Charlie Parker Played Be Bop Read Free Books and Download eBooks
"In a daring attempt to capture the raw energy of Parker's music . . . Raschka (pens) a text that's as lean as a poem and as mean as a blues refrain" ("Publishers Weekly", starred review). Full-color illustrations.
Lexile Measure: AD140L (What's this?)
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.; Reprint edition (September 1, 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0531070956
ISBN-13: 978-0531070956
Product Dimensions: 0.2 x 9.2 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #72,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #2 in Books > Children's Books > Arts, Music & Photography > Music > Jazz #20 in Books > Children's Books > Biographies > Musical #125 in Books > Children's Books > Biographies > Multicultural
Age Range: 4 - 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool - 3
I purchased this book because I love Charlie Parker and wanted to share that love with my then 6-month-old son (he's been listening to Charlie Parker on Phil Schaap's Birdflight since he came home from the hospital).It immediately became his favorite book (he has over 100) and INSISTS that it be read to him 4-5 times per day. Frequently, we will have just finished it and he reaches for it again. One of his first 7 words is pa-ka (Parker)...it is his first two-syllable word! I would teach him to say "Bird," but I think that would confuse him right now. :-)The pictures are wonderful! I particularly like the one of "Charlie Parker Played No Trombone" which shows Bird looking at a trombone and scratching his head.The words and sounds are wonderful and convey the feeling and flavor of "Be Bop."My son particularly loves the mysterious kitty...My son is now 13 months old and it's still his favorite book BY FAR!"Never leave your cat a-lone..."
Chris Raschka refuses to be neatly cataloged, noted, and tucked away in a file somewhere. When this man writes a picture book you really get the feeling that he's put his spine and soul into it. I've had the mixed pleasure of reading a wide variety of Raschka titles in my day. There was the original if somewhat misguided "John Coltrane's Giant Steps", the ridiculously simple but fun "Yo! Yes?", and that remarkable and odd, "The Genie In the Jar". If there's one connecting thread between his various works, it's probably rooted in Raschka's deep and abiding love of music. He's the only picture book artist I can think of that's introduced kids to everyone from Thelonious Monk to (amazing but true) Nina Simone. For the first time, however, I've found a Raschka book that I could fall head over heels in love with. Usually I respect the man's work without ever really enjoying his books, if that makes any sense. With "Charlie Parker Played Be Bop", however, I think Raschka's really tapped into something amazing.The book's like a single, long poem. The reoccurring phrase is, "Charlie Parker played be bop" with the final line always, "Never leave your cat alone". That means that a stanza sounds something like, "Charlie Parker played be bop / Charlie Parker played saxaphone / The music sounded like be bop / Never leave your cat alone". You get the picture. Occasionally, however, this book goes all-out silly on you, but with a rhythm that's hard to ignore. "Be bop. Fisk, fisk. Lollipop. Boomba, boomba". And suddenly there are lollipops and odd blue nosed animals tramping across the page in a line, obviously in touch with the beat of the song. Things get wilder and wilder as the song continues and sometimes you see long lines of overshoes (walking on cute little blue feet of their own), letters in the alphabet, and chickadees be bopping their way down the line. Finally, we hit the last, "Never leave your cat alone", and a miserable if resigned pussy stares wearily into the distance.There's an insanity to this book that's difficult to find in other picture books today. Somehow Raschka has managed to tap into just the right crazy childlike vein. Kids may not understand what's going on in these pages (and who would?) but they'll enjoy it just the same. Raschka's toned down his illustrations in a way as well. Things are kooky here, but they make sense. This is a kind of jazz put to paper, so there's an order and form to the (at first glance) weirdness. The pictures all make sense, even if they place bright blue feet on animals or objects that don't usually sport them.If you'd like to expand your child's mind but you just can't figure out how to do so in the best possible way, might I suggest the incredible "Charlie Parker Played Be Bop". It's loony and lovable and just the right combination of unpredictable elements all merging together at once. A truly wild and wonderful picture book. Well done, Mr. Raschka. Well done.
I searched for this book after my 22 month old son's daycare provider shared how he had memorized it, and when prompted with "Charlie Parker plays..." would delightedly shout out "bee-bop!" We found it when on a trip for my sister's wedding, and we astounded all the relatives when he had essentially memorized the book. He would scat "fisk fisk" and "overshoes overshoes overshoes oh." He literally knows half the book. He had us all in stitches.The illustrations in this book are fun, bright, and playful. The words trip across the page like the music does. It doesn't grow tiresome after repeated readings.I highly recommend this book. And maybe play a little Bird while you're reading it!
Chris Raschka has written a book that captures of the rythmn and essence of Charlie Parker's music. This is a wonderful way to help children learn the sounds of letters and how the sounds combine to make words. Perfect for emergent readers. Excellent read a loud for younger children. The illustrations alone could classify this as a perfect picture book. But, the unique style and content of the text make it an appropriate addition to the library for any music teacher, art teacher, speech consultant, pre-school teacher or new parent. Its never too early to teach a child to read or cultivate an interest in jazz.
I purchased this book because I remembered seeing it on "Between The Lions" when I was a kid. I love the way it was read with a jazzy feel. My toddler digs it as much as me and is one of the few books I can read three times in a row and I don't mind one more time. For anyone who loves music or just a fun read this is a win!
Picked this book up at the Library after it was featured on PBS's Between The Lions. My son never put the book down, so we bought it. The book is fun, easy to read for children, and the pictures are great. Both my boys have it memorized and read it often.
I am a licensed preschool music teacher. I found "Charlie Parker...." and was immediately thrilled with it. I took it and read it to my preschool music classes, ages 3-5. The first time they heard it, they liked it but clearly were a little puzzled, I think because the book was outside their normal reading references. By the second or third time they heard it, they were tapping their feet and spontaneously moving to the jazz rhythms of the book. I'm on the fourth or fifth class reading of the book, and they dig it more every time! My sincere appreciation to Chris Raschka for creating such a wonderful experience in jazz for children (and grownups). I'm eagerly looking forward to "Mysterious Thelonious!"
My kids LOVE this book. It has been their absolute favorite since they were 2 and it is short enough to read over and over again before bed. This book explores the rhythm and sounds of language in a way that really excites the kids and is fun for the adults to read.
Charlie Parker Played Be Bop Charlie Parker Played Be Bop (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) Kidz Bop: Be a Pop Star!: Start Your Own Band, Book Your Own Gigs, and Become a Rock and Roll Phenom! (Kidz Bop (Paperback)) Charlie Parker: His Music and Life (The Michigan American Music Series) Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker Charlie Parker - Omnibook: For E-flat Instruments Charlie Parker Omnibook: For C Instruments (Treble Clef) Charlie Parker (Black Amer) (Black Americans of Achievement) Charlie Parker Omnibook: For All Bass Clef Instruments Charlie Parker for Bass: 20 Heads & Sax Solos Arranged for Electric Bass with Tab Charlie and the New Baby (Charlie the Ranch Dog) Charlie the Ranch Dog: Charlie's Snow Day (I Can Read Level 1) Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading (Charlie Joe Jackson Series) Charlie the Ranch Dog: Charlie Goes to the Doctor (I Can Read Level 1) Bip, Bop, and Boo Get Ready For School Games: Number Memory (Skills for Starting School) Bip, Bop, and Boo Get Ready for School Games: Number Puzzles (Skills for Starting School) Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer: Coordinated Independence as Applied to Jazz and Be-Bop, Vol. 1 (Book & CD-ROM) The Art of Bop Drumming: Book & CD (Manhattan Music Publications) Beyond Bop Drumming: Book & CD (Manhattan Music Publications) Bippity Bop Barbershop
