Story-Telling Sunday: Baroque with Joy
Music is such a big part of my daily life, and multiplied even further once I became a parent. Every circle group, birthday party, or preschool event we attend has an element of rhymes & melodies. The best part is the authentic reaction that kids have when music starts playing. Music truly feels like a universal language, and some studies even suggest that music can help to increase cognitive function in children. When it comes to classical music, specifically, there seems to be a positive impact on young kids. With all this said, I'm super excited to feature "Baroque with Joy" in this week's Story-Telling Sunday blog.
Written by Suzanne Brown and illustrated by Romi Caron, "Baroque with Joy" introduces curious little minds to baroque composers. The writing is simple with a rhyming flow, and incorporates fun anecdotes about each composer. My favourite is the description of Johann Sebastian Bach:
"Long, long ago, in a land FAR away,
lived a man who played music EVERY DAY.
He had TWENTY children. Boy, that's A LOT!
Imagine the size of their chicken soup pot."
Brown writes about Bach, Scarlatti, and Handel which is the perfect combination for short attention spans. It's really a sneak peek into the baroque music world for little kids. The engaging illustrations by Caron will also have your kiddos drawn into every page.
The teachable aspect of this book is huge. It touches on geography with a map of where the composer is from, as well as the accompanying music that teaches different musical notes. The latter is the reason this book is a must-read. You can download the accompanying music for free while you read the book! With the turn of every page, you are serenaded with great baroque composers. Free downloadable music: http://suziesunshine.ca/books-library-tours/#listen
It is no surprise that "Baroque with Joy" was a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Brown's trilogy includes: "Romantic with Joy" and "Classical with Joy". I've also had the pleasure of attending Brown's music show with my sons. Known to her adoring little fans as "Suzie Sunshine", her love of music, teaching, and sharing joy is clearly evident.
I highly recommend checking out Brown's trilogy as an engaging way to get kids excited about classical music. Her website is also a great resource for any little music-lover, parent/guardian, or educator. For more info on teaching kids about music, check out Suzanne Brown's various resources:
Website: http://suziesunshine.ca
Youtube Channel: https://youtu.be/VZsDIaR5t3o
Instagram: @suziesunshinemusic
Facebook: Suzie Sunshine
Happy reading!