My Family Plays Music (15th Anniversary Edition)

“More a celebration of sound than a story, this upbeat picture book explores 10 different types of music. The young African-American narrator introduces each member of her extended family and the style of music he or she plays, from blue grass to marching band to rock ‘n’ roll to church hymns…. A glossary defining all the musical terms and genres appears on the last page. The cut-paper illustrations are vibrant and filled with energy.” —School Library Journal

“Brown depicts this exuberant percussionist with cornrows and a big grin, confidently accompanying big band and string quartet, dancing on club stages, and joining marching bands, plainly welcome wherever she goes. . . it’s the pride this child takes in her family, and her place in that family, that readers will remember most clearly.”—Kirkus Reviews

“This [is a] charmer about a family of music makers. The young female narrator starts off describing a page of pictures of her family. “We all love music,” she says, and the images include those of instruments as well as of musicians…. The paper-cut illustrations vibrate with color and–almost–with sound. The multiracial family with its rainbow of skin tones is not only a lovely multicultural statement but also a vivid reflection of contemporary families and musical tastes.” —Booklist

“In the end, this book is about much more than different styles of music or teaching music to children. It is a book for children about family unity and togetherness, valuing diversity, and celebrating life.” —Beautiful Books For Children