Play This Book

PreS-K--Music-loving kids will go nuts for this interactive book that encourages young ones to "play" the instruments on the page. A variety of instruments are presented on an otherwise empty stage, just waiting for someone to strike up the band. A bright pink guitar stretches across the whole spread and invites readers to give it a strum. Playing the piano, drum, shaking the maracas, and even keeping time with your feet are all options. The cymbals are the most satisfying instrument, which you play by closing the book to make a crash. The text is full of effective rhymes like "What a show! Brava! Bravo! You played this book just like a pro!" This title offers an experience that kids can have alone, but it is best shared with friends, whether that be in the classroom, storytime, or with a caretaker. Wiseman's illustrations shine with bold strokes and bright colors and an inclusive cast of kid musicians. The book ends, of course, with thunderous applause. VERDICT A winning interactive picture book that will be a storytime hit.--Gretchen Hardin, Sterling Municipal Library, Baytown, TX