LISTEN TO THE MUSIC: The Instruments, a gift-giving bagatelle for a budding musical kid

LISTEN TO THE MUSIC: The Instruments
MARY RICHARDS (illus. Khoa Le)
Wide Eyed Editions
$24.99 hardcover, available now

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: Listen to the Music: The Instruments is a narrative non-fiction trip through the history of music, complete with 10, 10-second sound clips of the world's best-loved orchestral instruments.

Press the buttons to hear the music in this time-traveling journey around the world, as young readers embark on a magical adventure through classical music!

Covering 10 different, beloved orchestral instruments, from different pieces from around the world, readers hear music composed and can press them to hear clips of musical masterpieces!

From Elgar's Cello Concerto, to a violin sonata by Beethoven, this book will teach children about cultural history, famous musicians, and musical genres, all while wanting to press the buttons and hear the music again and again. Each of the ten composers throughout the story tells children about their favorite instrument, how it makes them feel, and what animals or moods they thought of as they were writing the piece of music.

This is a beautiful first introduction to the history of music, as told to the tune of the key instruments in the orchestra. Perfectly pitched to inspire and instill a love of music from a young age, this book will strike a chord with curious children who might be thinking about choosing a first instrument to learn.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Not meant for the youngest readers,it's a very pretty package ideal for gifting. Niblings and grands, I assume, since no sane parent would give a kid a noise-making anything for a gift. Obviously I did not get a physical copy of it...a book that retails for a dollar a page isn't going out on wide review submission...so I can't speak to the quality of the sound it makes. I can say it has lovely art:

...and the text, while simple and condensed, is informative and amusing for someone interested in music but still at a very beginning stage of their interest's development.

Might best be given to those no older than ten or eleven. Junior high/middle school-aged readers might feel...slighted...by its tone. It does have the selling point, to older kids, of the music-making...but honestly I'm encouraging you to leave it to the eight-to-ten giftee.

Still and all, it's a very nice package to present as a present.