Listed on this page are all the recommended books in the lesson plans pages, in case you’d just like to take a look at some books that you could use.
Zin! Zin! Zin! : A Violin
by Lloyd Moss, Marjorie Priceman (Illustrator)
Simon & Schuster (Juv), 1995. ISBN: 0671882392
A lively, poetic introduction of ten different instruments using a counting-game approach.
Meet the Orchestra
by Ann Hayes, Karmen Thompson (Illustrator)
Harcourt Brace, 1995. ISBN: 0152002227
Introduces several different instruments. Large pictures of various anmials playing the instruments will attract children’s attention.
The Philharmonic Gets Dressed
by Karla Kuskin, Marc Simont (Illustrator)
HarperTrophy, 1986. ISBN: 006443124X
Introduces the musicians and intruments as the wash up, dress and get ready for a performance.
Alligators and Music
by Donald Elliott, Clinton Arrowood (Illustrator)
Harvard Common Pr, 1984. ISBN: 0876451180
Teaches about the various instruments of the orchestra; pretty good detail. Illustrations always show alligators playing the instruments, which are accurately rendered.
A Young Person's Guide to Music
by Neil Ardley, Poul Ruders (Composer), Andrew Davis, BBC Symphony Orchestra
DK Publishing, 1995. ISBN: 0789403137
Solid content on the orchestra and instruments, with photographs of the instruments. May be more suitable for older children.
The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra : Benjamin Britten's Composition on CD
by Anita Ganeri, Ben Kingsley (Contributor)
Harcourt Brace, 1996. ISBN: 0152013040
Follows Britten’s Young Person’s Guide section by section, part by part. The accompanying CD rendition by Kingsley is not the best, but still reasonable.