My First Music Book

A collection of activities, projects, and thirteen homemade musical instruments provide young readers with a hands-on introduction to the fundamental principles of music.

This large, attractive British import should have been titled My First Book of Musical Instruments: bright color photos and step- by-step instructions show how to make and play a dozen types (heavy on percussion), from simple rattles to a fairly elaborate facsimile of a banjo. A few could be managed by primary-graders with supervision; the remainder are geared to middle grades, with adult help for cutting. All materials needed are listed and clearly illustrated, though more precise specifications would sometimes have been helpful (e.g., the exact type of glue; the diameter of the pipe used for the pan pipes). Some projects can be made with recycled materials; all are shown decorated in brilliant primary colors. The reviewer made some shakers, a drum, and a tom-tom; the instructions were perfectly adequate, and the instruments produced gratifying amounts of sound. There's an irresistible photo of children playing the instruments (with each section--percussion, winds, strings--in a different color shirt) and a page of clever rhythm music for the orchestra to play. Good ideas for teachers, scout leaders, camp counselors, and for home. (Nonfiction. 5-11) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.