NOTE: I was given a copy of this book to review but all opinions are my own.
I love playing jazz music on the piano — and ragtime, blues, and boogie-woogie! So when Workman Publishing asked me if I would be interested in the book Welcome to Jazz, of course I said yes. Yes, yes, yes!
This is an interactive book. As you read along, you press tabs on the side of the book to hear snippets of music that goes along with the text. That really held my grandkids’ attention!
The book uses Oh When the Saints for the music samples. We loved singing along with it and snapping our fingers to the rhythm. Man oh man, we were so cool!
In the book, three ‘cool’ cats take you on a swing-along journey that teaches all about jazz music. (You’ll need to explain to your grandkids that jazz musicians were often referred to as ‘cool cats’ and that’s why cats are used in the book.)
You learn about things like the ‘groove’ which is the feel of the music which is played by the rhythm section of the band.
You’ll read about the different instruments in a jazz band like the banjo, trumpet, tuba, and the double bass. The tabs along the side of the book plays fragments of music so you can hear what the instruments sound like.
And believe it or not, even I learned something from this book! (Which really shouldn’t be surprising because I still have lots to learn about jazz!) The thing that was especially fun for me to learn about was ‘scat.’
Scat is where the singer improvises. Instead of singing the words to the song, she sings nonsense syllables like be-bop and doo-we-ah. (Scat really appeals to me because a lot of the time I can’t remember all of the words . . . )
Natalie and Emma were really interested in looking at the pictures and listening as I read. Isaac loved pushing the tabs and listening to the music. Don’t you just love the expression on his face?
And I also loved snuggling with the grandkids!
Want to know what this book ‘sounds’ like? Well, watch this short video!
My grandkids and I think that this is a great kids book. Carolyn Sloan, the author, does a great job of presenting the information in a way that is simple yet interesting for kids. Jessica Gibson’s illustrations are colorful and bright. We loved them!
I also appreciated that the book was sturdy. It will hold up through lots of use from little hands. I give this book two thumbs up!
This book would make a great addition to your personal library or a birthday present for grandchildren ages 4 to 8! Since Christmas is just around the corner, this would make a perfect gift for a grandchild.
You can get Welcome to Jazz on Amazon for $22.99. (This is not an affiliate link.)
So put on some sunglasses (so you can be a cool cat), snuggle with your grandkids, and spend some fun time reading and listening to this great kids book!
