Before Music: Where Instruments Come from

From cellos to chigufes, maracas to mbiras, musicophiles will find plenty to peruse in this reference picture book that explores instrument-making. In similarly formatted sections, Pimentel's narrative connects a raw material (e.g., gourds) to musical instruments made from it (e.g., maracas and sitars), categorizing instruments by how they're played, and offering an onomatopoeic description of instrument creation: "After the gourd dries in the sun, someone... fills it with seeds. Ptptptpt." Sidebars throughout explain sound generation, highlight instrument innovators, and offer numerous captioned vignettes of instruments globally. Centering creators and musicians of varying age, skin tone, and traditional dress, Safer's naïf-style multimedia art gives fitting nod to folk traditions featured in this wide-ranging survey of musical instruments that spans centuries, continents, and cultures. Back matter discusses instrument classification and includes instructions for making instruments. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)

Gr 4-7--Containing detailed information concerning the origins of musical instruments from around the world, this fascinating text details the materials they were constructed from, the processes involved in their creation, and the sounds they made. The content is organized by the natural materials used to create the instruments; from rocks to reeds. It is delivered in a whimsical tone that features poetic devices, such as onomatopoeia, alliteration, and word repetition. The narrative is supplemented with lists of related instruments, biographies of little-known musicians, and informational sidebars. The impressive watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations are reminiscent of primitive folk art and complement the book's content perfectly. Unfortunately, once read, the newly learned facts are difficult to revisit because there is no glossary or table of contents. The back matter includes an explanation of organology, a listing of selected sources and attribution, and directions for making a musical instrument. VERDICT Schools specializing in art and music may consider adding this book to the library's collection on the merit of its fascinating content and appealing illustrations.--Lynne Stover