I See The Rhythm

A Coretta Scott King Award Winning Book!
Jazz! Rhythm and Blues! Hip Hop! Bebop! Spirituals! Funk!
Can you see the rhythm? Check out the vibrant pictures
that ooze the rhythm in bold colors and brash lines.

I See The Rhythm is an extensive timeline of the
history of african american music. It gives small
factual tidbits while using lyrical poetry to
capture the essence of each musical
style. Everything on the page,
right down to the font size and
scattered placement of the
text accentuates each
masterpiece.

So,
Whether it's stirring
up interest for a report or exposing
your students to a variety of different time
periods in a short amount of time, it's a great way
to get kids to personally connect with a history lesson.
Maybe they could write their own poems about how their
experiences with music connect them to their cultural heritage.
They could even use the same poetry methods to create their work!

Igus, Toyomi. (1998). I See The Rhythm. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press

All Aboard The Bebop Express!

For an interactive audio reading, please visit the following website: http://www.nytimes.com/packages/khtml/2005/05/15/books/20050515_BEBOP_AUDIOSS.html
Chugga Chugga Chugga Chugga Choo! Choo!

Welcome aboard the Bebop Express! This is your travel ticket for a journey through the American Jazz scene. Dance to the tune of drummers, singers, bassists, and the infamous Sax Man. Don't forget to stop in at New Orleans for the street jam show!

Be prepared for the ride of your life as you introduce your students to the sounds of Scat. See if they can guess who the famous musicians are! Why not research the 1940s and discover how these different musicians influenced their generation? Then, for the grand finale and presentation, invite your school's jazz band to perform, or have some of your band students put together a jazz ensemble.

Rat a tat! Rat a tat! Blam! Bop Blam! This book really teaches you how to get down with our jazz side! It connects you to the rhythm in a way that no other book can. It just makes you want to get up and dance! dance! dance!

Panahi, H.L. (2005). Bebop Express. New York, New York: Laura Geringer Books