Musicality in youngCanLit

Making music may be an art form for which teachers and parents might not feel the need to scaffold learning with books, but I truly believe that any learning can be enhanced by great literature.  Here is an extensive list of books with music at their heart, whether the books be based on famous songs (like Gordon Lightfoot's Canadian Railroad Trilogy or Stan Rogers' Northwest Passage); or on fictionalized or biographical accounts of famous musicians such as Oscar Peterson or Beethoven; or books that just having songs, making music, or performance as part of the story's plot.  This book list covers a wide range of musical topics and genres, some fiction and some non-fiction, some with CD accompaniment, and others with teaching guides.  There's a little bit of everything for the music lover and reader of youngCanLit.

PICTURE BOOKS

The Aunts Come Marching
Written by Bill Richardson
Illustrated by Cynthia Nugent
Raincoast Books
32 pp.
Ages 3-6
2007

Beethoven Lives Upstairs
Written by Barbara Nichol
Illustrated by Scott Cameron
Lester Publishing/Scholastic
48 pp.
Ages 7-11
1989/1993

Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Written by Gordon Lightfoot
Illustrated by Ian Wallace
Groundwood Books
56 pp.
Ages 9-12
2010

Caribou Song
Written by Tomson Highway
Illustrated by John Rombough
Fifth House Publishers
32 pp.
Ages 4+
2013
Reviewed here

The Circle Game
Text by Joni Mitchell
Illustrations by Brian Deines
Dancing Cat Books
32 pp.
Ages 3-6
2011
Reviewed here

The Fabulous Song
Written by Don Gillmor
Illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
26 pp.
Ages 2-7
1999

A Fiddle for Angus
Written by Budge Wilson
Illustrated by Susan Tooke
Tundra Books
32 pp.
Ages 5-9
2006

The First Flute : Whowhoahyahzo Tohkohya
Written by David Bouchard
Illustrated by Don Oelze
Featuring the native flute of Jan Michael Looking Wolf
Dakota translation by Wayne Goodwill
Red Deer Press
40 pp. with CD
Ages 4-11
2015

Hallelujah Handel
Written by Douglas Cowling
Illustrated by Jason Walker
Scholastic
48 pp.
Ages 7-11
2003

Hana Hashimoto Sixth Violin
Written by Chieri Uegaki
Illustrated by Qin Leng
Kids Can Press
32 pp.
Ages 4-8
2014
Reviewed here

Jenneli’s Dance
Written by Elizabeth Denny
Illustrated by Chris Auchter
Theytus Books
44 pp.
Ages 6-11
2007

Long Powwow Nights
Written by David Bouchard and Pam Aleekuk
Art by Leonard Paul
Music by Buffie Sainte-Marie
Translation by Patsy Paul-Martin
Red Deer Press
32 pp. with CD
Ages 10-13
2009

The Man with the Violin
Written by Kathy Stinson
Illustrated by Dušan Petričić
Annick Press
32 pp.
Ages 5-8
2013
Reviewed here

The Mummer's Song
Written by Bud Davidge
Illustrated by Ian Wallace
Groundwood Books
32 pp.
Ages 6-9
2009

Northwest Passage
Written by Stan Rogers
Illustrated by Matt James
Groundwood Books 
56 pp.
All ages
2013
Reviewed here

Oscar Lives Next Door
Written by Bonnie Farmer
Illustrated by Marie Lafrance
Owlkids Books
32 pp.
Ages 4-8
2015
Reviewed here

Tchaikovsky Discovers America
Written by Esther Kalman
Illustrated by Rick Jacobson and Laura Fernandez
Scholastic
40 pp.
Ages 7-11
1995

Tomorrow is a Chance to Start Over: Bedtime Story and Dream Songs
Written by Hilary Grist
The Secret Mountain 
52 pp. with CD
Ages 1-5
2015

Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery
Written by Douglas Cowling
Illustrated by Laura Fernandez and Rick Jabobson
North Winds Press/Scholastic Canada
44 pp.
Ages 7-11
2004





FICTION

Ace’s Basement (Orca Currents)
Written by Ted Staunton
Orca Book Publishers
107 pp. 
Ages 11-13
2013

Acting Up
Written by Ted Staunton
Red Deer Press
263 pp.
Ages 9-12
2010

Allegra
Written by Shelley Hrdlitschka
Orca Book Publishers
268 pp.
Ages 12+
2013
Reviewed here

At Ease (Orca Limelights)
Written by Jeff Ross
Orca Book Publishers
130 pp.
Ages 10-13
2015

Another Miserable Love Song (Orca Soundings)
Written by Brooke Carter
Orca Book Publishers
127 pp.
Ages 15-17
2016

Banjo of Destiny
Written by Cary Fagan
Illustrated by Selcuk Demirel
Groundwood Books
128 pp.
Ages 9+
2011

Battle of the Bands (Orca Soundings)
Written by K. L. Denman
Orca Book Publishers
128 pp.
Ages 12+
2006

Big Time (Orca Limelights)
Written by Tom Ryan
Orca Book Publishers
144 pp.
Ages 11-14
2014

Billboard Express (Orca Limelights)
Written by Sigmund Brouwer and Cindy Morgan
Orca Book Publishers
128 pp.
Ages 11-14
2016
Sequel to Rock the Boat

Blues for Zoey
Written by Robert Paul Weston
Razorbill
272 pp.
Ages 13+
2014
Reviewed here

Born With: Erika & Gianni
Written by Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Clockwise Press
231 pp.
Ages 13+
2016

Reviewed here

Dear Bruce Springsteen
Written by Kevin Major
Doubleday
134 pp.
Ages 12+
1987

Death Benefits
Written by Sarah N. Harvey
Orca Book Publishers
224 pp.
Ages 12+
2010

Drummer Girl
Written by Karen Bass
Coteau Books
240 pp.
Ages 14+
2011

Dunces Rock
Written by Kate Jaimet
Orca Book Publishers
224 pp.
Ages 10-14
2014

Emily's Piano
Written by Charlotte Gingras
Translated by Susan Ouriou
Annick Press
64 pp.
Ages 8-12
2005

Fishtailing
Written by Wendy Phillips
Coteau Books
196 pp.
Ages 14+
2010

The Frail Days (Orca Limelights) 
Written by Gabrielle Prendergast
Orca Book Publishers
128 pp.
Ages 11-4
2015

Freedom's Just Another Word
Written by Caroline Stellings
Second Story Press
232 pp.
Ages 12+
September 2016
Reviewed here

Hannah Waters and the Daughter of Johann Sebastian Bach

Written by Barbara Nickel
Penguin
192 pp.
Ages 9-12
2005

High Note (Orca Limelights)
Written by Jeff Ross
Orca Book Publishers
144 pp.
Ages 11-14
2016

Honeycomb (Orca Limelights)
Written by Patricia McCowan
Orca Book Publishers
152 pp.
Ages 11-14
2014

Hope Springs a Leak
Written by Ted Staunton
Red Deer Press
148 pp.
Ages 9-12
2002

M in the Abstract
Written by Douglas Davey
Red Deer Press
216 pp.
Ages 14+
2013

Reviewed here

The Man in the Moonstone (A Dinah Galloway Mystery)
Written by Melanie Jackson
Orca Book Publishers
144 pp.
Ages 8-12
2003

Millions for a Song
Written by André Vanasse
Translated by Christelle Morelli and Susan Ouriou
Red Deer Press
118 pp.
Ages 12+
2013

Music by Morgan
Written by Ted Staunton
Illustrated by Bill Slavin
Formac
64 pp.
Ages 6-9
2013

Not Your Ordinary Wolf Girl
Written by Emily Pohl-Weary
Razorbill
304 pp.
Ages 13+
2013
Reviewed here

Out of the Box
Written by Michelle Mulder
Orca Book Publishers
150 pp.
Ages 9+
2011

Reviewed here

Prairie Fire
Written by E. K. Johnston
Carolrhoda Books
304 pp.
Ages 12+
2015
Sequel to The Story of Owen, Dragon Slayer of Trondheim

Power Chord (Orca Currents)
Written by Ted Staunton
Orca Book Publishers
113 pp.
Ages 10-14
2012

Queen of Disguises (A Dinah Galloway Mystery)
Written by Melanie Jackson
Orca Book Publishers
176 pp.
Ages 8-13
2009

Redwing
Written by Holly Bennett
Orca Book Publishers
208 pp.
Ages 12+
2012

Rock Star (Orca Soundings)
Written by Adrian Chamberlain
Orca Book Publishers
128 pp.
Ages 12+
2010

Rock The Boat (Orca Limelights)
Written by Sigmund Brouwer
Orca Book Publishers
119 pp.
Ages 11-14
2015

Seraphina
Written by Rachel Hartman
Doubleday Canada
480 pp.
Ages 14+
2012
Reviewed here

The Secret Wish of Nannerl Mozart
Written by Barbara Kathleen Nickel
Sumach Press/Three O'Clock Press

161 pp.

Ages 9-15

1996/2014

Shadows on the Train (A Dinah Galloway Mystery)
Written by Melanie Jackson
Orca Book Publishers
204 pp.
Ages 8-12
2007

Shattered Glass
Written by Teresa Toten
Orca Book Publishers
256 pp.
Ages 12+
2015
Reviewed here

Sounding Off

Written by Ted Staunton

Red Deer Press

184 pp.

Ages 10-14

2004

The Story of Owen, Dragon Slayer of Trondheim
Written by E. K. Johnston
CarolrhodaLab
306 pp.
Ages 12+
2014
Reviewed here

Strings Attached
Written by Diane Dakers
Orca Book Publishers
144 pp.
Ages 11-14
2017

Stuff We All Get (Orca Currents)
Written by K. L. Denman
Orca Book Publishers
128 pp.
Ages 10-14
2011

Summer Days, Starry Nights
Written by Vikki VanSickle
Scholastic Canada
219 pp.
Ages 10-14
2013

Reviewed here

Taking a Chance on Love
Written by Mary Razzell
Ronsdale Press
156 pp.
Ages 14+
2016
Reviewed here

The Throne
Written by Beth Goobie
Red Deer Press
281 pp.
Ages 14+
2013

Reviewed here

Thunderbowl (Orca Soundings)
Written by Lesley Choyce
Orca Book Publishers
128 pp.
Ages 12+
2004

Totally Unrelated (Orca Limelights)
Written by Tom Ryan
Orca Book Publishers
120 pp.
Ages 11-14
2013
Reviewed here

Trap Jam (Sidestreets)
Written by Steve Barwin
Lorimer
189 pp.
Ages 14+
2016

The Truth Singer
Written by Barbara Haworth-Attard
Roussan
141 pp.
Ages 10-13
1996

Under the Dusty Moon
Written by Suzanne Sutherland
Dundurn
268 pp.
Ages 12+
2016

Reviewed here

Vinyl Princess
Written by Yvonne Prinz
HarperCollins
320 pp.
Ages 13+
2009

Way to Go
Written by Tom Ryan
Orca Book Publishers
224 pp.
Ages 12+
2012
Reviewed here

Whiteout
Written by James Houston
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
256 pp.
Ages 12+
2002

NON-FICTION

Aboriginal Biographies: Musicians
Written by Kaite Goldsworthy
Weigl Educational Publishers
32 pp.
Ages 8-12
2013

For Those about to Rock: A Road Map to Being in a Band
Written by Dave Bidini
Tundra Books
144 pp.
Ages 12-17
2004

Give Me Wings: How a Choir of Former Slaves Took on the World
Written by Kathy Lowinger
Annick Press
144 pp.
Ages 10-15
2015

Justin Bieber (My Life)
Written by Anita Yasuda
Weigl Educational Publishers
24 pp.
Ages 7-10
2012

The Kids Can Press Jumbo Book of Music
Written by Deborah Dunleavy
Illustrated by Louise Phillips
Kids Can Press
208 pp.
Ages 8+
2001

Legends, Icons & Rebels: Music that Changed the World
Written by Robbie Robertson, Jim Guerinot, Sebastian Robertson and Jared Levine
Tundra Books
128 pp.
Ages 8+
2013

Music is for Everyone
Written by Jill Barber
Illustrated by Sydney Smith
Nimbus Publishing
32 pp.
Ages 2-7
2014

Nelly Furtado (Remarkable Canadians)
Written by Heather Kissock
Weigl Educational Publishers
24 pp.
Ages 8-13
2009

Oscar Peterson: The Man and His Jazz
Written by Jack Batten
Tundra Books
165 pp.
Ages 12-16
2012

Our Song: The Story of "O Canada" The Canadian National Anthem 
Written by Peter Kuitenbrouwer
Illustrated by Ashley Spires
Lobster Press
24 pp.
Ages 4-7
2004

Stay Strong: A Musician's Journey from Congo (Arrivals)
Written by Natalie Hyde
Clockwise Press
160 pp.
Ages 12-16
2015

When I Get Older: The Story Behind Wavin’ Flag
Written by K’NAAN with Sol Guy
Illustrated by Rudy Guttierez
Tundra Books
32 pp.
Ages 7-12
2012





FILM

Bach's Fight for Freedom
Directed by Stuart Gillard
Produced by David Devine and Richard MozerScript by David Devine and Richard Mozer
National Film Board of Canada
53 min.
Ages 9+
1995

Beethoven Lives Upstairs
Directed by David Devine
Produced by David Devine and Richard Mozer
Music production by Susan Hammond
Script by Heather Conkie based on the original work by Barbara Nichol
Eros Financial Investments in association with Classical Productions for Children Inc.
52 min
Ages 9+
1992

Bizet's Dream
Directed by David Devine
Produced by David Devine and Richard Mozer
Script by David Devine and Richard Mozer
National Film Board of Canada
52 min.
1995

Handel's Last Chance
Directed by Milan Cheylov
Produced by David Devine and Richard Mozer
Script by Marlene Matthews
National Film Board of Canada
51 min.
1995

Liszt's Rhapsody
Directed by David Devine
Produced by David Devine and Richard Mozer
Script by Heather Conkie
National Film Board of Canada
48 min.
1995

Rossini's Ghost
Directed by David Devine
Produced by David Devine and Richard Mozer
Script by Heather Conkie
National Film Board of Canada
49 min.
1995

Strauss: The King of Three Quarter Time
Directed by Kit Hood
Produced by David Devine and Richard Mozer
Script by David Devine and Richard Mozer
National Film Board of Canada
48 min.
1995

n.b. All these stories are available as audio CDs from Classical Kids and have been released with new covers and as DVDs as well as a collector's set called The Composers' Specials. Teaching guides are also available.