I requested this via inter-library loan because the cover was so appealing. It turned out to be a unique picture book, one which I am surprised none of the libraries in my consortium purchased, although it is certainly a little different.
Each spread includes a poem that goes with the appropriate letter of the alphabet. But it's far more complex than the typical "X is for Xylophone" you might be expecting. Musical theory and the emotional impact of music are both combined in rhythmic free verse. A is presented by the oboe playing "his" A and the orchestra tuning in. B is for bassoon, showing a female-presenting person in long blue dress with a vivid scarlet streak their black hair and a male-presenting person who appears to be Asian in a suit. Swirls of orange and cream surround them, swooping out and expanding into the deep roots that the sound of a contrabassoon is compared to.
The alphabet continues with a female-presenting conductor, a poem on the gender of musical instruments, a diverse audience listening to music, and even music librarians! V shows a group of black-clad musicians, with a range of genders and skin tones, playing their stringed instruments on clouds that float through a night sky. A woman in a hijab composes at a piano, a single representational figure watches scores blow away in the wind.
Verdict: Unusual and fascinating, this book is admittedly unlikely to fly off the shelves, but it would be a great fit for music classes or readers who like poetry. The illustrations are also amazing and would repay further study. Not for every library, but something that I enjoyed enough to purchase so it's available in my consortium.
ISBN: 9780525553779; Published January 2022 by Penguin; Borrowed via inter-library loan; Added to the library's order list
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