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Classics 4 Kids' programs promote literacy and improved academic achievement in the young people we serve. For each concert, C4K chooses an age-appropriate book that correlates to the program.
In 2011-2012, Classics for Kids is excited to offer teachers and parents access to the following titles:
By Anna Harwell Celenza, Illustrated by Don Tate
Accompanies "Ellington's Nutcracker " - November 2011
It's a challenge to transform the Nutcracker Suite's romantic orchestra into jumpin' jazz melodies, but that's exactly what Duke Ellington and his collaborator, Billy Strayhorn, did. Ellington's band members were not so sure that a classical ballet could become a cool-cat jazz number. But Duke and Billy, inspired by their travels and by musical styles past and present, infused the composition with Vegas glitz, Hollywood glamour, and even a little New York jazz. Copyright 2011 Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
By Anna Harwell Celenza (Author) and Joann E. Kitchell (Illustrator)
Accompanies "Mozart Masterworks " - January 2012
Inspired by the Salzberg Marionette Theatre, Stanley (Joan of Arc) frames this engaging and well-paced biography of Mozart as a three-act puppet play. Sprinklings of dialogue and witty anecdotes—such as the prank Mozart plays on a singer mid-performance—flesh out the life of this wunderkind (What a strange and magical childhood it must have been for Wolfgang... being praised, petted, and covered with kisses by the greatest nobles of Europe). Painting gessoed wood panels with egg tempera in soft tones, Stanley achieves an authentic sense of place, while augmenting the historic mood with musical staffs that wind through the scenes and informational asides presented by angels. While the three-act structure serves the through story well, some may find the marionette strings attached to every character distracting. Endnotes include an extensive chronology of Mozart's life. Ages 8–12. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
By Jan Greenberg & Sandra Jordan, Illustrated by Brian Floca
Accompanies "Copland's America" - March 2012
If Martha Graham's choreography for “Appalachian Spring” was a “valentine” to the world, as critics wrote in 1944, then this book is a love letter in return. Simple, poetic prose tells the story of the creation of one of the world's most-loved ballets and compositions, and Floca's graceful watercolor illustrations take admirers through every part of its development. Written in the present tense, the narrative has a sense of drama that carries readers along as if the events were happening in real time. Fascinating details about the collaboration among Graham, Copland, and Isamu Noguchi (set design) are well documented in the lengthy “curtain call,” notes, and resources pages, which read like a fantastic set of liner notes. Floca varies the illustrations from vignettes to bird's-eye views to landscapes and expertly capture the fluid movements of the dancers. The page layouts are well planned to create the most movement and interest. The authors researched extensively but found a way to crystallize all of the information into a gem that is approachable for young readers. More than anything, this work emphasizes the value of collaboration and celebrates the work that Graham, Copland, and Noguchi did to bring together the performing and visual arts. Readers may be inspired to go to Russell Freedman's Martha Graham: A Dancer's Life (Clarion, 1998) and should be encouraged to check out one of Leonard Bernstein's definitive recordings of “Appalachian Spring” and a video of the ballet.Cheri Dobbs, Detroit Country Day Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI
© Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
These books and others are available through Classics for Kids.
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