All of the Iza Trapani books start with the nursery rhyme that we all know, but add several more verses that extend the story.

Wonderful rhyming book about barnyard animals having a do-si-do or two!

This is an Eric Carle classic. We use finger puppets representing the characters and sing the words.

A story that teaches the concept of loud (forte), soft (piano), crescendo and decrescendo through an impending thunderstorm on a summer day.

A cute story about the little cloud who wanted to stand out from the cloud. Students sing a simple, repeated melody each time that Little Cloud changes shape.

The main character in this story makes some cookies that he shares with his family and friends. Unfortunately, they aren't very good...and we get to make all sorts of sounds to describe what happens next!

This folk song has delighted children for generations, and gives students the opportunity to make up new, rhyming verses.

Rhythmic story that teaches math concepts as well.

The old animal counting song which has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades K-1, Read-Aloud Poetry).

This is one of my favorites! Illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist George Booth, this book is great to read aloud because of the rhythmic quality of the words. Students have to listen for the one verse that is different from all the others.

Another book that is great to read aloud because of its rhythm. Students echo the sounds that occur on each page.

Students get to finish each page by saying, in rhythm, "She was very, very busy...spinning her web. She was busy, spinning her web!"

This is a favorite! We read the book after we play the Bear Hunt echo game in which we learn the concepts of loud/soft and keeping a steady beat. Then we can compare and contrast the words in the game and the words in the book.

Beautifully illustrated! We listen to Debussy's Clair de Lune as I read the book.

This book and Jazz Fly 2 introduce students to Jazz through a group of insects who play together in a jazz combo.

We read this before we study "The Nutcracker" as it gives the students an introduction to ballet.

Written in association with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, students are introduced to great music through great works of art.

Camille Saint Saens' classic with extra verses written and read by Jack Prelutsky. Students love moving like the animals, and get to follow a listening map that uses fish and bubbles instead of notes for "The Aquarium" segment.

Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn transformed the romantic ballet music into jumpin' jazz melodies inspired by their travels.

Telling the story of how George Gershwin composed his "experiment in modern music", the accompanying CD has Gershwin himself playing the piece.

When the musician plays his violin, a world of shapes and color swirls into life.

Students love the story of how Peter and his animal friends caught the wolf. It's also a great introduction to the instruments of the orchestra as all the characters are represented by a different instrument. We have an "Instrument Petting Zoo" so students can see and touch the various instruments.

The author has adapted the story of the opera into a shorter version which keeps all the essential fairy tale elements: the evil queen, the prince and princess, the sorcerer, and of course the magic flute. We listen to excerpts from the opera as the book is read.

A holiday tradition that introduces ballet. Students love the story of Marie, her prince, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and, of course, the evil Mouse King! We read the book, and then watch the movie of the George Balanchine ballet production starring MacCauley Culkin (who the students recognize from "Home Alone").

Written by the actor John Lithgow, this is a rhyming story about a boy who goes to an outdoor concert with his family. Amazing things happen when the music starts!

Another book by the actor John Lithgow, this is about Farkle McBride, a boy who can play any instrument in the orchestra!

This is an introduction to each instrument of the orchestra, the stories of famous composers from Bach to Stravinsky and an explanation of different musical styles. The CD lets the students listen to examples.

This is a wonderful introduction to musical instruments and musical groups, and a counting book as well.

Coyote arranges the stars in the shapes of his animal friends. We listen to Native American music as we read.

Coyote wants to sing, dance, and fly like the crows, so he begs them to teach him how. But wherever Coyote is, trouble follows. This is read accompanied by Native American music.

This story introduces the song used by slaves as their direction north as they escaped from the south.

What began as a spiritual has developed into one of America’s best-known songs, which the author has interpreted through a child's eyes.

A retelling of a Navajo folktale explains how First Woman tried to write the laws of the land using stars in the sky, only to be thwarted by the trickster Coyote. Native American music accompanies the reading.

Mosquito tells a story that creates a jungle disaster. This is read accompanied by West African music, which includes the kind of drums found in our classroom.

A cute story about the great composer and his 5 legless pianos, which caused him to be evicted from an awful lot of apartments!