright,
curious and very squirmy. At my
very first program with them everything was going quite well...for about 10
minutes. When I realized that I
was losing them, I instinctively began to sing the story. I was amazed by how quickly their
attention returned to the book I was reading to them. As a musician, I have known the power of song to touch
the hearts and minds of people of all ages and backgrounds, but I was not
prepared for the immediate response I got from
the children. After that, I took my autoharp out the closet, and began
searching for ways of drawing them into books through music. In my efforts to find different ways of
using music at my story time I have come across several resources which have
been very helpful to me.
The first book which was
recommended to me is Hi Ho Librario! by Judy Freeman. Ms. Freeman, an elementary school librarian in Bridgewater,
NJ, has done ground breaking work
in using music to reach her students.
“Songs, poems, and stories are all soulmates”, she
writes. Her purpose in writing Hi
Ho Librario! is to demonstrate a variety of ways in which music and song can be
used to get children excited about books.
The first section of her book has wonderful, original songs for tea
ching library
skills. She has written little
book related poems, such as “Ode to Nonfiction”, “In the
Automated Catalog”, “Biography Chant”, and my favorite,
“Alas and Alack: The Wounded Book’s Lament”! She then pairs these poems with fun,
familiar tunes, or in some cases writes original tunes for them. Freeman points out that information set
to music can make more of an impression on us and helps us to remember the
information more easily. Each song
is followed by a list of books which are related to it. For example, to go along with
“The Book Song” which tells of all the different parts of a book,
she recommends “What Do Authors Do?” by Eileen Christelow, and “If You Were a
Writer” by Joan Lowery Nixon.
While “Ode to Nonfiction” is clearly not intend
ed for my
preschoolers, the idea of using
songs to introduce them to the different things we do at the library is
something I’d like to try.
The whole concept of taking a text and setting it to music is something
that I have explored this year.
Sometimes if the text of a picture book we’re reading is metrical,
I sing it to a matching, familiar tune.
(For example, Puppy and Me: Bath Day by Julia Noonan can be sung to the
tune we associate with “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”.) So
far it has worked well for me, especially if the text has a little repetitive
refrain that the children can join in on.
Her second chapter is a
collection
of humorous nonsense songs. These songs are also followed by
suggestions of books which are related.
“My Tall Silk Hat” (sung to the tune of “Funiculi,
Funnicula”) can be used with Martha Brenner’s Abe Lincoln’s
Hat, or William Jay Smith’s Ho for a Hat! All of these songs make use of wordplay or “silly
situations”.
The final chapter is a collection
of wonderful songs about food, and books that go nicely with them. Included is a wonderful old Irish song
“Who Threw the Overalls in Mrs. Murphy’s Chowder?” Again, there are some useful
suggestions for book pairing such as Do Not Feed the Table by Keiko Narahasji, a collection of 30
catchy poems about kitchen appliances. She also suggests working it in with books appropriate for a St. Patrick’s D
ay
celebration.
This book is extremely useful for
librarians who are searching for ways to generate enthusiasm for books through
music. Tunes with guitar chords
are included for all of the songs in her book. A CD which contains all of the music contained in the book
is also available. Freeman
stresses that a great singing voice is not required. Your enthusiasm is more important to children than the
quality of your voice. A
concluding “Bibliography of Children’s Songbooks and Resources”
provided a helpful springboard for me in my research.
Another very interesting and
helpful resource that I found is a book entitled Sing Us a Story by Jane
Marino. Written while she was a
children’s librarian at White Plains Public Library, Marino’s book
is chock
full of
practical, useful suggestions for hooking preschoolers into books through
music. In her forward, Marino
reminds us that a song is a story set to music. Not only can it set up a link with books by reinforcing the
message, it also can create a real link between storyteller and child. It can serve as a bridge linking one
book to another, and can even be a great link between one story time to the
next. While a story time can be
done very successfully without singing, she adds that song gives it an added
dimension which can make it more meaningful and memorable. Many, many songs are included (with
tunes and guitar chords) along with helpful suggestions for how they could be
used. She give a list of
songs which have been done in picture book format. Among other favorites, it includes Peter Spiers The Fox Went
Out On a Chilly Night, Over in the
Meadow by Ezra Jack Keats, and Maryann Kovalski’s humorous retelling of
The Wheels On the Bus. My
preschoolers always seem to respond to picture books
that are sung,
and I am trying to become more familiar with Marino’s recommended selections. While many songs and books are discussed and indexed, Marino
stops short of actually linking songs with specific books. As the book assumes a knowledge of
children’s books, perhaps her intention is to leave that to the storyteller.
Among the other works that I
looked at, I also found a very useful resource in Pam Schiller and Thomas
Moore’s Where Is Thumpkin? : 500 Activities To Use With Songs You Already
Know. Both authors are experienced
educators, and Moore is an accomplished musician as well. Schiller and Moore’s work is
based on the premise that the love of music is innate. “Music is, therefore, an integral
part of the early childhood experience” and should be extended into other
areas of the curriculum. This book goes through the school year, month by month
and gives six possible lessons for each, based on a well known song. The theme of the song is
examined and thematically related
picture books are suggested. While
geared to elementary school children, It has a separate section for preschool
programs which is structured in the same way. While no music is provided for
the songs, recordings of the songs discussed are listed.
These three books have been
very helpful as I have begun exploring the various ways in which music can help
contribute to a deeper enjoyment of literature. Music is
an instinctive, universal way of communicating. Using its power to further
children’s love and appreciation for language seems a worthy endeavor.
The following is a bibliography of song
collections. Of the many I looked
at, these seemed like the ones most useful for finding songs that could be used
in conjunction with children’s literature.
GARSON,
Eugenia. The Laura Ingalls Wilder
Songbook. New York, NY: Harper
& Row, Publishers, 1968.
160p., ill.
Although this book could easily
stand on its own as a collection
of folk songs and
ballads, each song is related to one of
the books in the “Little House” series. Arranged broadly by theme, each song is placed in context by
a quote and citation from one of the “Little House” books. The songs themselves provide a
wonderful picture of America’s pioneer days. Garth Williams illustrations are included. A piano accompaniment is provided for
each song.
GLAZER, Tom.
The Mother Goose Songbook. New York, NY: Doubleday, 1990.
96 p., ill., 0-385-41474-9
Beautifully illustrated by David
McPhail, this book contains 44 well know Mother Goose rhymes set to music. While the majority of the tunes are
familiar, some which are not traditionally sung are set to original music by
Tom Glazer. The introduction
contains a very interesting history of Mother Goose. Simple piano accompaniment
and guitar chords are provided for each song.
GUTHRIE, Woody
and Marjorie Mazia Guthrie.
Woody’s 20 Grow Big Songs. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 1992.
unp., i
ll.,
0-06-020282-3
This book was originally written
and illustrated by the legendary Guthrie and his wife in the late 1940s. It
remained unpublished for over forty years. It contains 20 of Guthrie’s children’s songs on
various, fun topics. The songs are
very singable. Tunes and guitar
chords are included.
KRULL,
Kathleen. Gonna Sing My Head
Off!. New York,: NY Alfred A.
Knopf, Inc., 1992. 147 p., ill.,
0-394-81991-8
This is an exceptional collection
of over 60 favorite American folk songs.
Aimed at children ages 7 and up, it includes songs from all over the
country. The selections are
wonderful, and are provided with simple but very interesting piano
accompaniments. Guitar chords are
also provided. An index of song
types (“Ballads”, “Cow Boy Songs”, “Sea
Chanteys”, etc.) helps make it a great resource.
MITCHELL,
Donald. Every Child’s Book of Nursery Songs. New York, NY: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1968. 175 p., ill.
This is an indispensable
collection of nursery rhymes set to music. Orig
inally
published in Great Britain, some of the tunes are not what we are accustomed to
here in the U.S. but they are beautiful.
The piano accompaniments are simple, but musically very lovely and fresh
sounding. Many of the songs
include simple percussion parts, and a few have parts for a simple melodic
instrument such as recorder.
Especially recommended from a musical standpoint.
RAFFI. The Raffi Singable Songbook. New York, NY: Crown Publishers, Inc.,
1980.
106 p.,
ill., 0-517566370
Based on his first three
recordings, this collection of 51 Raffi songs is delightful and fun to
sing. Raffi’s songs come
from a variety of sources. Many
are traditional, and a few are original compositions. Rollicking piano
accompaniments are included.
Ukelele chords
are provided!
SEEGER, Ruth
Crawford. American Folk Songs for
Children. Garden City, NY:
Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1948.
190 p., ill.
This classic collection, with
illustrations by Barbara Cooney, is very straight forward and extremely
useful. The introductory articles
give interesting back ground information on folk songs, and very helpful
suggestions for how to use them. The songs come from all over the United
States, and many are traced to their state of origin. The piano accompaniments
are quite manageable. The detailed subject index is very helpful.
WEISS,
Nicki. If You’re Happy and
You Know It. New York, NY:
Greenwillow Books, 1987. 40 p.,
ill., 0-688-06444-2
This is a collection of 18 “story songs”, chosen and
illustrated by Nicki Weiss. In
picture book format, each two page spread contains one song with several
related illustrations. The melody
for each is incorporated into the illustrations. This book would work well at story time or for reading one
on one.
WILDER,
Alec. Lullabie
s and Night
Songs. New York, NY: Harper
& Row, Publishers, 1965. 78
p., ill.
Not only are these songs well
chosen, they are beautifully illustrated by Maurice Sendak.
It
“celebrates the magic world of a happy, sleepy child”. Wilder has either composed or arranged
the music for all of the poems included.
Among them are poems by James Thurber and Tennyson. All of them have to do with bed
time. Although they are intended
to be sung, the illustrations are so wonderful that it would be possible to
enjo
$y it as
picture book.
Resources Cited
FREEMAN,
Judy. Hi Ho Librario!. Bala Cynwyd, PA: RockHill
Communications, 1997.
133 p.,
1-890604-00-3
MARINO,
Jane. Sing Us a Song. H.W. Wilson, 1994. 215 p., 0-8242-0847-1
SCHILLER, Pam
and Thomas MOORE. Where is Thumpkin?: 500 Activities to
Use With Songs You Already Know.
Mt. Rainier, MD: Gryphon House, 1993. 252 p.,
0-87659-164-0
††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††
Pamela
STRACHAN
Default
Default SS
Default TB
Header
Footer
Footnote
Footnote Index
Helvetica
Geneva
MOBJWMBT
súo{o{g9súo{o{súwΩo{
Z÷g9Z÷RîRîZ÷RîNso{Z÷g9RîRîc
Z÷Z÷kZVµo{g9^˜^˜RîVµF1^˜^˜wΩc
JRNsZ÷F1VµRîwΩ
kZZ÷^˜g9g9^˜kZc
o{JRRîVµNssú
wΩsú˛o{ súo{súo{{fisúsúo{o{sú«
;o{VµJRw
F1Rîo{Vµc
Z÷Z÷g9Vµo{F1Nso{NsVµNsF1VµVµNsg9Z÷g9JRRîg9c
o{RîsúVµVµJRkZVµc
g9Z÷RîZ÷Z÷g9NsVµVµ
o{g9Ns^˜kZNsRîc
JR^˜o{o{c
súo{{fikZwΩo{o{wΩ^˜c
kZ{fikZo{g9
kZo{wΩsúkZwΩkZ{fisúwΩsú
sú{fio{o{wΩo{o{wΩo{wΩ{fio{o{Z÷{fisúÊ
@súo{Vµg9o{g9wΩc
g9g9wΩg9g9kZo{kZkZ^˜g9kZkZ
g9kZ{fikZkZg9o{Z÷c
NswΩNsg9c
g9súkZkZc
kZo{g9c
Io{^˜Z÷^˜Z÷Z÷o{^
^
kZg9Z÷kZ^˜o{^˜RîRîsúg9^˜
súg9kZg9VµkZc
g9g9Z÷kZZ÷kZVµRîVµg9súg9^˜c
RîkZg9g9c
Z÷RîkZZ÷g9g9^˜kZRîVµVµkZRîZ÷g9RîsúRîZ÷Z÷kZÂ
súo{kZwΩsúwΩwΩo{súwΩ
wΩo{kZsúwΩ{fiwΩwΩsúo{o{súsúwΩc
Ig9F1=
Z
{
R
NskZB
Z÷F1RîkZo{^˜Z÷kZ=ÔVµRî=ÔJR
súVµNsNsJRo{o{JRJRF1NsRîNsg9RîJRJRo{Z÷F1B
Z÷RîJRNsJRVµkZRîF1Rîg9o{^˜^˜Vµ=ÔVµF1Z÷RîRîZ÷c
F1JRNs9Œg9Z÷c
=g9NsV
g9NsVµVµc
o{NsRîNso{JR^˜RîVµVµZ÷kZZ÷^˜c
^˜RîF1g9wΩF1NsNskZJRJRRîRîVµVµo{JRNs^˜VµNsRîc
o{o{Z÷NsNssú‚
wΩkZsúVµsúwΩo{s
o{kZo{sú
{fisúkZg9wΩg9{fikZg9o{kZwΩkZc
súkZo{{fikZkZo{súkZkZ
wΩo{kZo{o{súsúwΩo{sú˛kZ
g9o{^˜súRîg9c
%wΩsúg9g9o{g9wΩZ÷g9kZg9^˜wΩNsg9{fi^˜kZg9c
g9kZ^˜g9kZc
o{^˜o{g9c
HsúJRVµZ÷g9Z
c
g9Rîsúg9Z÷Z÷^˜VµZ÷kZwΩsúRî^˜Z÷súVµg9g9RîkZwΩc
g9Z÷wΩRîVµ^˜Z÷o{NskZg9‰
súo{o{wΩwΩsúsúwΩ{fiwΩwΩsúo{wΩwΩ
s
wΩg9wΩsúo{sú{fisúwΩsúsúwΩo{kZsú„
kZVµVµRîF1kZF1o{VµB
JRNsJRNs^˜c
^˜9Œo{9ŒVµ9ŒJRg9JRNsc
^˜F1F1JR
Ns%VµJR^˜kZZ÷RîkZkZ=Ô=ÔF1kZRîRîkZVµF1NsRî9ŒRîRîc
NsJRo{Rî=Ôo{VµRîVµJRRî=ÔF1F1wΩ‰
:kZF1V
g9VµRîVµRîo{o{NsZ÷g9Ns^˜Nsg9NsVµ^˜g9NsJRRîVµVµo{
Z÷Ns^˜Vµo{o{RîVµc
kZZ÷^˜g9JRRîg9c
JRVµZ÷kZVµNsc
o{súkZkZwΩ{fiJRkZ{fisúo{sú{fisúwΩ˝o{
{fiwΩg9súsúwΩkZsú{fio{kZo{wΩsú{fic
wΩg9kZkZsúg9g9wΩkZkZ{fi˛sú˝kZ
o{{fic
wΩkZwΩkZg9Rîg9wΩ‰
Jo{kZg9c
g9o{g9g9kZsúkZ^˜o{Z÷g9g9Z÷g9o{Vµc
g9g9kZc
súo{kZF1kZVµo{c
^˜g9kZo{
o{RîVµZ÷Vµg9g9Rîsúc
Z÷JRg9wΩg9Z÷^˜Z÷{fisúkZsúc
Gg9F1B
RîkZJR=ÔVµ^˜g9VµJRB
JRkZVµRîkZRîF1c
Z÷Z÷RîNsZ÷o{RîF1VµNsc
NsJRg9JRkZB
=Ô^˜F1JRkZB
Z÷NsNsF1F1wΩ9ŒNsNsZ÷VµVµRîJRNs„
wΩo{kZkZsú
wΩkZg9o{kZwΩg9wΩ{fio{sú∞
kZo{wΩwΩo{wΩwΩo{˛wΩ
Go{Z÷=Ôo{V
R
kZB
sú=ÔZ÷F1JRsúF1B
JRkZF1B
NskZNsZ÷kZc
Z÷o{RîJRRîo{^˜JRF1F1g9JRRîkZ
F1Nsg9
kZo{o{
RîZ÷g9^˜^˜Z÷^˜g9wΩ^˜Vµg9c
@wΩ{fig9kZs
o{^˜o{sú^˜wΩo{g9g9wΩg9o{kZ^˜^˜{fig9Z÷o{g9g9o{kZg9c
g9Z÷wΩo{wΩkZkZc
o{^˜kZkZc
o{Nsg9
)o{kZkZwΩo{
súkZo{o{wΩo{wΩo{kZsúkZ{fikZo{o{g9o{súo{wΩg9{fig9kZsúg9{fi
g9o{kZo{súkZ
o{o{súo{
kZ
o{o{{fio{kZ{fikZsúo{o{súo{o{g9o{o{sú‰
HkZRîRîZ÷kZ^
o{VµJRc
Z÷sú^˜RîVµVµkZRîo{RîNs^˜^˜súJRZ÷g9RîRî^˜JRc
^˜VµRîVµo{JRwΩNsZ÷^˜c
Vµ^˜NsNsVµo{JRRîo{Nsg9RîVµRî^˜c
GkZRîNskZNsRîB
JRZ÷^˜g9^˜JRNsVµVµsú^˜Z÷g9RîkZo{Z÷RîVµF1c
g9Vµo{Nso{JRVµVµRîc
VµRîJRVµF1o{Vµo{VµNsNsZ÷Z÷kZVµkZNsNs^˜Vµ^˜g9„
^˜!g9^˜^˜o{w
wΩg9˝kZ1g9o{súkZg9wΩg9kZsúsúkZkZg9o{g9wΩg9o{kZc
^˜kZ^˜o{kZsúo{kZ^˜kZkZsúkZ^˜o{súg9kZkZg9g9kZ{fi
g9g9wΩg9kZÊ
Jo{^˜g9Z
g9súg9c
Z÷Z÷kZZ÷^˜o{Z÷^˜g9Z÷c
o{Z÷kZNsc
g9Vµg9VµZ÷kZ^˜c
wΩg9Nssúg9^˜kZRîVµ^˜Z÷c
F1F1g9JRRîB
=ÔkZ=ÔRîRîJR9ŒNsJRVµkZF1NsJRRî=Ô^˜F1F1RîRîNsVµVµg9=ÔF1B
Ns=ÔRî^˜Vµ=ÔNsF1VµkZF1Ns=ÔsúwΩRîNsJR^˜Ns=Ôc
NsNsJR9ŒNsZ÷Ns=ÔRîZ÷JRJRF1kZÂ
Eo{NsV
Ns^˜Rîsú^˜g9RîZ÷c
Z÷o{VµkZsú^˜VµRîkZVµkZg9VµZ÷kZJRNsg9Z÷kZ{fig9Z÷kZNs^˜{fiVµg9RîZ÷Z÷^˜NsZ÷c
^˜NsRî^˜^˜{fiwΩVµF1g9^˜VµZ÷Vµg9kZ·
"{fig9o{kZo{c
súkZo{g9súsúo{wΩkZkZsúwΩg9sú
kZo{kZwΩo{sú{fikZkZ{fikZg9kZwΩ˛{fi wΩwΩsúkZ{fi{fio{g9súsú˛kZ
o{súo{kZg9g9^˜^˜{fi
kZo{o{Nso{^˜kZwΩkZ·
o{kZ^˜wΩkZ{fi{fiZ÷wΩkZkZ^˜o{{fi{fig9c
kZ{fikZo{kZsúkZkZc
wΩkZkZg9kZo{kZg9kZc
súo{súwΩkZo{g9kZg9o{wΩc
kZsú^˜o{kZ{fio{kZg9wΩÂ
IsúkZg9Z
c
{fisúg9NsZ÷o{Vµc
kZkZ^˜Ns^˜sú
o{^˜Z÷g9Nsc
Ns9ŒNs9Œo{RîJR9ŒNsZ÷Z÷VµF1F1o{JRNskZVµ=Ô^˜B
9Œg9JRNsJRF1^˜g9NskZNsc
JRNsNsF1c
F1g9F1Ns9ŒJRRî^˜JRJR=ÔNsB
Z÷NsRîJRNsVµRîg9Ns=ÔNsNsfl
JRwΩZ÷kZg9JRZ÷Z÷^˜Vµ^˜Vµc
VµJR^˜^˜o{Z÷Nsg9c
{fi{fikZo{súo{g9sú˛g9
o{súkZkZ{fig9c
kZo{{fig9o{wΩg9sú{fi˛g9
g9wΩsúo{g9kZwΩsúo{g9o{wΩkZ{fic
o{o{g9kZkZ{fisúwΩ^˜wΩ¸kZ
o{c
o{kZsú˛g9
kZkZ^˜o{kZwΩkZo{kZkZwΩ˛kZ
o{^˜súsúkZkZo{wΩg9súg9c
kZo{o{
kZ
sú{fio{kZkZo{¸kZ
súVµ˛Z÷FsúZ÷o{^˜kZ^
Z
s
R
c
g9g9Vµsú^˜Nsg9c
g9Vµg9Rîsúg9Vµ^˜Z÷RîZ÷kZg9c
JRJRNsc
JRF1g9=ÔJR=ÔRîB
kZNso{g9
F1g9NsVµNsNsRîNsF1c
g9NskZJRZ÷^˜=ÔJRRîVµ^˜=ÔJRg9
VµNsRîkZNsZ÷JRZ÷kZRîZ÷F1Vµ{fiRîF1B
Rîg9JRJRB
o{RîF1RîRîVµVµo{c
RîVµg9g9Vµ˛g98Z÷g9Vµ
Z÷VµRîo{JRg9^˜Vµ^˜c
Z÷{fiRîg9JR^˜^˜Z÷kZZ÷g9Vµo{g9c
súZ÷VµJRVµ^˜wΩg9Z÷Z÷VµZ÷JRZ÷c
súsúkZsúo{o{kZg9kZkZ{fikZo{kZ{fig9kZkZsúo{wΩkZsúg9kZwΩ{fisú˛kZ
súkZ˛o{
g9kZwΩ{fio{g9súo{kZg9kZkZo{{fiÊ
9F187AE808AA6F795318BCF8E6F0D0ETBL
CHHDNI
CxSTYL
N(TNAM