Theme Songs Books

While I don't own this product (yet - have just ordered it), I can tell you all from actual experience that Marjorie Persons, the woman who created this lovely series was my music and piano teacher many years ago. I have a friend from back in those days who I still talk to and many times over the years, we have discussed and marveled at how much information we have retained over the years due to the way this marvelous woman taught us about music.

I have learned the most from her in all of my classes in school because of this method she has transferred to this series.

Buy this series, watch in amazement as your child's mind expands and hold on tight to this series and never let it go!

My boys love this CD! I use the book/CD in our homeschool with my 5-year-old. My surprise was when my 3-year-old autistic son started singing along! If I play the CD, they both come running! Thanks, Classical Magic, for introducing my kids to the beautiful world of classical music!

I have two boys, ages 4 and 6, and they are always asking to play the cd that goes with this book. Although I haven't used the book much, the cd itself was worth the money. A few days ago, my 6 year old was watching tv and suddenly said, "Hey mom, that was Beethoven's fifth," after hearing the music on a commercial. Each theme plays twice on the cd, one time with lyrics, one time without lyrics, and my boys usually sing along as best as they can. This cd plays at bedtime, in the car, and during the day when we are doing legos or play-doh. I actually have a hard time keeping track of it! The book contains short biographies of each composer, as well as the music for each theme. The combination of the book and cd are an excellent introduction to classical music and appreciation for it. I would highly recommend this book to homeschoolers who wish to add music education to their curriculum as well as to parents and teachers of preschool and elementary children.

I am an early childhood teacher with experience using Classical Magic in the pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and special needs classroom. It is a exciting way to expose children to classical music. Through lyrics Mrs. Persons has written to classical pieces, young children learn to sing the lyrics and in turn learn the composer and the title of the piece. Parents have come to me in amazment that their 4 or 5 year old can tell the family what piece Bach, Mozart,or Sousa wrote and then proceed to sing it for them! The best part is that the children ask me almost daily, "When are we going to do classical magic?" They love it! I recommend this concept of learning classical music to teachers, parents, and grandparents. Never underestimate the ability of young children!

I am a music teacher who works with students ages 3 through adult, both privately and in classrooms. I really appreciate both Volumes I and II for their clever lyrics, short lengths to engage even the most wiggly children, stories that can be presented as plays, and especially the CD that allows one to quickly find any track when under pressure! I have used the Four Seasons by Vivaldi in Volume II as a art/listening project. The children drew pictures of the four seasons and learned the lyrics at the same time. They loved the Fall especially--"watch that spider!" Boys and girls alike will enjoy Saint Saens' "Danse Macabre," Stravinsky's "Infernal Dance," and the challenge of the high speed lyrics of Chopin's "Valse Brilliante." Even if the children are too young to read the lyrics, believe me, it won't take them long to learn them. Just take this CD with you on a car trip and you and your children will know classical music like never before! The older children and adults especially appreciate the humor that sails over the younger ones' heads. It doesn't come off as silly or juvenile, for which I am so grateful. It is especially appropriate for those times one gets caught teaching all ages at the same time.

I cannot wait for Volume III. Thanks for a great classroom teaching aid I will use over and over.

This book has provided hours of fantastic entertainment for the family. We love looking at the pictures, listening to the sounds and then trying to identify the crickets that we find.
This book should be in every family's library. Get your kids outside and play!

This book and included CD was the answer for learning all the insect sounds on my field recordings and nocturnal adventures. Good pictures for seeing what you heard really looks like, as well as good descriptions with the general range of each species noted. Excellent quality recordings on the CD.

I have long wanted to know what insects I am hearing every summer and now have a chance of knowing which ones they are. The imagery is fantastic. The range maps will be a blessing to my students as they try to determine what type of katydid or cicada and so on they have nabbed for their bug collection.

The audio CD is great too! The only drawback there is that the holding compartment in the back of the book is poor. Right after I got this book I was taking it to school and the brand new CD fell out of the pouch and onto the pavement. Now its scratched and I don't know what to do. I usually make a backup of all my CDs right away but failed to do so with this one!

This book came to my attention when I wrote in my blog about the microphone I positioned in my backyard. I use it to listen to crickets and lots of other creatures out back, sometimes all night long.

Gorgeous photos, tons of info, and a cd of insect songs as well. If you're at all interest in these critters this is a must have book. Who knew there were so many different kinds of crickets out there?

At the start of the attraction, Pirates of the Caribbean, at Disneyland in California, you board a boat that takes you through a replica of Midwestern river dock at dusk. The most realistic part of that ride that gets you into the mood to shift focus away from the mob scene outside onto the scenes about to be revealed within is the sound of a cricket. If I think about that ride, I can hear that cricket.

Whenever I hear insect sounds at dusk and in the evening, I always wonder what kind of insect is making the sounds. That's something I've wondered since I was a small boy. Until now, I had few clues except for the occasional cricket I had observed while singing. But regardless of where I am, those sounds help me relax and become more peaceful.

With The Songs of Insects, I've added exponentially to my ability to relax, identify insects, and explore new dimensions of the insect songs. I was very impressed with the combination of CD and book. I started by listening to the CD because I was so interested in hearing new songs and knowing which insect made which song. I noted down the familiar sounds of my neighborhood in the woods and was astounded to see that we have katydids in our area. Checking the maps in the books, I was pleased to see confirmation that it was reasonable to expect those katydids in our area.

Next, I dived into reading about the katydids, crickets, and cicadas that I had heard before. But it was hard to take my eyes off the stunning photographs of those insects, displayed both against a white and a natural background.

After that, I went back and read the whole book and found myself intrigued by the opportunity to keep crickets as pets to bring the singing indoors. I was pleasantly surprised to see the graphic representations of the songs in the book as sonagrams in terms of time and pitch. I was also interested to read how much we lose our ability to hear in the upper ranges of insects: That explained why I couldn't hear anything in six places on the CD. Oops! No wonder people think I'm getting hard of hearing. But at least I could see what I am missing.

Later, as dusk fell, I found that the chorus outdoors became more distinct in my mind. I'm sure it's always as loud as it was last night, but I normally don't notice it. I'm grateful for this book and CD bringing my local symphony into greater awareness.

The CD also has samples from a CD entitled Insect Concertos. Based on these samples, I highly recommend the idea of acquiring that CD as an invitation into relaxation whenever you need one.

I highly recommend you acquire this book and CD if you have any interest in insect song, insect identification, or relaxation.

This Book seems to be a great tool; I have not had the opportunity to really get into it yet!I am sure I will enjoy!

As the Video Hound's Guide is for movies, this book is for songs. It categorizes the songs logically so you can always find a song that relates to what you are teaching to help engage kids, help them connect the content to their world, and sometimes even teach content. (Maybe ask your school librarian to buy a copy if you do not wish to spend the money on it.)

How many times does the fragment of a song go through your mind, or a phrase and you cannot think where it comes from? And even more, how often during a day do you think of a song again and again and you cannot recapture where you heard it or who sang it on the record.This Book is the answer to any music lover who forgets the title or author of a favorite song. I have used it to plan theme parties, since it lists songs by subject. I cannot imagine how they did the work and keep it so up to date, but this is a reference book for the professional, and for any music lover who has a headfull of songs and needs a hand remembering "Where have I heard that song before"
Don't even think about planning a wedding or a 50th anniversary or 21st brirthday with the Green Boook. It is a treasure!!...

I just received the latest edition (5th) and am blown away by how comprehensive this book is. As a marketing professional, I consider it a competitive advantage and a wise business investment. At times, it's downright entertaining. I would love to see a pocket or "bathroom reading" edition. In the meantime, I'll haul it's comprehensive girth around with me wherever I "go." ;?) LOVE it. HIGHLY recommend it.

Now in an updated and expanded fifth edition with over 14,000 songs added (and featuring over 35,000 songs overall), The Green Book Of Songs By Subject is a comprehensive and very strongly recommended, "user friendly" reference for looking up popular songs by subject. Basic topics such as Freedom, Rivers, specific states and cities, etc. are listed in alphabetical order; each listing is followed by appropriate song entries arranged by title. An especially excellent book for tracking down the title, composer, or publisher of popular as well as obscure songs, The Green Book Of Songs By Subject is a core addition to the reference shelves of academic music history reference collections, and would prove invaluable in the personal reference libraries of professional musicians, DJ's or music-writers who can't afford to waste time struggling to remember (or needing to track down) who composed, performed, or produced a given tune.

Even if you don't live in the Southeast, this book will wow you with truly gorgeous photography. Highest recommendation from me!!

I saw the book over at a friend's house and started looking thru it...limited on time and cound not read much. The pictures are the first thing that caught my attention; so much nature and serenity. I couldn't help but come home and order the book thru amazon and have not been disappointed. It sits in my living room where I can pick it up and look thru it on a regular basis. The stories of their travels make you feel you are there with them. Would highly recommend this book to anyone who is into nature, the river or just down to earth living.

I ordered this book for research on a screenplay I'm writing about Atlanta. The detailed information was thorough, easy reading and quite useful. I wasn't really expecting the beautiful photographs, which also added a certain "atmosphere" to the screenplay as it developed. Makes a great coffee table book.

If you appreciate old fashioned values and true Americana, get this book. Truly unique and is capturing a part of our histroy that is being lost to development.

This book has won a Southern Books Competition Award of Merit in Book Design from the Southeastern Library Association. This award is given in recognition of the book's aesthetic appeal and design and for fine craftsmanship in its printing and binding. Congratulations to authors Joe Cook and Monica Cook, designer John Langston, printer Pacifica Communications, and the University of Alabama Press.

For those who use scripture for their daily meditation this is a handy and beautiful way to pray. Well done and inspirational pictures.

Imcredible photography! A book perfect for a gift in this difficult year. Since September 11 we are all taking a fresh look at priorities, faith, and family. The pictures and thoughts in this book help to quietly focus on what is important in life.

A wonderful combination of visual imagery, inspirational verse, and thoughtful comment. Interactive opportunity for personal reflections and meditation. An unusual format that is captivating, enjoyable, thought provoking, and peaceful. A perfect Christmas gift for young and old alike.

It's November, but I already have my New Year's resolution. It is to start the year 2002 with journal work using The Songs of Nature as my guide.

I have enjoyed reading and re-reading this book. The photographs are outstanding images of the beauty that surrounds us in nature and the author's meditations depict so well our human awareness of our dependence on the Almighty.Very worthwhile reading.

I am going to Puerto Rico for a vacation. This book will help me to identify the birds that i might see.
Since it is small it is easy to carry around with you. I think that nature lovers would enjoy it. I give it a hearty recommendation

This guide to Puerto Rico's birds is really quite strong and useful, especially when combined with the information on the included CD (which is well organized in both English and Spanish.) Who wouldn't love to just sit at their computer all day and listen to birdsong, at least when they can't be out in the mountains or mangroves of PR?? I found the photographs quite satisfactory for ID purposes (not something to be taken lightly) and the narrative information is very useful.

Just one nit to pick: why is the peregrine falcon described as "a small hawk"?

El libro y el CD son excelentes, sobretodo porque se conecta al internet y uno accesa otros sonidos de aves. Una lástima que el libro en español no incluya el CD, los puertorriqueños leemos y hablamos el español, no entiendo porque el libro en español no pueda incluir el CD con un sonido que es universal : el de los pájaros.

This is the perfect guide book for birding in Puerto Rico. The photographs, 1340 in all, are brilliant, and the text is detailed and rich in information. The guide itself will easily fit into a pocket or day pack and so when out in the field you will have it at your fingertips.

What's unique about this guide is the excellent CD-Rom that comes with it -- this will help you before you go to know what the birds look like, their calls, their behavior and where you can find them once in Puerto Rico. I used the CD-Rom to check out three of my favorite PR birds and was amazed at the numerous and gorgeous pictures, the superb quality of the audio recordings and the information Oberle has reproduced in this book. For instance, regarding the Puerto Rican Tody (one of the 17 PR endemics covered in this guide as well as over 320 other birds), there were a dozen different pictures of the Tody including fabulous close-ups. The information Oberle gives includes identification, voice with audio, habitat, habits, range, status and conservation, taxonomy and related books and articles about the Tody. The Tody is a tiny forest bird with emerald green upperparts and a bright red bill and throat -- everytime I see one I think of a Christmas tree ornament, they are so cute! Oberle discusses in detail what they eat: katydids, grasshoppers, earwings and dragonflies, and discusses as well their foraging techniques. Because Oberle goes into such great detail about ID and habitat/habits, I think this is the best guide to enable one to actually find the birds once in PR.

I also checked out the PR Woodpecker and found those pictures, audio and habitat/habits information just as extensive as that about the Tody. I learned that the woodpecker's stiff tail feathers helps it to gain balance while chiseling at tree bark to find its favorite insects, including earwings, beetle larvae and ants. I discovered it occasionally eats scorpions and and lizards! Oberle informs the reader that a good place to find the woodpecker is around the parking lot of the El Portal visitor Center at the El Yungue national park.

A third bird that is well covered in both the CD and guide is the Pin-tailed Whydah, which has a most remarkable long tail and perches on wires and branches. I was surprised to learn that the female is like our parasitic cowbird and doesn't build her own nest but drops her eggs in other birds' nests.

Oberle has done a splendid job of bringing together in a compact book all the information and photgraphs of birds that you will need when out in the field. Because he cares so much about these birds and the environment, he also has special sections at the begining of the book on conservation efforts, migratory birds that winter in PR, and the extinction issues that face too many birds and other wildlife today in Puerto Rico and elsewhere.

To anyone going to Puerto Rico who plans to do some birding, I heartily recommend this book and CD-Rom to you.

This guide is fantastic! It is well organized, easy to use, full of concise, carefully planned information, and absolutely the best bird book I've ever seen. The photos are extremely well done and very helpful. The descriptions are outstanding: accurate, thorough, and interesting. I have many bird-watchers and long time Audubon members staying here at Villas Margarita, not far from the Caribbean National Forest. They all rave about this book and the fine job Mark Oberle did on it. It is worth every penny! Buy it!

I purchased this for my daughters, but even as an adult I am enjoying this book and CD. It's fun singing, and learning about the composers, and the songs are funny. My daughter already recognized some classical tunes that wer e used in commercials.

As an educator I haven't found anything close to "Classical Magic - Themes to Remember" (Volumes I and II) for teaching children about Classical music. In short, the kids love it. They feel they own this music. The emphsis is on theme recognition and fun. I move on to teaching musical concepts after the students are familiar with the themes but I love having the kids able to recognize classical music and composers as easily as they do what they hear on the radio.

Because the children like to get their hands on the book I have stocked my classrooms with several copies of each volume. We get them out for small groups, listening centers and for rewards. Our media centers also carry the books for the students to check-out.

The lyrics are catchy and fun but they also TEACH! The name of the piece and composer are there but you'll aslo find the historical information correct. This was obviously written by an educator who knows music and children, not just marketing.

These books make terrific gifts. The only problem may be choosing which volume to buy.The Nutcracker Suite in Volume II is giving The Peer Gynt Suite in volume I competetition as the favorite with my own kids.

As an educator I haven't found anything better than "Classical Magic - Themes to Remember" (volumes I and II) for teaching children about classical music. In short, the kids love it. They feel they own this music. The emphasis is on theme recognition and fun. I move on to teaching musical concepts using the themes after the students know them but I love having children recognize classical music and composers as easily as they do what they hear on the radio.

Because my students like handling the book I have stocked my classrooms with several copies of each volume. We get them out for small groups, listening centers and as a reward. We've also got them in our media center for check-out.

The lyrics are catchy and fun to learn but they also TEACH! The name of the piece and the composer is there but you'll also find the historical information correct. This was obviously written by an educator who knows music and children.

These books make wonderful gifts. They're It may be difficult deciding which volume to buy. The Nutcracker Suite in volume II is competing with the Peer Gynt Suite in Volume I as the favorite of my own kids.

It's about time! Finally an author who found a way to introduce classical music to children on their own terms! My children take violin lessons using the Suzuki method and I am always looking for ways to slip classical music into their lives amongst the Disney tunes and pop-rock groups. It won't be long before your kids start recognizing classical pieces and their composers. If you are a homeschool teacher, this book is a wonderful way to teach your children about classical music. I highly recommend it.

I bought this book to help with ideas on how to entertain and stimulate my 2 year old during the day when we're home. It's such a great resource - full of easy and inexpensive activities, but at the same time, things I never really thought of on my own. I recommend this book!

i had the opportunity to use this book when i started teaching toddlers in daycare. Because the daycare i work at is a kidnergarten readiness program, we are very big on teaching themes. i never run out of ideas with the toddler theme a saurus book. it provides exciting and very age apporpriate materials. since i have taken the class over and the usage of the the book. i can get my toddlers to sit through a half hour of story time and a half hour of art. thank you toddler theme a saurus!

Very age-appropriate theme activities including art, songs, and activities for ages 1-1/2 to 3. For instance, there is a section on cotton balls including songs about cotton balls, a game with cotton balls, and art activities using cotton balls. Very simple ideas that anyone can use, parents or teachers, using inexpensive materials.

Great book to share with others. The lyrics are beautiful and the illustrations a great images of "lovin". This book pays homage to jazz legends and the sweetness of love. This book leaves you with a warm feeling. I highly recommend this book. It's like church - good for the soul.

Beautiful illustrated to lyrics with true meaning that reaches to depths and essence of your soul.

Here is a new and invigorating approach to reading and experiencing the Psalms. Rev. Young has invested his heart in making this interpretation one of hope for Humanity. Each Psalm is written beautifully, and intelligently. There is a deeply spiritual energy woven into Rev. Young's prose. This is a must read for anyone seeking a text that can serve as a daily dose of inspiration.