This Is Music: Drums

by Rekha S. Rajan, Tania Yakunova (Illustrator)

Overview

Make music with this hands-on introduction to the four instrument families: drums, horns, strings, and voice in this new board book series by a world-renown music educator.

What do a set of bongos, a tambourine, and a cooking pot have in common? They are all drums! This first introduction to instruments in the drum family begins with a simple explanation of what defines a drum. Young readers are then invited on a global exploration of a variety of percussive instruments and are encouraged to find drums of their own in the world around them.
 
Each title in the THIS IS MUSIC series features an interactive novelty musical element that invites the reader to "play" the book!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593387009
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	08/09/2022
Pages:	28
Product dimensions:	6.75(w) x 6.75(h) x 0.69(d)
Lexile:	AD500L (what's this?)
Age Range:	1 - 3 Years

About the Author

Dr. Rekha S. Rajan is a musical theater and operatic performer, early childhood educator, professor, and author of a number of publications on the arts in education. She is the recipient of several grants, including a two-year research grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, has performed in a variety of venues, including Carnegie Hall and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and sits on various statewide curriculum boards. Rekha specializes in introducing children to the arts. Her debut children’s book, AMAZING LANDMARKS (Scholastic, 2022), is a STEAM compendium of the stories behind how and why 10 iconic landmarks were built. Her parenting book THE READ ALOUD FACTOR (Chicago Review Press, 2022) will provide a modern, inclusive approach to establishing read aloud routines for busy families, featuring diverse reading lists, using music, working around technology, and addressing multilingual dynamics. Rekha’s work consistently draws from her professional expertise as an educator and performer, her South Asian heritage, and her abiding love of music. Rekha sings everyday with her husband and three children and when she’s not writing, she is playing the djembe, mridangam, trumpet, ukulele and piano.

Tania Yakunova is an award-winning illustrator from Kiev, Ukraine. She finds her inspiration in twentieth-century avant-garde art and design. Her work spans from commercial illustration, book illustration, editorial illustration, poster design, packaging for clients all around the world to internationally exhibited personal works. Tania is an active member of the local artist community in the Ukraine and regularly gives lectures and workshops about illustration.

Editorial Reviews

"Part informational, part playful, and sure to drum up reader interest." --Kirkus

"This first introduction to drums is a great way to teach young readers about musical instruments. The playful language and colorful illustrations make this a fun read for little ones and encourages them to find drums all around them!" -- KIDS Bookshelf

"Music education is such an important element in a child’s life; this promising series allows the learning and playing to begin as early as possible." -- School Library Journal

-Society of Illustrators Original Art Show Selection (2022)

-Best Board Book (2022) -- BookRiot

-Amazon Best Book (2022)

From the Publisher

2022-05-25
A look at drums and drum sounds laced with an invitation to keep the beat.

Exploring everything from Cuban bongos to West African djembes, with marching bands in between, this board book highlights homemade drums, simple drums, wearable drums, and even belly drums. Rajan’s text explains the drum names and their purpose (to “KEEP THE BEAT!” of course). With “TAM! THAKA TAM!” and “RAT-A-TAT-TAT!” even the words themselves make music. Rajan takes care to explain that drumming can happen almost anywhere, even on the side of a bathtub, on the floor, or on the refrigerator; it’s all about the rhythm. Yakunova’s illustrations are geometric and boldly colored. Characters depicted range in skin tone. The end of the book includes a circle with a textured center, the material meant to imitate a drumhead. Rajan then invites readers to start drumming by “playing this book.” This manipulative element really isn’t necessary, especially since the book makes for a great surface without that. The final two pages include labeled images of drums, even the atypical kinds like a playground slide.

Part informational, part playful, and sure to drum up reader interest. (Board book. 2-4)

Kirkus Reviews