Want to Be in a Band? for Picture Book Friday

Since today is the Friday after the Fourth of July, I am assuming that traffic on my blog will have slowed to a crawl.  Since not a lot of you will be visiting, and a big thank you to those who came by,  I get to profile a book that may not appeal to all kids, but absolutely appealed to the kid in me.

This book in the right kid's hands will be a wonderful hit, but I don't believe, like so many of the books I profile on this blog, that it will have universal appeal.  So find the right kid, and get this book in their hands!

Title:       Want to Be in a Band?

Author:   Suzzy Roche

Target:    Kindergarten - Grade 3

What this book is about:
This book is about a girl who wants to be in a band (perhaps the title gave that away.)  She enlists her sisters to help her learn the guitar and gets them to play with her.  She practices (a lot) and their band performs on street corners.  After a while, they make it big but then eventually stop being the next big thing.  But they don't stop playing.  They enjoy their music and each other enough to have many years together.

Why I love this book:
First off, I think the illustrations by Giselle Potter are absolutely striking.  However, I do think this art is love it or hate it, and I happen to love it!  It reminds me a bit of Maira Kalman, whose work I adore so the pictures resonated with me immediately.  It also is a wonderful fit with the story which profiles more of an indie type band, so the pictures had to be cutting edge with a folksy bent.

I also loved the story.  The main messages are about practicing, not giving up and remembering to love your sisters, something we can all be reminded of from time to time.  It is also written in more of a conversational style, like the author is sitting there sharing her story with you, and her sense of humor is not lost in the telling.  I like that.

Who this book is for:
Great for kids who are musicians or musicians at heart.  Also good for kids who need to be reminded that siblings can be wonderful things, and that you do need to be gentle with them every once in a while!

Final thoughts:
The author is actual in a band called The Roches.  I have included a YouTube video of one of their children's songs.  Not really my speed, but fun to share with kids after you have read the book.

To purchase this book, click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Want to Be in a Band?  A portion of each purchase goes back to support this blog at no cost to you.