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A Fiddle for Angus
Angus’ family is musical. Everyone has their own instrument and everyone knows how to make music. But Angus can only hum along to his family’s playing, and humming isn’t good enough. Angus wants to join his family’s orchestra.
When Angus’ father tells him the family will give him an instrument, he can’t choose until he hears the fiddle at a ceilidh. But fiddling is hard; he can’t make the music he wants. With patience, practice, and lots of lessons, Angus’ fingers learn how to play, and the music inside him finds a way out.
Budge Wilson’s story will ring true for every young musician and is a fitting tribute to the music makers of Cape Breton.
When Angus’ father tells him the family will give him an instrument, he can’t choose until he hears the fiddle at a ceilidh. But fiddling is hard; he can’t make the music he wants. With patience, practice, and lots of lessons, Angus’ fingers learn how to play, and the music inside him finds a way out.
Budge Wilson’s story will ring true for every young musician and is a fitting tribute to the music makers of Cape Breton.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 18, 2001
32 people want to read
About the author
Budge Wilson
43 books86 followersBudge was educated in Halifax schools and at Dalhousie University (degree in Philosophy and Psychology, Diploma in Education, Physical Education teaching certificate). She did two years of graduate work in English at the University of Toronto, and worked at the Institute of Child Study (U. of T.) for four years--filing, illustrating, editing, writing. She illustrated three books for the University of Toronto Press, worked for several years as a freelance commercial artist and child photographer, and was a fitness instructor from 1968 to 1989. She has been writing juvenile and adult fiction since 1978, with her first book published in 1984. Her work has been published in ten countries and in seven languages.
After living in Ontario for over twenty-five years, Budge and Alan returned to Nova Scotia in 1989, and live in a small fishing village on the South Shore of the province.
After living in Ontario for over twenty-five years, Budge and Alan returned to Nova Scotia in 1989, and live in a small fishing village on the South Shore of the province.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 22, 2020
So yes and delightfully, Budge Wilson's picture book A Fiddle for Angus tenderly and sweetly presents a beautiful, evocative homage to Nova Scotia and to its Celtic influenced tradition of ceilidh (musical get togethers that are generally family and neighbourhood based and usually informal in scope) and then of course how wee Angus receives his first musical instrument. For he is the youngest son of a Cape Breton family where everyone plays an instrument and makes music together (and for me, A Fiddle for Angus is this rather reminiscent of the internationally famous Rankin Family of folk musicians, who do indeed all hail from Cape Breton, and I also have to wonder a bit if the Natalie who is featured in the ceilidh at the nearby village is supposed to represent, is perhaps supposed to be world famous Nova Scotia fiddle sensation Natalie McMaster).
Now both Budge Wilson's narrative and Susan Tooke's accompanying acrylics, yes indeed, they absolutely do provide a magical and enchanting marriage of text and image (glowingly and lovingly showing the sights, but also of course implying the many sounds of Nova Scotia, of Cape Breton, its natural beauty, its strong musical and family traditions). Highly recommended for anyone (but in particular to and for young readers interested in Nova Scotia), A Fiddle for Angus is also especially suitable for children desiring to learn how to play a musical instrument (with the small caveat that there is quite a lot of text presented and thus A Fiddle for Angus, while indeed delightful, is probably better suited to older children above the age of six or so).
And yes, I also so much do in A Fiddle for Angus appreciate how when his family notices that Angus, who used to enjoy simply humming along during their informal musical get-togethers, obviously now clearly requires something more (more active participation), instead of simply foisting some random instrument on him, they let him choose for himself which instrument he would like to try, what kind of a musician he would like to be (and in his case, after much soul searching and personal dialogues with himself, Angus chooses a fiddle). And naturally, realistically, Angus of course, at first struggles learning how to play his new instrument (and I am indeed so very glad that author Budge Wilson has not shied away from demonstrating that learning any kind of a musical instrument requires both patience and practice, and that especially stringed instruments like fiddles, violins and the like are often incredibly difficult for beginners, so that when Angus first tries his new fiddle, there is a sound "like a gull whose fish had been stolen" or the "harsh cry of a heron"). The music must be coaxed out, but it will take time for Angus to learn how to do this, to actually master his fiddle. And then one day in June (many months after Angus had received his fiddle and after many many weeks of often frustrating lessons), he tells his family (who are playing music on the beach) that he is now ready to join them (and together, they play a wild Cape Breton jig, with Angus more than keeping up, the sounds of his fiddle like "ripples over the water").
And finally, as pictures in and of themselves, Susan Tooke's accompanying artwork for A Fiddle for Angus might at times seem almost a bit overly bright, even potentially garish (especially with regard to how she depicts people, particularly their facial features), in conjunction with Budge Wilson's caressingly descriptive narrative, they are indeed and n fact simply perfect, providing not only a glowing complement to the latter, but also rather expanding on it (showing the natural maritime beauty of Cape Breton with its beaches, its small villages with their wooden fishing boats, as well as the joyful and melodious musical traditions of Cape Breton, of close family ties, and that in Cape Breton, music is not only of prime importance, it is often very much a way of life and a family affair). Highly recommend is is A Fiddle for Angus (and indeed, a very full and shining five stars for me)!
Now both Budge Wilson's narrative and Susan Tooke's accompanying acrylics, yes indeed, they absolutely do provide a magical and enchanting marriage of text and image (glowingly and lovingly showing the sights, but also of course implying the many sounds of Nova Scotia, of Cape Breton, its natural beauty, its strong musical and family traditions). Highly recommended for anyone (but in particular to and for young readers interested in Nova Scotia), A Fiddle for Angus is also especially suitable for children desiring to learn how to play a musical instrument (with the small caveat that there is quite a lot of text presented and thus A Fiddle for Angus, while indeed delightful, is probably better suited to older children above the age of six or so).
And yes, I also so much do in A Fiddle for Angus appreciate how when his family notices that Angus, who used to enjoy simply humming along during their informal musical get-togethers, obviously now clearly requires something more (more active participation), instead of simply foisting some random instrument on him, they let him choose for himself which instrument he would like to try, what kind of a musician he would like to be (and in his case, after much soul searching and personal dialogues with himself, Angus chooses a fiddle). And naturally, realistically, Angus of course, at first struggles learning how to play his new instrument (and I am indeed so very glad that author Budge Wilson has not shied away from demonstrating that learning any kind of a musical instrument requires both patience and practice, and that especially stringed instruments like fiddles, violins and the like are often incredibly difficult for beginners, so that when Angus first tries his new fiddle, there is a sound "like a gull whose fish had been stolen" or the "harsh cry of a heron"). The music must be coaxed out, but it will take time for Angus to learn how to do this, to actually master his fiddle. And then one day in June (many months after Angus had received his fiddle and after many many weeks of often frustrating lessons), he tells his family (who are playing music on the beach) that he is now ready to join them (and together, they play a wild Cape Breton jig, with Angus more than keeping up, the sounds of his fiddle like "ripples over the water").
And finally, as pictures in and of themselves, Susan Tooke's accompanying artwork for A Fiddle for Angus might at times seem almost a bit overly bright, even potentially garish (especially with regard to how she depicts people, particularly their facial features), in conjunction with Budge Wilson's caressingly descriptive narrative, they are indeed and n fact simply perfect, providing not only a glowing complement to the latter, but also rather expanding on it (showing the natural maritime beauty of Cape Breton with its beaches, its small villages with their wooden fishing boats, as well as the joyful and melodious musical traditions of Cape Breton, of close family ties, and that in Cape Breton, music is not only of prime importance, it is often very much a way of life and a family affair). Highly recommend is is A Fiddle for Angus (and indeed, a very full and shining five stars for me)!
March 27, 2021
This hardcover children's book was written by Budge Wilson, the award-winning author of many children's books. She lived in Northwest Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada.🇨🇦
Budge Wilson died at the age of 93 on March 19, 2021.
The art done by Susan Tooke for A Fiddle for Angus enhances the story about Angus and his musical family in Cape Breton.
Budge Wilson died at the age of 93 on March 19, 2021.
The art done by Susan Tooke for A Fiddle for Angus enhances the story about Angus and his musical family in Cape Breton.
October 15, 2016
Charming and lovely. Simple plot makes the message clear. Love the details in the art, like the tablecloth print of apple cores, or Angus's yellow pull-over, or the boats in the harbor. Just can't like the way the faces are drawn, though.
October 22, 2016
A simple but meaningful story about family bonds, music and traditions. It is made clear that playing an instrument requires patience and practice.
The illustrations suit the narration perfectly and capture the atmosphere of Cape Breton's beautiful coast with its beaches and small villages.
The illustrations suit the narration perfectly and capture the atmosphere of Cape Breton's beautiful coast with its beaches and small villages.
August 19, 2020
Angus is the youngest in his cape Breton family. They all play instruments, and he wants to learn one, too. When Angus is ready, his father takes him to choose the instrument he wants.
The story is warm and true in its portrayal of family heritage and tradition for many in Cape Breton.
The story is warm and true in its portrayal of family heritage and tradition for many in Cape Breton.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews