CRADLE SONGS AND LULLABYS

The other day as I was driving home on one of our many crowded freeways, a beautiful piano piece began playing on our local classical radio station.  Immediately I began to relax to it's slow, rocking rhythm.  It reminded me a little bit of the music I enjoyed so much in the recent Disney movie UP.  If you liked that, you'll like this!  It's Chopin's Berceuse, which is translated "Cradle Song" or "Lullaby".

As soon as I got home, I googled the piece and found a fun artwork montage and recording of the music. The montage (artwork by Vladstudio) starts with some winter and Christmas scenes - which reminds me:  tomorrow, November 15th,  I "unveil" my list of Christmas book faves, FORTY BOOKS FOR FORTY DAYS.  Remember to "Comment away for my Advent Giveaway" on today's and tomorrow's posts.  (Winner to be announced on November 16.)

Click HERE to listen and watch BERCEUSE.


OF COURSE, I HAD TO SHARE A COUPLE OF CUTE BEDTIME STORIES FOR YOU.  What were your favorites?

SWEET DREAMS LULLABY (toddler-preschool)
This imaginative, peaceful bedtime book invites a bunny (tucked snugly into bed) to dream of comforting scenes from nature's nighttime.  Each page reveals a delightful dreamscape for children to imagine as they drift off to sleep with the lulling, rhyming text...

"Dream of purple twilight skies,

a bedtime kiss from butterflies.

Caterpillars in cocoons

are tucked in tight beneath the moon."

ALL ASLEEP by Joanna Walsh (baby-toddler).
The gentle text is about all babies - from tall babies to small babies, from babies asleep in cars, to babies snoozing under the stars. It's a perfect bedtime rhythmical board book story for babies everywhere. I also love that it represents multi-ethnic babies.






Youtube Link:  Chopin's Berceuse (or "Cradle Song")

MUSIC APPRECIATION FOR YOUNG SOULS

"A child’s basic attitude towards and appreciation of literature, music, history, art, philosophy, even science, and of course life and religion—must come first of all not from school, for the school will give you all this mixed up with modern philosophy; it must come first from the home and Church, or else he is bound to be miseducated in today’s world, where public education is at best agnostic, and at worst openly atheistic or anti-religious." -from ORTHODOX WORLDVIEW by Fr. Seraphim Rose

Yes, I'm writing about music today on my blog for children's literature! That's because there are some great stories out there that can help you introduce your kids to the orchestra, classical composers, and the world of opera and jazz...

PICTURE BOOKS:

Animal Orchestra (Little Golden Treasures book), by Ilo Orleans, illustrated by Tibor Gergely (baby-preschool). The rhyming text and fun illustrations will delight babies and toddlers

Gabriella's Song, by Candice Fleming, illustrated by Giselle Potter (ages 4-8). Young Gabriella lives in Venice and finds music and rhythm in the sounds of everyday life around her. She hums her melody and is heard by her neighbors, who share her tune with each other. Each interprets it a little differently and it spreads through the city and into the ear of "the brilliant composer Giuseppe Del Pietro". It becomes his inspiration for a magnificent symphony. Through the engaging text and whimsical pictures, your child will get to know a little bit about the old world charm of Venice and the power of music!

Pet of the Met, by Don Freeman (ages 4-8). We LOVED this book! The Metropolitan Opera has a tiny page-turner for the Prompter of the Metropolitan Opera...and he happens to be a mouse named Maestro Petrini. He is constantly trying to evade Mefisto the Cat. Hilarity ensues when the Maestro Mouse gets carried away during a performance of THE MAGIC FLUTE and joins the performers on stage for all (including the Cat) to see.

Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin, by Lloyd Moss, illustrated by Marjorie Priceman (ages 4-8). Clever catchy verse and zany, colorful illustrations bring music to life as the instruments that make up an orchestra are introduced by "a chamber group of ten". (A Caldecott Honor book.)

Mole Music, by David McPhail (ages 4-8). Tender-hearted story of a Mole who feels that something is missing in his life underground. After hearing a musician on his television playing beautiful music, he decides to get his own violin and learn to play. Find out if Mole can change the world with his music.

BOOKS THAT COME WITH CD'S:
Carnival of the Animals: Classical Music for Kids, by Barrie C. Turner, illustrated by Sue Williams. (preschool-2nd grade) My children absolutely loved listening to Camille Saint-Saens' CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS. I was excited to find this picture book that comes with a CD recording of music and narration!

The Jazz Fly, by Matthew Gollub, illustrated by Karen Hanke. (preschool-1st grade) A fly, who also happens to be a drummer, gets lost on the way to a performance. Lots of "scat" talk in the bouncy narration, and music from a jazz quartet, make the accompanying CD loads of fun. The illustrations have a jazzy style and are mostly black, gray, and white, with small splashes of color.

STORIES ON CD by "CLASSICAL KIDS":

Through these narrated dramatic stories, a little bit of history, and music accompaniment of some of the great composers, your children will be introduced to the joys of classical music. Fun and unique!

Beethoven Lives Upstairs;

Mr. Bach Comes To Call;

Mozart's Magical Fantasy: A Journey Through the Magic Flute;

Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery