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By the dawn's early light: The story of the star-spangled banner
Kroll, Steven
An account of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner detailing how Key was actually behind enemy lines. He was seeking release of a captured friend from the British who would not allow their departure until the bombardment of Baltimore was completed.

Train song
Siebert, Diane
This song book describes how trains work, where trains go, and what trains serve, as well as information about engineers and ticket buyers.

Old macdonald had a farm
Pearson, Tracey Campbell
Old MacDonald has a pretty typical day of feeding his animals and doing his chores.

Over in the ocean: In a coral reef
Berkes, Marianne
Count one through 10 while using rhymes to talk about different activities between mother fishes and their babies. Move to the rhythm of this poem about ocean creatures !

The low-down laundry line blues
Millen, C.M.
A young girl finds herself down in the dumps, lonely, depressed, and hanging around just like the laundry line outside her window. She doesn't want to do anything and looks so pitiful sitting beside her window all alone: she's got the low-down laundry line blues. Her sister decides that something must be done to cheer her up!She uses jivey rhymes to lift her sister's mood, but to no avail, they just don't seem to work. As a last resort, she drags her lonely blues-stricken sister outside and turns the low-down laundry line into a lively jump rope to play with!Suddenly the low-down laundry line and the girl with the low-down laundry line blues become lively and upbeat.

Skip to my lou
Quackenbush, Robert
Matt writes a letter to his cousin George recalling many of the events of his sister Lou's engagement party. The verses go to the famous song Skip to My Lou.

Grandfather's journey
Say, Allen
A young man describes the journey of his grandfather between Japan and America. When the young man visits America, he falls in love with it. He begins to feel like his grandfather, and gains a better understanding of him through his journey and emotions.

When vera was sick
Rosenberry, Vera
Vera is sick. She has to sleep in the spare bedroom until she feels better, but it's lonely and scary in there. Her mother tries to make her more comfortable, but she just can't sleep and she's too sick to do anything else. After a few days of rest, Vera is feeling better. She plays games, sings songs, painted pictures, and then finally goes outside to play.

Mr. fong's toy shop
Politi, Leo
Mr. Fong entertains the children with stories and toys. In preparation for the Moon Festival, he creates a shadow puppet play for the children.

Night tree
Bunting, Eve
Nina and her brother go with the family to Luke's forest to decorate a Christmas tree. They sing songs, drink hot chocolate, and decorate the tree all night long.

Go tell aunt rhody
Quackenbush, Robert
There is a rumor going around town that Aunt Rhody's old grey goose is dead. Come sing this popular folk song!

In the rain with baby duck
Hest, Amy
In order to get to Grandpa's house for the traditional pancake breakfast, Baby duck has to walk in the rain. Baby duck doesn't like the rain but his grandpa shows him a way to enjoy it.

Sing, pierrot, sing
dePaola, Tomie
The local mime has fallen in love with the princess. When he goes to serenade her, he realizes she is already taken. Everyone laughs at him, but in the end, he realizes who his real friends are. (A Wordless Book)

Wombat stew
Vaughan, Marcia K.
A dingo catches a wombat and wants to make stew. A lot of other animals help to make the stew, but they all end up tricking the dingo.

Roland, the minstrel pig
Steig, William
Roland, a singing pig, travels far away to play for the king. Little does he know that a sly fox wants to eat him.

William and grandpa
Schertle, Alice
William goes to his grandpa's house where they enjoy singing, jumping on shadows, watching the stars and other things that grandpa enjoyed doing as a child.

This is the way
Dalton, Anne
A family goes through the routine of their day in the rhythm of the tune here we go round the mulberry bush.

Smooch your pooch
Slater, Teddy
Dogs are lovable companions and always want to be at your side. Rhyming poetry portrays a day in the life of dogs and their owners. Smooch your pooch and hug him anywhere. To make your dog happy, you must keep him busy.

Once in a wood: Ten tales from aesop
Rice, Eve
Follow the Fox, the Lion, and other animals through the various lessons of life. Aesop's Fables teach many lessons about being clever and playing the fool.

I'll be you and you be me
Krauss, Ruth
Would you and your friends like to read the poems, plays, fairy tales, and songs in this book?Which parts will you pantomime?

The matzah that papa brought home
Manushkin, Fran
A little girl and her family celebrate the Passover Seder in repeating rhyme form. The family feasts on matzah, bitter herbs, green vegetables, and haroset.

The mother's day mice
Bunting, Eve
It is Mother's Day and three little mice go out into the meadow to get their mother a present. One little mouse cannot find a present, so he makes up a song and sings it to his mother.

A band of angels: A story inspired by the jubilee singers
Hopkinson, Deborah
A young girl listens to a story told by her aunt. Her story is about the young girl's great great grandmother and how she used her voice and dedication to fight for her education after the slaves were freed. The story was also tells how a group of singers toured and sang slave songs. They were trying to save their school, but ended up creating a university.

The wheels on the bus
Kovalski, Maryann
A grandmother and her grandchildren wait for the bus. They begin singing The Wheels on the Bus and become so distracted with their singing that they miss the bus. They decide to take a taxi.

Basket
Lyon, George Ella
Over the years, Grandma's basket becomes embedded in many family legends. The basket is passed through four generations. The spool of thread found inside the basket is symbolic of the generations threaded together by love.

Louie's goose
Ehrlich, H.M.
Louie's toy goose goes everywhere he goes. Sometimes the goose needs to be fixed. Louie's mom and dad, and even the sun, fixes the goose.


The hundred penny box
Mathis, Sharon B.
Michael greatly admires his great-great Aunt Dew. He likes to sit with her while she sleeps or sings her long song. She dances with him and helps him count her hundred pennies in a special box. When Michael's mother attempts to take the special box and other belongings of Aunt Drew, Michael takes a stand and defends his aging Aunt.

Carolina shout!
Schroeder, Alan
Delia who lives in Charleston, South Carolina and hears music wherever she goes. But her sister, Bettina, cannot hear music. So Delia shows her that music is everywhere. You just have to listen, especially along the streets and harbor of this historical city.

Dealing with feelings: I'm scared
Crary, Elizabeth
Tracy can not wait to meet her new neighbors. Her smile disappears when she sees that her new neighbors own her worst fear, a big dog!What will Tracy do?Is she going to watch from her window, sing a happy song, or ask someone to hold her hand when she meets her new neighbors?No matter what Tracy decides, she will soon overcome her fears by getting a puppy of her own!

The story of bentley beaver
Sharmat, Marjorie Weinman
From being scared to go to school to being scared of dying, this book narrates Bentley Beaver's life. He grows up with his parents and then begins his own family. Bentley reflects on his life with a song.

My mama sings
Peterson, Jeanne Whitehouse
A mother sings songs to her little boy just like her mama used to sing to her. One day when the mother comes home from a bad day at work, the little boy makes up a song about his mother. This makes his mother very happy.

The first song ever sung
Melmed, Laura Krauss
A boy asks different people and thinks about the first song ever sung. He gets many different answers. They are all okay with him and make him happy.

Passover
Nerlove, Miriam
It is time for Passover and a father tells his son the tradition of Passover. He explains the different types of food that are eaten and the hunt that occurs after dinner. They then sing songs together.

The vegetable show
Brown, Laurie Krasny
Different vegetables put on a vaudeville show for a group of children to enhance their popularity. For example, Bud the Spud does some magic tricks where he becomes a bowl of mashed potatoes, french fries, and potato pancakes. Other vegetable performers include B.A. Dilly (pickle), Miss Lotta Root (carrot), and Super Chile (pepper). By the time the show is over, the children like their vegetables.

Today is monday
Carle, Eric
Today is Monday and it is string bean day. Tuesday is spaghetti day and Wednesday is ZOOOOP. Thursday is roast beef and Friday is fresh fish. It is time for all the hungry children to eat up!

Bread is for eating
Gershator, David//Gershator, Phillis
When a little boy leaves bread on his plate, his mother reminds him how important bread is and the hard work that goes into making it. Through a song, children learn why they should not waste food, and how to be thankful for grain and bread.

Zelda and ivy and the boy next door
Kvasnosky, Laura McGee
A new boy named Eugene has moved in next door to Zelda and Ivy. the three quickly become friends. A romance blooms, they play imaginary games, and go camping. Like all friends, they don't always get along, but they work out their differences.

Born in the gravy
Cazet, Denys
Margouita starts her first day of kindergarten. She tells papa all about her big day over an ice cream cone. She has one question that papa knows just how to answer.

A long long song
Delessert, Etienne
Acrobats and musicians appear out of nowhere and perform on the front steps of a town hall. The show takes place in a small New England village. Those who see them perform never forget who they are.

The little fir tree
Brown, Margaret Wise
A fir tree is cut down to be used as a Christmas tree for a boy with a handicap. After the holidays, the tree is replanted in the forest. Every year, the boy's father digs up the tree to be decorated. One year, the boy goes to the forest by himself to decorate a tree.

The desert mermaid (La sirena del desierta)
Blanco, Alberto
The last of the desert mermaids is found living in an oasis in the Sonara desert. An Indian and his horse take her on a journey to find the roots of her ancestors. Here she finds the gift of song and can finally join the thousands of mermaids riding the waves.

Yankee doodle
Kellogg, Steven
A young boy accompanies Yankee Doodle on travels through the battle fields of the Revolutionary War. Sing through the verses of Yankee Doodle as you journey with them.

Irene jennie and the christmas masquerade: The johnkankus
Smalls, Irene
Irene Jennie, a young girl living on a plantation, is sad when she can't spend Christmas with her parents. She prays for things to change and a Christmas parade cheers her up. As she watches the parade with her godmother, she receives a nice surprise.

It's about time, jesse bear
Carlstrom, Nancy White
Jesse Bear tells of his adventures of his day from start to finish. He tells his adventures through songs. Jesse Bear gets sick and must stay in bed to get better. Mama Bear comes in to put Jesse Bear to bed for the night and tells him to rest up for adventures tomorrow.

Hey, little ant
Hoose, Phillip//Hoose, Hannah
While playing with his friends one day, a little boy spies an ant. As he prepares to squash the tiny insect, the boy listens to the ant's plea not to step on him.

Gabriella's song
Fleming, Candace
When Gabriella begins to hum a tune, the inhabitants of Venice begin to hum along too. The tune makes some happy, others sad, and some even swoon. The power of music is clearly portrayed in this story.

The secret of the stones
San Souci, Robert D.
John and Clara work very hard all day, but they have no children to love. One night Clara finds two little white stones and brings them home with her. When they came home the next night all of the chores had been done, and John and Clara must find out who their helpers are and how to help them!

Shaker boy
Ray, Mary Lyn
At age six, Celeb comes to live with the Shakers and he spends the rest of his life in their unique culture. He learns their ways, their songs, and is inspired by angels.

Whale song
Johnston, Tony
A little boy thinks that whales count when they sing. He believes that whales don't just make noise.