Evaluation

When I opened up the pages of this book I was completely astonished by the creativity, planning and pure talent that went into making this book. The portraits of Louis Armstrong, The Beatles and Elvis are extremely impressionist. I also love the collages that exist on every page. The illustrator uses oil paint, cutouts and acrylic paint to explore new letters in different musical genres. This book is very different from the rest of the alphabetic books I have read because it has a factual/historical lesson weaved through every page. As a teacher it would be a wonderful idea to create a “theme” while introducing the letters of the alphabet. The teacher could have the class listen to a musical piece or genre at the beginning of class that begins with that specific letter. The student could also create their own collages to compile a book at the end of the year. I never thought about linking together an alphabet lesson with a historical lesson. The teacher could also use this as an opportunity to introduce important figures in history. I loved the various genres and composers this author used because it really approached music and the alphabet from a multicultural perspective. Although I was involved in many musical ensembles throughout elementary school, I never learned about important figures such as Louis Armstrong until the end of high school. The more history we are able to provide for our students, the more well-rounded adults they will become.