Can You Dance, Dalila?     Virginia Kroll      ISBN 0-689-80551-9
 
In this fun book, Dalila is home from school and falls asleep while watching a couple ballroom dancing on the television, thinking, "Someday, I'm gonna dance."  But from fox-trot to ballet to tap every dance she tries just doesn't seem to fit what she's feeling inside.  This is a fantastic book to introduce the different types of dances to your students, and also to help teach them that different things speak to different people.
 

Cat and Rat:  The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac
                                                 Ed Young     ISBN 0-805-02977-X

This is a really neat book, but not one that I use directly in my music program...rather, I supplement my program with this book.  A couple of years ago, one of my second grade teachers commented that the Winter Program was just that...a Winter program.  Not a Christmas Program.  So, we set out find music that celebrated other holidays.  Chanukah was easy.  This year, however, the second grade team chose Chinese New Year.  I had music for it, but many of the students didn't understand the concept.  This book helps.  It a myth that not only explains which animals are in the Chinese Zodiac (and why the Cat is not), but also has a chart in the beginning of the book which explains each of the 12 lunar years.  And, the shadowy charcoal drawing are very intriguing and lend an air of mysticism to this story of great spirits and the contests which they have.