Should I Play the Flute?

Gr 3-5-These volumes all begin with the question, "Why do people play musical instruments?" and conclude with a chapter on how a child could go about learning to play. A history of each instrument leads directly into a discussion of how its sound is created and its placement in a musical family. Following chapters reveal the role of that instrument in larger ensembles and include helpful hints (visually eye-catching in blue boxes) and quotations or facts: "the word tabla comes from the Arabic word tabl, meaning "drum." Artists featured have a wide range of styles-from pianist-composer Clara Schumann to drummer Buddy Rich, flutist James Galway, jazz and classical trumpet player Wynton Marsalis, and pianist-songwriter Norah Jones. A labeled diagram with a description of physical interaction between artist and instrument clarifies the concepts for beginners. With their reader-friendly format, excellent color photographs and drawings, annotated discographies, and time lines of the instruments' historical use, these are excellent resources for beginning musicians.-Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.