Listen to the Music: The Instruments

Ages 4 to 7, Grades P to 2

Listen to the Music: The Instruments is a narrative non-fiction trip through the history of music, complete with 10, 10-second sound clips of the world's best-loved orchestral instruments.

Press the buttons to hear the music in this time-traveling journey around the world, as young readers embark on a magical adventure through classical music!

Covering 10 different, beloved orchestral instruments, from different pieces from around the world, readers hear music composed and can press them to hear clips of musical masterpieces!

From Elgar's Cello Concerto, to a violin sonata by Beethoven, this book will teach children about cultural history, famous musicians, and musical genres, all while wanting to press the buttons and hear the music again and again.

Each of the ten composers throughout the story tells children about their favorite instrument, how it makes them feel, and what animals or moods they thought of as they were writing the piece of music.

This is a beautiful first introduction to the history of music, as told to the tune of the key instruments in the orchestra. Perfectly pitched to inspire and instill a love of music from a young age, this book will strike a chord with curious children who might be thinking about choosing a first instrument to learn.

About the Author

Mary Richards is a writer, publisher and musician. Mary was Publisher at the Hayward Gallery in London's Southbank Centre and Editor at Tate Publishing, commissioning and editing books for all the Tate galleries. She lives in London with four children, two cats and a large collection of Lego.