Music Library is a monthly subscription box for kids that uses children’s books about music to introduce young readers to all types of music and musicians. In addition to a new book each month, kids receive engaging items and activities and parents gain access to our subscriber’s only digital resource page. Everything is designed to supplement each book and enhance the reading experience.
DEAL: Get 15% off any Music Library subscription! Use coupon code HELLOML15.
Everything was packed neatly in a simple brown box.
Seeing a conductor baton with this month’s featured book kept my kids excited!
An information card is included, and it lists all the items in the box. It is also where your access code for the digital resources page can be found.
Everything in the box!
Music Library Featured Book
Because… by Mo Willems ($14.12)
Mo Willems, a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, composes a powerful symphony of chance, discovery, persistence, and magic in this moving tale of a young girl’s journey to center stage. Illustrator Amber Ren brings Willems’ music to life, conducting a stunning picture-book debut.
The power of music, as well as the power of persistence, is beautifully told through this picture book. It’s ideal for kids in pre-school to kindergarten, but kids of any age might also appreciate the lessons it tries to impart to the readers.
The endpaper even features the first 35 measures (or bars) of Symphony No. 8 in B-minor.
The watercolor illustrations are fantastic. They match the heartwarming story really well.
A short yet fun read, the story is a great reminder for everyone that hardwork pays off and that kindness, no matter how small, goes a really long way. Also, music can change people’s lives!
My son loved the book. He admired the illustrations and got inspired with the story.
This is one of his favorite scenes in the book! We also love what the text says because it’s really true.
Over time, the woman became very good–because she worked very hard.
One night, her music was discovered–because she was also very lucky.
Music Library Digital Resources
The digital resources page, which we accessed through the provided code, includes online materials and activities related to this month’s book. First up, there’s a short video that teaches kids some of the basics of conducting.
Since the main character of this month’s featured book dreams of becoming a conductor, or a leader of an orchestra, we also got a baton!
The handle is made of cork, which is light and easy to grip.
The video was fun and easy to follow, so my son was able to learn a few patterns quickly.
Music Library Printable Downloads
We also got printable activities, which are great learning supplements after reading the book.
First up is Composer Comparison, where they have to match the composer with the correct description. My daughter took the lead in this activity and she finished it in no time.
Next is a word finding activity! There’s a provided list of words that the kids need to find from the puzzle. Then, after finding them all, it’s time for them to count how many times each word appears in the book Because. My son answered this one and he found it enjoyable as well.
Music Library Activity
The main activity from the box is called Thumbprint Masterpiece. The digital resources page features easy-to-follow instructions for this.
We also received an ink pad and a sharpie.
Both of them come with black ink!
Another important material for this activity is staff (musical lines) paper! In case you’ll need more, they also provided a printable version on the digital resource page.
The first step is to press your thumb on the ink pad, and then place your thumb on your chosen space or line. Repeat for several times on different parts of the paper.
Then, it’s time to give your song a rhythm by creating notes using the thumbprints. You may turn them into quarter notes, single eighth notes, or barred eighth notes. At the bottom of the page, there’s even space where you can put the title of your new song, your sign, and the date!
They also included a frame where you can put your new musical masterpiece.
At the back, there’s a stand so you can easily display it on your desk or at your music room if you have one!
Remember the sheet music of Symphony No. 8, which was featured on the book’s endpaper? It was made by Franz Schubert, and it’s also known as “Unfinished Symphony” because he never finished it and no one knows why!
We finished everything in the box in no time! My kids enjoyed everything from reading the book to doing the activity sheets and the main project!
You can never go wrong with books and music, and we’re so glad that there’s a wonderful children’s subscription box that offers both! It’s a nice way to introduce kids to music, its history, and its various kinds through fun activities and a kid-friendly story. The digital resources page is another awesome and convenient component of this subscription. Everything you need to know about the month’s theme is all on one page, including video content, activity guides, and downloadables. Meanwhile, actual materials that you need for activities are included in the box. My kids loved the conductor’s baton included in this month’s box, as well as the Thumbprint Masterpiece – and we even caught our 5 year old “making sheet music” a week after we completed this crate! We’re definitely looking forward to more music lessons and fantastic stories from this subscription!
Are you getting the Music Library box too?
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