Books You Need in Your Music Classroom - PRIMARY LIST

In my music education college classes, way back in the day, it never occurred to me to invest in children's books for my music classroom.  I guess that it never occurred to my instructors either because I didn't hear about it until a few years into my teaching career.  It sounds crazy doesn't it? 

There are so many amazing pieces of children's literature that lend themselves to teaching musical concepts and enhance lessons in history, movement, composition and more.  This is a list of some of the books that I like using with Preschool through 2nd grades.  This list is in no way complete, but hopefully it will provide you with inspiration when shopping for your classroom.

If you are interested in my list of books for upper elementary, you'll want to check out THIS post with a long list of books that I keep for 3rd through 6th graders.

Add Sound Effects

Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? Bill Martin Jr.

Caps for Sale Esphyr Slobodkina
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown 

The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything Linda Williams

The Napping House Audrey and Don Wood

Tiptoe Joe  Ginger Foglesong Gibson
This is the House That Jack Built  Simms Taback

Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day Judith Viorst

In the Tall, Tall Grass Denise Fleming

Mortimer  Robert Munsch

Great for vocal exploration or incorporating classroom instruments, this list of books is just a few of the books that work well for adding instruments.  Each book uses a repetitive and sometimes cumulative format that makes it easy for students to follow along.
Looking for an easy way to get started with this kind of activity?  Start with This is the House That Jack Built.  At the beginning of the book, there is a cast list.  Have your students brainstorm sounds they can make that would represent each character.  Next, read the book adding those sound effects.  So much fun!

Instruments

Berlioz the Bear Jan Brett

Carnival of the Animals John Lithgow

Dan, The Taxi Man  Eric Ode

Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo John Lithgow

The Remarkable Farkle McBride John Lithgow

Tubby the Tuba Paul Tripp

Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin Lloyd Moss

In my classroom, we don't really plunge into naming instruments and classifying instruments by family until 3rd grade. That being said, we learn about individual instruments and classroom instruments in K-2.  In addition to identifying instruments in pieces we listen to, exploring the music of Peter and the Wolf and Carnival of the animals, I like to use these books about instruments in class.

Rhyming Books for Rhythm Work

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Bill Martin Jr.

Commotion in the Ocean Giles Andreae

Farmer Joe and the Music Show Tony Mitton

'Possum Come a-Knockin' by Nancy Van Laan
Moo Bah La La La by Sandra Boynton
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
Llama Llama Red Pajama  by Anna Dewdney

There are thousands of rhyming books that have strong rhythm and repetition and work well for rhythm work.  I've listed just a few and know that you probably have several books in your library that aren't on this list.

With rhyming books, I often read them and have students keep the steady beat by patting or with non-pitched percussion instruments.  You could have them isolate rhythms from the book and decipher their rhythm, play them on Orff instruments, create body percussion sections and more.

Max Found Two Sticks by Brian Pinkney is great for rhythm work too, but isn't a strong rhyming book.  I pass out drumsticks (or chop sticks!) and have students echo the drumming phrases in this book.  This is a fun way to introduce this great book to a class.

Movement

My Many Colored Days Dr. Suess

What a Wonderful World Theile and Weiss
My Many Colored Days and What a Wonderful World are excellent books for adding movement with scarves and ribbons.  Read the book, assign students a color or another key word in the story.  When students hear that word or phrase, they move with their scarf.  I use the Louis Armstrong version of "What a Wonderful World" to play while we move too.

Giraffe's Can't Dance by Giles Andreae is such a delightful rhyming book!  I love to cue up music to match the specific genres mentioned in the book and play it on our second reading.  I challenge students to dance in the same style too.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael J. Rosen is a great way to introduce the Bear Hunt activity most music teachers use in music class.  I also like to keep this in my library so students can read and move during center time.

 Sing the Book

Baa Baa Black Sheep Iza Trapani

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Bill Martin Jr.

Cat Goes Fiddle-I-Fee Paul Gaidone

Coat of Many Colors  Dolly Parton

Don't Laugh at Me Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin

Five Green and Speckled Frogs  Priscilla Burris

Footloose Kenny Loggins

Grandma's Feather Bed John Denver

Groovy Joe Ice Cream and Dinosaurs Eric Litwin and Tom Lichtenheld

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands  Kadir Nelson

How Much is that Doggie in the Window Iza Trapani

Hush Little Baby Brian Pinkney

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More Karen Beaumont

I'm a Little Teapot Iza Trapani

Itsy Bitsy Spider Iza Trapani

Jennie Jenkins John Feierabend

Mary Had a Little Lamb Iza Trapani

My Favorite Things Renne Graef

Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? Iza Trapani

One Love Bob Marley

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons Eric Litwin

Pete the Cat Rockin' in My School Shoes Eric Litwin

Row, Row, Row Your Boat Iza Trapani

Sing and Dance in Your Polka Dot Pants  Eric Litwin and Tom Lichtenheld

Sunshine on My Shoulders John Denver

Take Me Home, Country Roads John Denver

The Seals on the Bus Lenny Hort

This Land is Your Land Woody Guthrie

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star Iza Trapani

What Does the Fox Say Svein Nyhus

Wheels on the Bus Raffi

Miscellaneous

Introduction to Opera

Chalk Bill Thomson

This book is pictures only and makes the perfect introduction to opera!  I explain to students that an opera is a play that is sung, not spoken.  Then I sing questions and they sing their answers before we "read" this book.  I sing what I think is happening on the first few pages and then invite students to take over the story in the same way.  It is so fun to hear their creative improvisations!

Vocalizations

How to Speak Moo Deborah Fajerman
So fun for vocal warm ups, this book has students "mooing" in all sorts of ways!

Dynamics

Harold Finds a Voice Courtney Diemas

Ruby Sings the Blues Niki Daly
Looking for a great way to introduce dynamics to your primary learners?  These books are perfect!

Let me know what books you love to use with your primary students in the comments or on Facebook.  If you liked this list PIN IT for later!