Musical Tales & Tunes

Song by Bill Staines, illus. Kadir Nelson

 Paul Tripp tells a lovable intro to instruments to George Kleinsinger's music and the voices of Dick Van Dyke & Pearl Bailey.

by Mark Rubin, illus. Alan Daniel narrated on DVD by Peter Ustinov.  A superb intro to classical music and the orchestra and its instruments.

Hear the story by Jan Brett. Then go behind the scenes with The Boys Choir of Harlem and visit street musicians in New York.

In the story by Jonathan London, a cat creates a sound all his own and sees how the rhyme and rhythms affect his audience.

In the book by Tomi dePaola a young Indian boy follows his vision quest for a special gift he can give to his people. He discovers the Pueblo Indian peoples' use of natural materials in their pottery, painting and dance. 

John Steptoe's Caldecott Honor book retells Cinderella story and introduces the tale as well as history, culture of Zimbabwe.

The fairy tale of the miller's daughter who gets help spinning straw into gold.  LaVar Burton visits the Renaissance festival where daily life is re-enacted and traveling performers.

In the book by Margaree King Mitchell, Uncle Jed, a black barber, struggles through the Great Depression to save enough money to open his own barbershop.

In the book by Lloyd Moss, a clever counting rhyme introduces instruments and ensembles.  Filmed on locationat Julliard School, LeVar Burton visits with an orchestra of 8 to 18 year-old and the performers of STOMP!