Becoming Bach

Gr 1-3—In this elegantly composed biography, Johann Sebastian shares his dream of one day following in his family's footsteps and becoming a "bach," that is to say, a musician. For the young dreamer, "there was always music." Fascinated by different musical instruments, from the harpsichord and violin to the flute and organ, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) learns to play them all. After the death of his parents, he goes to live with his older brother, who gives him music lessons, setting the boy on his journey to greatness. Bach is shown seeing colorful patterns in the music he eagerly copies for his brother. Ultimately, he becomes a church organist, and he creates a "sound that would be heard forever." Adorned with musical notes and swirls of color, the acrylic paintings inventively portray Bach's world and his love of music, providing a rich and striking canvas for the first-person narrative. In one poignant illustration, the composer sits on the riverbank watching gentle raindrops fall. He envisions arrangements of the seven notes on the musical staff in the ripples on the water's surface. On certain pages, unfortunately, the lines of text incorporated into the artwork are lost in the magnificence of the picture. Back matter includes a suggested listening list to enhance young readers' experience of Bach's music. VERDICT A splendid addition to elementary collections. Music lovers will identify with the young composer as they witness his pursuit of his dream.—Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston

In an imagined, first-person narrative, Johann Sebastian Bach recounts how music permeated his life. "I needed to make patterns, so I wrote music," Bach explains; Leonard (Who Will Plant a Tree?) shows the young man staring into the distance as pale ribbons of musical notation swirl around him. Along with staffs and notes, colorful baroque ornamentation fills the pages, visually cementing the connection between the music Bach created and the world that inspired and informed it. While the narration is spare, a closing endnote dives into greater detail about Bach's upbringing, family life, and musical output. It's a visually striking portrait of a musician's compulsion to create, and of how music can transcend distance and time. Ages 4-10. (Feb.)