Mommy Evolution

Mom Smarter!

  • Home
  • Parenting
    • Parenting Tips
      • Age Appropriate Toys
      • Potty Training Tips
    • Special Needs Parenting
      • ADHD
      • Dyslexia
      • Sensory Processing Disorder
    • Family Activities
      • Sensory Activities
  • Book Nook
    • Best New Books for Kids
    • Children’s Books Lists
    • Teen Reads
    • Toddlers Board Books
    • Summer Reading Lists (K-8)
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes at a Glance
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Main Dishes
      • Beef Recipes
      • Chicken Recipes
      • Fish and Seafood Recipes
      • Pasta Recipes
      • Pork Recipes
      • Soups, Stew and Chili Recipes
    • Desserts
      • Cake Recipes
      • Candy and Fudge
      • Christmas Cookies
      • Cookie Recipes
      • Pie Recipes
    • Beverages and Cocktails
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Bread Recipes
    • Grilling Recipes
  • Education
    • Unit Studies
    • Children’s Reading Lists
    • Learning to Read
  • Holidays & Seasons
    • Holidays
      • Back to School
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
      • New Year
      • Black History Month
      • Valentine’s Day
      • Women’s History Month
      • St. Patricks’ Day
      • Easter
      • Earth Day
      • Mother’s Day
      • Father’s Day
      • 4th of July
    • Seasons
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
  • About
    • About Jenny
    • Work With Me
    • Be a Guest Blogger
    • Legal Stuff

Wonderful Picture Books about Jazz for Kids

August 25, 2017 by Mommy Evolution 5 Comments

It’s time to start exposing your kids to new sounds! And these wonderful picture books about jazz for kids will do the trick.

Child-focused artists like Laurie Berkner may rule your home, but it doesn’t mean your child won’t be open to learning about other types of music as well.

From an early age, I started exposing my kids to all different types of jazz… and books were the perfect way to do that!

You can find these picture books about jazz at your local library or purchase through the affiliate links provided for your convenience.

Wonderful Jazz Picture Books for Kids

Best Picture Books About Jazz for Children

There are some amazing books that come with audio CDs that act as the perfect introduction to jazz, as well as some that talk about the jazz greats.

For toddlers (and older), I highly recommend Jazz Fly 2, which introduces children to Latin-influenced jazz as well as some Spanish.

For preschoolers (and older), Ben’s Trumpet uses the sound of jazz to tell the story of a boy who just wants to play the trumpet.

Jazz is an awesome book for Kindergarteners on up, which walks children through poetry accompanied by the whole spectrum of the genre.

In addition, I recommend three books that don’t have audio CDs.

The first is for younger children which visually shows how jazz may look (and is about John Coltrane) called Before John Was a Jazz Giant.

For grade school children, there are two terrific books you can read over and over again: Wynton Marsalis Jazz A B Z and Spirit Seeker: John Contrane’s Musical Journey.

Read about Jazz!

Jazz Fly 2

This awaited sequel to the multiple-award winning original Jazz Fly combines witty illustrations, rhythmic narration and irresistible music provided by a jazz quintet.

The jazz-scatting Fly and his insect band need a ride to the tropical pachanga, or dance party. A sloth, spider monkey and macaw can help but only if the band chants the right Spanish words.

Can one part jazz and one part Spanish make a language problem vanish? Find out how the Fly’s creativity saves El Termite Nook from destruction.

Jumping with bongo drums, conga drums, sax solos and more, this spirited–and funny– adventure welcomes listeners to Spanish and Latin jazz.

Ben’s Trumpet

The story of Ben is fiction, but it could be the story of more than one jazz musician who grew up in the twenties.

Using the art-deco style of the period, Rachel Isadora not only captures the poignancy and yearning of a youthful talent, but in page after page of striking art seems to convey the very sound of music.

Jazz

This smash-hit picture book of jazz music poems, from award-winning father-don team Walter Dean Myers and Christopher Myers, is now available in paperback.

From bebop to New Orleans, from ragtime to boogie and every style in between, this collection of Walter Dean Myers’s energetic and engaging poems celebrates different styles of the American art form, jazz. “JAZZ” takes readers on a musical journey from jazz’s beginnings to the present day. 

Before John Was a Jazz Giant

2009 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book. 2009 Bank Street – Best Children’s Book of the Year.

Young John Coltrane was all ears. And there was a lot to hear growing up in the South in the 1930s: preachers praying, music on the radio, the bustling of the household.

These vivid noises shaped John’s own sound as a musician. Carole Boston Weatherford and Sean Qualls have composed an amazingly rich hymn to the childhood of jazz legend John Coltrane.

Wynton Marsalis Jazz ABZ: An A to Z Collection of Jazz Portraits

The award-winning book by celebrated jazz composer Wynton Marsalis is now available with an exclusive art print by illustrator Paul Rogers

Spirit Seeker: John Coltrane’s Musical Journey

Told in moving prose and powerfully illustrated, this is the story of a shy, curious boy from a deeply religious family who grew up to find solace and inspiration in his own unique approach to both spirituality and music.

Growing up, John was a seeker. He wondered about spirit, and the meaning of life. And whether music could be a key to unlocking those mysteries.

Like these picture books about jazz? Find even more engaging book lists on Mommy Evolution!

Keep the learning going with these music-themed affiliate links:

  • I Spy Bundle Packs – Music Theme
  • Musical Designs Copywork Notebooking Pages

picture books about jazz

Related

Filed Under: Book Nook Tagged With: music

« Gluten Free Snacks for Kids – Perfect for Back to School
Cowboy Caviar: Spicy Black Bean, Corn and Fresh Tomato Salsa Recipe »

Comments

  1. Jodie @ Growing Book by Book says

    July 24, 2014 at 6:30 am

    What a great idea for a book list. Great selection!

    Reply
    • Jennifer says

      July 24, 2014 at 7:51 am

      Thanks, Jodie. I had fun putting this one together. I’ve always been a jazz lover and wanted my boys to get exposed early 🙂

      Reply
  2. Tara Looney says

    July 25, 2014 at 6:33 am

    Thanks for putting this together! This is a very inspiring book list!

    Reply
  3. Shannon says

    August 4, 2014 at 10:22 am

    These sound like excellent books! I love that some of them have CD’s with them. Thank you for your review.

    Reply
  4. Creativity4Kids says

    February 22, 2015 at 9:44 pm

    These are such great books! We love how jazz-focused children’s books often have a sense of rhythm and phrasing can be playful when read aloud. Perfect for adding some musical improvisation!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

EVOLVE OR GO BACK TO BED!

Get My Weekly Newsletter.
CLICK HERE.

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress