When it comes to celebrations, it is all about the music! When I think about Mardi Gras in New Orleans, I can just feel the bass and the smooth rhythms of the trombone. I was inspired and thought I would create a list of some of my favorite picture books about musicians. From Jimi Hendrix to Nina Simone, you can introduce your students to legendary Black musicians with this musical book list!. And this isn’t just for music teachers either. For added value, I’ve included a FREEBIE fact-finding sheet your students can complete to identify facts about each of the featured musicians.
These stories span across various genres from Jazz and Hip Hop to Reggae and Opera! And they aren’t just about music. These are stories about hope, triumph, and fighting through adversity. Each one paints a beautiful picture of the rhythms of life and coming into your own.
You can use the links below for details about each of these stories. These are Amazon affiliate links but as always, you may be able to find these reads at a book shop, thrift store, dollar shop, or from donations!
Here’s the complete list:
If you really want to make the best of your reading time, you can have your students complete this musical fact-finding freebie. After learning about one of the legendary musicians from the list or any text of your choosing, students can write out four facts about the subject. You can grab this printable right HERE.
Do you have any musical reads you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments!
Hey, y’all! My name is Amy Lemons and I am passionate about providing students with both engaging and effective standards-based Math and ELA lessons.
Sample a day of Rooted in Reading with these lesson plans and activities for Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Grammar!
