2024 in Music Book Reviews

I started the year off with a review of a book in the Little People, Big Dreams series which tells the story of Mozart, a composer from the Classical period in music history. There are, now, a lot of books to choose from in the Little People, Big Dreams series all telling the story of a famous person, some alive today and some from history, and focussing on their start in life.

I recommended this book for 4-6 year olds.

I gave this book, Little People, Big Dreams: Mozart 3.5 stars out of 5.

February found me reading The Very Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra, a book that was written in association with ClassicFM. I have to admit that I found this book a little disappointing, and not done as well as many other books on a similar subject.

I recommended this book for 3-6 year olds.

I gave this book 2.5 stars out of 5.

In March I decided to mark International Women’s Day by reading this book Where Are All The Black Female Composers by Nathan Holder. The book is very much a whistle stop tour of black female composers throughout music history and from all over the world. Some of the composers you may have heard of, some you probably will not, and it can be used to spark an interest in listening to new music – something that is always a good idea to buy mind!

I recommended this book for ages 7 or 8 – 10.

I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars

In March I reviewed another book from my local library Make and Use Musical Instruments by Anna-Marie D’Cruz. This was a fun and practical book which gave me lots of ideas of things to do with the kids in the holidays, and as a library book didn’t cost me anything to borrow. The good thing about library books is that if this one isn’t there, there’s always lots of other books to choose from – use your local library, they are an amazing resource!

I recommended this book for ages 6 – 10 (and possibly older children too for the practical instrument making).

I would give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

In May I read and reviewed this lovely book made in association with the London Symphony Orchestra, or LSO, A Little Book Of The Orchestra – The Violin by Mary Auld and Elisa Paganelli. Bought for my little girl as she started learning to platy the violin, we really enjoyed learning not just about the violin and its role within the orchestra, but also the LSO itself. It mixes factual information with story, perfect for its intended age reader. It’s a lovely book.

I recommended this book for ages 7-9.

I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

This month’s book was the third, and final of the year, book I got out of our local library – the library service all over the UK and very much in Birmingham is under threat at the moment, with libraries closing and massively reducing their opening hours, something that I find so sad, so this year’s message to you would be to please go and use your local library and help keep this wonderful, amazing resource available to ours and future generations. This book, Groups, Bands & Orchestras by Roger Thomas was a good introduction to the various groups, bands and orchestras that your child might come across or play in.

I recommended this book for ages 8 – 11.

I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

In July I had a slight change of direction, and read and reviewed a book that is aimed at an adult audience, although it may be interesting for some teenagers was well. This book, House of Music: Raising the Kanneh-Masons by Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason is about the experience of Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, the mother of the extraordinary family of musicians the Kanneh-Masons.

I recommended this book for adults and older teenagers.

I would give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

In this book, Robert Schumann’s Advice to Young Musicians, the author and cellist, Steven Isserlis, has revisited the advice that Romantic Composer Robert Schumann did write for young musicians, specifically young composers, though much is relevant for all musicians. This is a nice book, and while some of the advice is perhaps a little outdated and not necessarily advice I personally would give, there is a lot that is highly relevant to any musician, young or old.

I recommended this book for ages 10+.

I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Around the World In 80 Musical Instruments by Nancy Dickmand and illustrated by Sue Downing is a fun book introducing the reader, as the title suggests, to 80 different musical instruments that can be found all over the globe. It’s a lovely and very well pitched book for its audience with a lot of familiar and unfamiliar musical instruments to learn about.

I recommended this book for ages 7 – 9 or 10.

I would give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I really like the books in The Story Orchestra Series. I think they are very well done. Each book takes one very famous piece of music, here Peter and the Wolf by Ukrainian Composer Sergei Prokofiev, and tells the reader about that piece of music. But they tell it as a standalone story that is enhanced by excerpts from the composer’s music. Here the story told is pretty faithful to the story of Peter and the Wolf itself. The illustrations are lovely, and there are a good number of decent length musical excerpts to get you interested in the piece and make you want to go and listen to more.

I recommended this book for ages 5 – 8.

I would give this book 4 stars out of 5.

Music Book Review: The Story Orchestra – Peter and the Wolf

I must admit that November’s book was not my favourite. A bit of a whistle stop tour of the early school and music college life of French Impressionist Composer, Claude Debussy, I felt this book had not quite pitched its text to its intended reader. And there were a couple of things about the book I didn’t like so much, like the author switching from talking about Debussy in the past tense for the first two pages, and then switching to present for the rest of the book. A few maybe nitpicking points, but I felt that I have read books about Composer’s lives aimed for children that were better. And for the price I paid for the book I didn’t think it was great value for money.

I recommended this book for ages 6 – 8.

I would give this book 2.5 stars out of 5.

Music Book Review: FIRST DISCOVERY MUSIC: Claude Debussy by Pierre Babin

Going out with a bang with my favourite book of 2024. I really enjoyed this book. It was a really fun, and funny way to look at questions like what is music, why do we listen to it, who plays it etc. Listening to my son reading this book upstairs in his room I could just hear him giggling away throughout it. It does help that the book was written by comedian Alex Horne, who many of you reading this blog may know from his band, The Horne Section, or from the fantastic TV series Taskmaster. Highly recommended and my top book of 2024 without a doubt.