Early Book Review: Make Music: A Kid's Guide to Creating Rhythm, Playing with Sound, and Conducting and Composing Music by Norma Jean Haynes; Ann Sayre Wiseman; John Langstaff

Make Music: A Kid's Guide to Creating Rhythm, Playing with Sound, and Conducting and Composing Music is a fresh edition of this book for a younger audience by Norma Jean Haynes; Ann Sayre Wiseman; and John Langstaff. It is currently scheduled for release on April 30 2019. Music is for everyone — no experience required. This book invites kids and families to celebrate the joy of sound with a variety of inventive activities, including playing dandelion trumpets, conducting percussion conversations, and composing their own pieces. Kids explore rhythm with clapping, body drumming, and intonations. They learn to create found sound with kitchen pots and pans, the Sunday paper, or even the Velcro on their sneakers. And step-by-step instructions show how to make 35 different instruments, from chimes and bucket drums to a comb kazoo and a milk-carton guitar. 

Make Music is an engaging and informative read that offers information on a wide range of sounds, music, and how to create instruments and music of your own with things that are generally readily available. I like that cultural and historical references are included with the discussion of different sounds and music. I think those connections can help young readers and musicians feel more engaged. I think the message that making and enjoying music is for everyone no matter the skill level or style. I think finding a creative outlet, or enjoying the talents of others, is important. Parents, teachers, and caregivers of all kinds can share this book with the young people in their lives to help foster an appreciation for all kinds of music, and to create instruments and sounds together. I think this would be a great addition to a school, classroom, or home library because one can always return to the activities and projects and repeat them- or use them to inspire new ideas. Some of the concepts, like music notation, that are near the end of the book are particularly good for revisiting after some experimentation and practice.

Make Music is a delightful book for encouraging an existing interest in sound and music, or to help foster in interest. The activities and information offered is varied and should be engaging for a wide range of readers.