Music Books

My kids always love me to read this to them. It really catches their attention and I never tire of this story.

Like other reviewers, I bought this book for my daughter Tessa. We have read it many times over the years, and she's practically memorized it. I love the alliterative writing, the way you simply cannot help singing and bopping while reading this aloud. Cute illustrations that appeal to kids round out this wonderful read aloud story book. Kids will relate to the difficulty Tessa and the cat have in restraining their urge to move/sing.

I bought this book for my daughter, Tessa. We found it at the library and then hunted it down on Amazon. It is full of spunk and is very fun to read to kids. You can really add lib when the cat starts singing. My kids love this book.

THE MOUSE IS DANCING, THE CAT IS SINGING & NEITHER CAN STOP. VERY CUTE ILLUSTRATIONS.

I love this book Beautiful illustrations My name just happens to be tessa

Got this for my dad and he loves it. Often shares the stories of the hymns with his Sunday school class

This is a great book and really fills in the blanks, so to speak. We enjoy coming home from church and looking up the hymns from that morning and learning more about the song writer and the circumstances surrounding the hymn. More often than not it will lead to tears. I would recommend this to every Christian household.

I bought this book as a reference book to be put on my coffee table.
It is a wonderful history of many of my favorite hymns and looks wonderful
displayed on my coffee table. I would highly recommend it!

This was a gift for an organist/pianist. She loves the hymns included and the stories. The spiral format is wonderful for staying open for playing. She has already used it for a funeral and was pleased at the selection of hymns available. Highly recommended!!!

This is a wonderful book for anyone!!... There are songs with the words and music on one side...and the story of the hymn on the other side... Great spiral binding makes it much easier to read and to play from... I just ordered two more for gifts... the large print is a big plus for me as well.... you won't be disappointed with this fantastic book!!

This book is basically about Michael W. Smith's song, This is Your Time, and what it means. The song was written for Cassie Bernall, the Columbine High School student who was supposedly asked if she believed in God, and answered yes, before she died. The book is really good, I recommend it. the only thing, it gets a bit preachy at times, which I hate (and yes, before anyone asks, I am a Christian), but it's a really good book. it'll help you find insight. read it. you wont regret it.

This was a great book. At some points, very moving. My mom was reading the begining to me and had to stop because she was crying. The main idea of this book is: How Michael W. Smith came up for the idea of the song, THIS IS YOUR TIME. He got it from Rachel Scott after the Columbine shootings. This book also tells of some of MWS's own struggles and triumphs. It is a great book. A somber one at times, but true to the core. Please read this book and pass on its message: THIS IS YOUR TIME! MAKE IT COUNT!

Even if you haven't heard Michael W. Smith's album of the same name, you should read this book! I highly recommend this book for everyone, but especially for teens who face the difficult task of trying to grow up in today's mixed-up world.

The title of the book, "This is Your Time", is also the title of a song he wrote after the Columbine tragedy. Michael tells about his experience singing at the memorial service and talking to Cassie Bernall's parents (check out my review of Misty Bernall's book "She Said Yes"). But this book isn't just about Columbine. Michael talks about the death of Rich Mullins (which deeply affected me as well) and Rich's impact on people. Michael also was a good friend of the late Bob Briner (author of Roaring Lambs) and he encourages Christians to get out there and make a difference.

He quotes Hebrews 12:1...

"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Amen!

(You might want to check out my other reviews of Christian books and music)

What a great book to read! This is really a good time to evaulate our lives in a modern world with a message to all that the test is yet to come.

May it be the next munute, hour , day or month we should try to do our best work. Smitty does gives some personal highlights of what he is doing to make his moment count, as we should make our time count.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and kept reading until I finished the book (it was a good time reading and getting to know him).

If you don't know Michael W. Smith, musically or as an author, this book is a great introduction to his spirit. His telling story of the Columbine tragedies affect on himself and what we all can learn from it is time well spent. Read the book, listen to the song, reflect on the meaning. Works like these in words and music bring some strange value to a tragedy at a time when we increasingly are asking "why"?

The young girl I bought this for loves it. It was the perfect gift.

I love Millie so I have wanted this for a long time. Sometimes I hesitate buying the music books for musicals. The arrangements can slaughter the real music sometimes. This one is really good though. It holds of lot of the good chords that you hear on the soundtrack. It is also really fun to sing a long with. I think this book is definately one of the best vocal books from a musical.

A bit tough at times for intermediate players, but a good choice for those wanting the V/G/P parts for the show.

I have seen many a musical, including Monty Python's Spamalot, the 25th Annual Putnam Co. Spelling Bee, Kiss Me Kate, Flower Drum Song, etc.. and I have to say that Millie is still and will probably always be my favorite. The music is just so fun. I don't know any other way to describe it. My personal favorite to listen to: the Speed Test. My personal favorite to sing along with: a toss up between I Turned the Corner and Gimme Gimme.

I am in love with this musical!! The music is spectacular, the soundtrack is amazing and the movie is cute and spunky with the fabulous Julie Andrews. I was very excited when I found out that the sheet music to Thoroughly Modern Millie was available and I just had to get it!! If you like musicals or 1920's jazz, you will defiantely love this musical!

People spend a lot of time answering nature's call. "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Music" enriches the time spent clearing out one's body by filling one's mind with intriguing trivia, facts, and history about the world of music. Covering all genres from rap to hard rock, "Plunges into Music" is an intriguing collection sure to make the time spent on one's throne pass smoothly. Highly recommended.

My husband is a touring singer, musician and music trivia genius - so this was a perfect gift for him! Although I didn't think it could happen, this book actually had some facts that he DIDN'T know! It's a great book if you enjoy music and interesting music facts and stories.

Uncle Johns books never fail to be a great read. Wonderful trivia-history-the small snippets at the bottom of each page-a FINE book! If you are a music lover-and even if you're not-you will enjoy this book!

My hubby loves these readers. Since he is always breaking out in a song, we thought this would be the perfect gift! He loves it.

The men in my life LOVE the Bathroom Reader. I buy them for my husband who gives it to my Dad, then Dad gives it to my Brother, then my Brother gives it to our Brother-in-Law, and Lord only knows who he gives it too. I have never felt I've wasted money on Uncle John's Bathroom Readers. They are always interesting, perfectly suitable for a 30 minute sit-on. Highly recommended.

My review of this fantastic book:

There are a lot of books out there on the market. There are good books, there are bad books. Sometimes there are books that stand out as great. "Under the Baseball Moon" by John H. Ritter is one of those stand out books. It's about a teenage boy named Andy who has dreams of using his unique style of trumpet playing to become famous. Things become complicated when Andy crosses paths with his childhood friend, Glory Martinez, who has a dream of her own of becoming an Olympic softball pitcher. Things are further complicated when Andy meets a mysterious man in black who offers Andy fame and fortune for free. BUT what's the cost of free? This book is exceptionally well written and easy to follow. There are many dynamic characters with their own personality. This combined with the author's witty remarks makes an awesome duo.

What I liked most about this book is that it's captivating. In many sports books you lose interest due to predictability and cliche endings. Overall this book was fantastic. I would definitely recommend "Under the Baseball Moon" to anyone looking for a fun read.

When Andy Ramos was in grade school his parents were friends with a woman whose daughter was a little loco. Unfortunately, whenever crazy little Glory had a meltdown Andy was the one they got to calm her down, earning both of them embarassing reputations. When the mother and daughter left, Andy re-invented himself. Taking the trumpet lessons he took from his grandfather and melding music and talent Andy became the skateboarding trumpter "painting" the scenes around him with his own blend of musical instrumentation.

The summer that Andy and his band are ready to "break out" who comes back but Glory. However, the Glory that has returned is not the crazy little girl Andy knew, she's now a driven softball player obsessed with becoming a leading pitcher on a national team. As fate would have it Andy and Glory learn to play off each other, inspiring and driving their respective abilities to new heights. But, is this effect a mystical connection or are they being manipulated by another force?

Under the Baseball Moon has got to be one of the most unusual stories I've read in a while. The content involving a trumpet player and softball player, the music, the language and storytelling are all unusual and inspired. Although the Crossroads references are something I'm familiar with, not much else was. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and think it would be a great recommendation for kids pre-teen and up.

I have never enjoyed a book so much or been so surprised by a book as I was by Under the Baseball Moon. You start off thinking it's a sports story, then you realize it's a musicians story, then you see that it's really both mixed in together and SO MUCH more. It's very difficult for me to descrbe it, only to say this book now stands as my favorite book of all time. It's humorous and mysterious and has the most amazing plot and so many interesting characters you really like. You get so taken away by this mysterious thing that's happening to Andy and Glory that they become like your closest friends since it sweeps you away too.

I won't spoil it for you except that you need to pay attention all the way through tthe book because the ending will ASTOUND you. I hope they make a movie out of this book real soon so then I can see everything that happens in real life. I would say ten stars if I could its such a good book!!

John H. Ritter returns with another great baseball fable, this time adding the elements of jazz music and a little more romance. Just as in THE BOY WHO SAVED BASEBALL, there is still a bit of possible magic and some very quirky and entertaining characters, including a protagonist on a mission, Andy Ramos. According to Andy's heartthrob, Glory Martinez, when the moon looms large during a daytime baseball game, it is what fans call "a baseball moon."

Just as Andy and his friends, Tran and Lil Lobo, hope for the success of their garage band, Glory also dreams of being a big softball star. She and Andy discover that his trumpet seems to infuse her softball playing with magical power. A few musical "improvs" on Andy's trumpet, and Glory's pitching and hitting improve "two hundred percent better," according to her best friend, Kayla. Together, the two will do amazing things, under the "baseball moon".

John Ritter weaves his usual magic and creates an even better novel--a little more literarily complex, just as magical, and even funnier than his earlier works. Recommended for ages 11 to 18. (Please see the latest issue of VOYA for even more details.)

The finest contemporary author of baseball books for teens has written not just another baseball - or, in this case, softball - book; rather, a multilayered and thoroughly engrossing love story starring two 15-year-olds determined that this will be their "breakout summer."

Freestyle skateboarder Andy Ramos "paints the town" with his old trumpet and his unique style of music, "cultural fusion." Glory Martinez also has grand dreams, of a career in fast-pitch softball. Yet first she needs to make the travelball team and impress the scout from UC Berkeley.

Andy and Glory soon realize that each makes the other's craft better - takes it to a higher level. But is some strange "outside force" responsible for Andy's breaks, or Glory's shoulder problems? Did Andy make a deal with the devil? What's going on in this "organical beach town filled with soul," Ocean Beach, California?

This magical mystery tale is told with brilliance, grace and style, from the lyrical first page to Andy's song lyrics that end it. "Under the Baseball Moon" gets my vote for breakout book of the summer.

(A version of this review originally appeared in the Palo Alto Weekly.)

Anyone interested in engineering and producing their own recording will find a wealth of information regarding techiniques and implementations for microphone, guitar, bass, keyboards, midi drum kits....including how to develop a "true" mix.

Concepts provided within are ideas you will only hear from someone who has lived it!!

This book is a great resource to help you start your projects armmed with knowledge and understanding of key studio practices.

I have a lot of experience in live sound but just about zilch in recording. This book has helped me in such ways that it has even improved on my live sound by making you think about what you're doing before you do it, ie., micing acoustic instruments or setting up for an 'unplugged' session with vocals to different ways to mic a piano.

I would recomend this book to anyone who want to learn more about recording. Whether at home doing it, or at the pro studio on the other side of the console, this book can answer some questions before you start.

As far as some thinking that this book is dated, not everybody can afford to fork out $1000 or $2000 dollars for a decent digital console/hard disc system. I can't. I still have and use and original TASCAM 488 Portastudio, that came very reasonable by the way, so the sections on portable studios is very helpfull to me.

Overall, I give it five stars. If you want to record at home for fun or for yourself, this is a must read!

If I hadn't just read 'Musician's Guide to Home Recording', another book from Peter McIan and co-author (Larry Wick?), I would have liked this title better. This book just expands on a small portion of 'Musician's Guide'. 'Musician's Guide to Home Recording' contains almost all of the info in this book and a whole lot more. If you gotta pick one over the other, get 'Musician's Guide'. Best advice is to get 'em both, but be sure to read this title first, it makes a good primer for the other.

Man, I've read 'em all and this is the champ home studio guide. I used to think it was McLan's first-"The Musician's Guide to Home Recording", but he's outdone himself on this one. I love it.

If you know nothing or very little about recording, thie is THE book to get. Psychedelic Tunesmith asked the appropriate question: were you thinking of getting another book?

What I particularly like about this book is that McIan writes for an audience with a severly limited budget. There are many magazines and books that write about recording as if their readers have thousands of dollars to spare.
Secondly, McIan teaches recording from a conceptual standpoint. In other words, he teaches from the stance that the idea of recording is an old princple and all technologies are forms of this principle: capture the sound waves on an impressionable medium; to retrieve the archive, reverse the process
There is an emphasis on cassette-tape portable studios but I think that has to do more with when the book was published. Even those working with digital mediums can benefit from this. Besides, years from now, digital mediums will be discussed as a dated, old-fashioned technology.

McIan constantly stresses that you should do the best with what you can get your hands on and that knowledge can often compensate for mediocre equipment. If you only have enough money to buy one book on recording, this is the one to buy.

Really well written book. Found alot of friends and family members in the book in the era of which it was written. Very true to it's nature. Purchased 2 books.

It is often common to find in magazines reports: "Carlos Santana. The man who created the latin-rock", as if he had create this sound by his own in a chemical laboratory. Instead, in this book, Jim Mc Carthy gives credit to a lot of people that put their little grain of sand to make this style born and live. Each musician is analicize by a very human view, but always in relation with the musical stuff. The pictures are incredible, and the Glossary... ¡re-grosso!. ¡Aguante el Rock-Latino!.

* LATIN * ROCK * MASTERPIECE *, June 27, 2005
Reviewer: derjenrogers from WILTHIRE
l found long ago, a very special sound,but no one was around totell me about it, no one knew anything, only that the music was so powerful it WOULD change your life. My soul has been searching for 30 years untill Jim McCarthy came and spent four years of his life, writting, hundred of interviews, to bring to life an utter MASTERPIECE, documenting the raw,uncensored passion to the roots of LATIN ROCK. Authenticity and powerful emotion drips off every page,forcing the reader to collect it and greedily drink
down this strong, pungent,wonderful nectar to fill your unknowing soul with THE KNOWLEDGE!

All the peoples names (which i only use to just read on the back of album covers) all come to life and i feel that they are close
friends,as so many are backed-up with the huge amount of photographs in this wonderful book.l now, no longer feel left outside, without The Knowledge, but part of global commune, full of love, warmth and unashamed greed for LATIN ROCK.
Jim McCarthy has pulled off a monumental task with getting to grips with the truth behind the roots of the music to some of the greastest latin rock bands of all time.
Their music will be here forever, as indeed this book will be.

THIS BOOK IS A TOTAL MUST FOR ALL LATIN ROCK LOVERS
DISCOVERING IT'S ROOTS,HISTORY,IT'S MUSICIANS. THIS
MASTERPIECE WILL FOREVER HAUNT EVERY BOOK SHELF ALL OVER THE WORLD, AS THE ONLY TRUE AUTHORITIVE VOICE IN LATIN ROCK

Reviewer: derjenrogers from UK
l found long ago, a very special sound,but no one was around totell me about it, no one knew anything, only that the music was so powerful it WOULD change your life. My soul has been searching for 30 years untill Jim McCarthy came and spent four years of his life, writting, hundredS of interviews, to bring to life an utter MASTERPIECE, documenting the raw,uncensored passion to the roots of LATIN ROCK. Authenticity and powerful emotion drips off every page,forcing the reader to collect it and greedily drink
down this strong, pungent,wonderful nectar to fill your unknowing soul with THE KNOWLEDGE!

All the peoples names (which i only use to just read on the back of album covers) all come to life and i feel that they are close
friends,as so many are backed-up with the huge amount of photographs in this wonderful book.l now, no longer feel left outside, without The Knowledge, but part of global commune, full of love, warmth and unashamed greed for LATIN ROCK.
Jim McCarthy has pulled off a monumental task with getting to grips with the truth behind the roots of the music to some of the greastest latin rock bands of all time.
Their music will be here forever, as indeed this book will be.

THIS BOOK IS A TOTAL MUST FOR ALL LATIN ROCK LOVERS
DISCOVERING IT'S ROOTS,HISTORY,IT'S MUSICIANS. THIS
MASTERPIECE WILL FOREVER HAUNT EVERY BOOK SHELF ALL OVER THE WORLD, AS THE ONLY TRUE AUTHORITIVE VOICE IN LATIN ROCK

i love this book it,s about time a book like this came out i love all the old pics of the bands and of the mission district now people will know the history of san franciscos latin rock and salsa sceen all the bands they mentioned on here like malo santana and sapo azteca tower of power el chicano i grew up listening to them

Marjorie Ryerson has orchestrated a symphony of color and meaning on every page of her book Water Music. Her fusion of prose, poetry, music from others with her own photography makes the book a full sensual, nearly audible, experience even though it is in fact a printed piece. For all those who know that water is truly one of the most sacred parts of our existence, this book celebrates that concept and reminds us of how varied and beautiful this life-giving gift is. With proceeds going to a United Nations fund to support clean water for families and to preserve natural water environments, your purchase of this book is not only a pleasure for your own senses, but a courageous effort to protect a resource that too many of us, at our peril, take for granted.

As someone who for many years made my living as a photographer, my first response to Marjorie Ryerson's photographs of water was artistic: the images are stunning; they work to convey the beauty, mystery, and power of water. Since then, watching as other people respond to Water Music on my coffee table, I see the power of the book to raise consciousness of an ever-changing and essential resource that where I live in Florida is fast disappearing. Even in the months since I bought my copy, I have seen news headlines about communities near my home where the water has been declared unfit to drink, as well as new research showing that the state will be running out of potable water some fifteen years sooner than previously predicted-now as early as 2006. In the short time that Water Music has been the centerpiece of my living room, water wars have started between northern and southern parts of the state. So I love this book. With its fantastic photographs and lyrical text, it sits there quietly shouting that water is very, very precious and that we'd all best wake up.

Cama-i (Aleut Greetings)

I am honored to be the 66th musician Marjorie Ryerson included in her incredible group of diverse and talented musicians in Water Music. Our discovery of each other was as magical and poetic as this project and has set the stage for what I believe will be a lifetime friendship. Marjorie's passion for the importance of this project, her love of Mother Earth, and appreciation for the music makers of this planet come together in a way that makes me so very proud to be an American Indian woman, a musician and an appreciative kayaker who LOVES the- Water! "Quyanaa" sister! (Aleut- Thank You) May Creator always bless your journey...

Mary Youngblood- Native American Flutist/singer/songwriter

....on water, music, the reveries of light and wind at play on the surfaces of our hearts and souls. This is a book to keep nearby. Should the room grow too small, the air too dry - push off, navigate whatever stretch most meets your needs and listen.
What life along the banks! What an intimate glimpse of some of our finest musicians and one of America's most unassuming and talented photojournalists! Go now!

The stunning photography that is the heart of this work reminds us of the inspiring Oneness of Earth, Water and Music. That Ms. Ryerson had the vision to recognize Music as the spiritual and artistic extension of this natural unity is a gift to the reader and viewer of this remarkable book. Sixty-six world-renowned musicians, including Kenny Loggins, Randy Newman, Garrick Ohlsson, Dave Brubeck and Taj Mahal, contribute text that draws a direct line between the Muse and the constancy, beauty and timelessness of Water. In his profound essay/poem, jazz pianist Marcus Roberts beautifully captures the framework of the book: "I respect the water. Because it's been here forever-feeding nature, quenching thirst, healing the land, nurturing the flowers. And it will be here long after we are gone, demanding and receiving respect. Singing the sweet song of eternal life..." Ms. Ryerson displays an uncommon organizational and aesthetic genius, not to mention a singular commitment to the cause of sustainable water sources, contributing the royalties for this project to the United Nations Foundation. But it is her photography that is the soul of this work. Witness the misty mirror image landscape on page 151, opposite the story by cellist Tilla Henkins. I rest my case.

BONG! KABLAM! squeak. Tick-Tock. Splash. VROOM! Does this sound like music to you? Maybe your ears aren't wide open like Charlie's were. He was born that way.

Charlie Ives was a famous music composer. His talent came from his father who played a trumpet out the window just to announce Charlie's birth. Charlie experimented with mixing noises to make a different kind of music. When he was a little boy, he played the piano to make the sounds of a huge thunderstorm. After he grew up, he tried to make his music sound like the noises he heard all around him. He thought his music was wonderful but other people despised it and thought it was weird. We listened to it and found it to be inspiring.

Read this book to learn more about a man who didn't let other people change his mind about his music. Recommended for music lovers of all ages who understand that ruckus can be musical and who would be happy with wide open ears like Charlie's.

(sung to the melody of "If I were a rich man...")

Why, I'd be reading him this splendid illustrated children's book!

What on earth is an heirless geezer like me doing, reviewing a children's book? Well, that's a reasonable question. The only sensible answer that I can come up with is that I'm simply somewhere in the middle of my second childhood, "up to my eyeballs in Ives."

Mordicai Gerstein prefaces this enjoyable children's book with the statement "Everything I know about Charles Ives I learned from listening to his music, and from my dear friend, Jan Swafford, whose epic biography, 'Charles Ives: A Life with Music,' was the main source and inspiration for this book." And so it is that Jan Swafford has also been the main source and inspiration for my own second childhood with Charlie Ives. I can actually date my "second childhood" study of the life and music of Charlie to the time I was reading a borrowed copy of his Ives biography while awaiting my own copy.

The narrative text of "What Charlie Heard" (all accurate, and admirably complete, by the way) is quite brief; probably not much more than a few hundred words in total. (While no expert on the matter, I believe that the narrative can be read by a child of 7 or 8. In fact, I provided a copy of this book to a friend's son for his 8th birthday. But I wouldn't consider him "average" by any definition; very precocious would be more like it. Hopefully he didn't find it to be boring.)

Is it possible that a book so brief in its narrative text can actually "tell" the story about Charlie Ives and his life with music, with all of its "ups" and "downs"? Sure it can! All one needs to do is to pay heed to the remarkable illustrations, and to take the time necessary for pulling out all of the clues hidden in these illustrations. And, while it isn't necessarily possible to figure out from the narrative and the illustrations just what Charlie Ives's music sounds like, the youthful reader should certainly come away with the expectation that the music sounds "different," given how it was that pretty much everything in Charlie's life and environment found its way into his music in one form or another. And that may be "half the battle," as they say, toward an early appreciation of America's greatest composer.

I know-rather directly-that Jan Swafford admires Mordicai Gerstein's book on Ives as much as Gerstein admires Swafford's. So I just had to take a look at it. (I never did have an opportunity to see the earlier copy that had been a birthday present; it was a "drop ship.") Now I've got my own copy, I've seen and read it, and I'm impressed. But what next?

Well, given the circumstances, perhaps I'll just read this really neat book to my cat. He's about the right age in "human years": between 7 and 8 as I write this. And he's listened to Charlie's music along with me, without raising a noticeable fuss.

And his name happens to be Charlie. And, no, it's no accident. :-)

Bob Zeidler

I bought this book four years ago for my new-born granddaughter on the strength of the review of my Amazon friend and Ives scholar, the late Bob Zeidler. Through moves and the intervening few years, My daughter and her husband kept the book. On a recent visit, this grandfather was surprised to learn that it had become a favorite. My graddaughter knows the story. "Who is that", I ask, pointing to a picture. "Charlie", she says. "And what's Charlie's wife's name?" "Harmony" she replies.

The great American composer, Charles Ives (1874 -- 1954) filled the air with what author Mordicai Gerstein calls that "mysterious, invisible, magical stuff -- music." I remember from my own childhood books on Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and the like. But a children's book on Charles Ives is a welcome rarity. Gerstein makes it succeed.

Ives was the son of a Civil War musician and band leader in Danbury, Connecticut. The precocious child absorbed his father's love for and wayward way with music -- the glorious noise -- as young Charlie used the piano, organ, and trumpet to capture the sounds and ideas that filled his life. Charlie attended Yale, married, and became a successful insurance executive. He kept composing increasingly audacious music, including songs, piano sonatas, violin sonatas,short orchestral pieces,and symphonies. But when his work was played, it was met with bewilderment and mockery. Ives stopped composing in mid-life. In his latter years, he saw his music attain recognition, as he received a Pulitzer Prize in 1947 for his Third Symphony. Gerstein's book recounts Charles Ives's reaction to the premiere of his Second Symphony in 1951, when the composer was 77. Many musicians began to champion other music of Ives, including his difficult "Concord" sonata for piano.

"If only they would open their ears they might open their hearts" Charlie says to Harmony in Gerstein's book. Gerstein captures the bravado and pace of early 20th Century America as well as the spirit of Ives's music, with its combination of American traditionalism and wild iconoclasm. Gerstein makes music a joyful experience. Gerstein captures the influence of revival meetings on young Charlie. "They didn't have beautiful voices, but they made beautiful music", is Gertstein's apt and important for young readers characterization of the influence of the hymn singing Charlie heard.

Gerstein based his book on Jan Swafford's biography of Charles Ives, "Charles Ives: A Life with Music" and on his own listening. A page at the end of the story offers a summary of Ives's work to parents who themselves might be encountering Ives for the first time in reading this book to a child. This book delightfully introduces young children to a great American composer. More importantly, it may help "open their ears and their hearts" to the world of music.

Robin Friedman

This a great book filled with lot's of noise but if you open your ears lide Charlie did you'll hear not only noise but music.
Charlie Ive's is a boy who hears everything as music wether it's the sirens of a firetruck driving by or the drip drop of rain on the ground. Charlie loved music and so did his father his father was a conducter when he would conduct a band Charlie would make noise. charlie grew up and wrote his own music. When charlie would play it some people got mad and said this is not music this is noise. Charlie would say if you open your ears you will hear what I hear.
I'm not going to spoil the rest of the book for you. But maybe if you open your ears you'll hear what Charlie heard, not noise, but music.

I once heard an organist describe Charles Ives "America" in this way--a small town on the Fourth of July, where every band wants to perform in the parade, so they all agree to play the one song they know: 'America.' But they all play it differently. Ives's arrangment depicts the infinite complexity of all the bands' variations. This book not only show where he might have gotten an inspiration for this piece, but for all his other music also.
However, I think the most eloquent illustration is what Charlie heard when he got the news that his father had died. The depiction of total silence is a stark and effective contrast to the cacaphony of the rest of the book. This book can be used to introduce Ives' music to those unfamiliar with it, to explain it to those who don't understand it, or to increase the enjoyment of someone who already appreciates it.