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I Got the Rhythm
On a simple trip to the park, the joy of music overtakes a mother and daughter. The little girl hears a rhythm coming from the world around her- from butterflies, to street performers, to ice cream sellers everything is musical! She sniffs, snaps, and shakes her way into the heart of the beat, finally busting out in an impromptu dance, which all the kids join in on! Award-winning illustrator Frank Morrison and Connie Schofield-Morrison, capture the beat of the street, to create a rollicking read that will get any kid in the mood to boogie.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2014
17 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
About the author
Connie Schofield-Morrison
8 books17 followersConnie Schofield-Morrison is a mother, author, and entrepreneur. She spent most of her childhood reading and writing poetry, songs, and fairy tales.
At the age of 19, Connie married her high school sweetheart Frank D. Morrison, a professional dancer. In 1999 Frank & Connie started their online art gallery, Morrison Graphics, which opened as a physical gallery in 2005 in the Old Fourth Ward of Atlanta, GA. Frank painted and illustrated, while Connie continued to take care of the business, their home, and their children, while writing children’s books in her spare time.
Her debut Bloomsbury Press title, I Got The Rhythm, is her first collaboration with husband and illustrator, Frank Morrison. The book is a rhythmic, soulful affirmation that a dream can become a reality, a belief that Connie has seen play out in her own life.
At the age of 19, Connie married her high school sweetheart Frank D. Morrison, a professional dancer. In 1999 Frank & Connie started their online art gallery, Morrison Graphics, which opened as a physical gallery in 2005 in the Old Fourth Ward of Atlanta, GA. Frank painted and illustrated, while Connie continued to take care of the business, their home, and their children, while writing children’s books in her spare time.
Her debut Bloomsbury Press title, I Got The Rhythm, is her first collaboration with husband and illustrator, Frank Morrison. The book is a rhythmic, soulful affirmation that a dream can become a reality, a belief that Connie has seen play out in her own life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews
January 17, 2021
While the illustrations are cute, they're about the only thing I liked about this book, which doesn't have much story but instead offers a confusing take on rhythm.
A little girl and her mother are at the park. The child senses rhythm everywhere. She thinks of it. She hears it. She sings it. Unfortunately, she also sees it and even smells it. For this age group, that's bound to be baffling. (You might be able to argue a case in which you'd see rhythm, but smell it? Unless you're talking about syncopated farts, I'm afraid you're stretching the metaphor a bit too far.)
The pictures, however, are quite good. There's lots of diversity in the colourful and appealing illustrations. I just wish that there'd been stronger text to accompany them.
I'm afraid I can't really recommend this one; the premise is just too weak. It's worth taking a look at for the illustrations, but that's about it.
A little girl and her mother are at the park. The child senses rhythm everywhere. She thinks of it. She hears it. She sings it. Unfortunately, she also sees it and even smells it. For this age group, that's bound to be baffling. (You might be able to argue a case in which you'd see rhythm, but smell it? Unless you're talking about syncopated farts, I'm afraid you're stretching the metaphor a bit too far.)
The pictures, however, are quite good. There's lots of diversity in the colourful and appealing illustrations. I just wish that there'd been stronger text to accompany them.
I'm afraid I can't really recommend this one; the premise is just too weak. It's worth taking a look at for the illustrations, but that's about it.
October 30, 2017
This went over super well in storytime!
January 24, 2022
"I Got the Rhythm" by Connie Schofield-Morrison follows a young girl as she finds rhythm everywhere she goes as she walks through her neighborhood. I thought that this was a super fun and cute book. I enjoyed the use of onomatopoeias throughout the story as they helped the reader imagine the different beats that were being created. The book had a very lively feeling which was perfectly captures by the charming illustrations that gave the characters a lot of personality. The story had a nice message about finding fun in all the little things, and helping those around you find it too. The reason I did not rate it higher was because there was not a clear story or deep lesson to be taught, but it was still a fun read!
February 29, 2020
Very cute. I can see this going over well in a children’s dance or music class.
Want to read
January 24, 2022Written and illustrated by a black couple, this book tells the story of a little girl living in the city, making music out of the sounds of the city. From the sounds of the cars in the street, the chiming of the ice cream stand, she breaks into a dance, soaking up the beat slowly forming around her. Slowly, more kids join her in her dance, making their own beat. This book celebrates the beauty all around and highlights the joy that children can find in the littlest things. Coming from the same worn out neighborhood that people of color have been excluded to, she sees the best in the world around her.
October 13, 2020
A celebration of the music of the world around us whether it's coming from the stereo or nature or the city itself, there's always something to stop and celebrate using the rhythm of life and our bodies.
The bright colors are lovely and the main character is fun as she dances through the pages with family, friends, and everyone she meets on the street. It's a celebration of vivaciousness and the beauty of song and movement but nothing super spectacular in the writing or illustrations makes it super memorable.
The bright colors are lovely and the main character is fun as she dances through the pages with family, friends, and everyone she meets on the street. It's a celebration of vivaciousness and the beauty of song and movement but nothing super spectacular in the writing or illustrations makes it super memorable.
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April 27, 2020This book explains a child loving music. A girl is going throughout the city enjoying all the rhythm. The whole book shows the different style of rhythm. The quality of this book is a well written fiction book. On page 4 you can see the girl listening to the music that someone else is making. The text even shows the sound its making with sub text. The main text says she can hear the rhythm with her ears. Making it clear where you can hear the sounds. I can see this text fitting in during music time for the class. That way it can show the different style of rhythm there is. This could go into reading literature as it shares rhythm as well.
December 4, 2025
A young girl on a walk with her mother is entranced by the rhythm and music all around her. She finds rhythm in ordinary things, such as the blinking of her own eyes or clapping of her hands. She breaks into dance and song, encouraging others to join her. The colorful illustrations by Frank Morrison depict the young girl’s influence in the community around her as they slowly join her in finding the rhythm. The young girl’s carefree and musical expression creates an interesting story that all children can enjoy. Teachers can use this story to encourage children to find musical elements in their own lives as well as inspiring them to express themselves with confidence.
January 4, 2019
This title came across in a book publisher newsletter and I had never seen it before. It was on our library shelves and is such a beautiful book. The illustrations are gorgeous, and the story would be such a fun story-time read!
February 3, 2018
This is March's Ready to Read selection and it was just a bunch of fun. I love the sound effects and music that add volumes (no pun intended :X) to a relatively simple and sweet story of a girl out in her neighborhood.
May 9, 2025
A young Black girl feels the beat of music with all her senses and with her entire body. The joyous illustrations have tons of movement to reinforce the simple text, easily understandable by younger children. A fun picture book.
April 22, 2019
I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield Morrison is about a little girl and her mom take a walk in the park and find joy in the best of the music. She saw street performers and found the beat of the music with the rhythm with her eyes, smelled the ice cream with her nose, she was singing and clapping making all the rhythms herself. Dancing through the park on the streets as all of her friends joining in with her, making everything musical.
I gave this book 4 stars because this book is a fun upbeat story. The little girl finds herself in her own world having a great time finding the rhythm and the beat. She uses her senses and shows what she is doing teaching kids this important lesson. I like that the characters are diverse and shows that she had characters of both races.
I gave this book 4 stars because this book is a fun upbeat story. The little girl finds herself in her own world having a great time finding the rhythm and the beat. She uses her senses and shows what she is doing teaching kids this important lesson. I like that the characters are diverse and shows that she had characters of both races.
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June 7, 2015School Library Journal
( October 01, 2014; 9781619631786 )
PreS-Gr 1-A young girl discovers a world of exuberant rhythm in her neighborhood, from the drummer in the park to playground clapping games to the subtle beat of butterfly wings. The straightforward narrative captures the engaging ways the narrator finds her own rhythm exploring the world around her. She "[hears] a rhythm with [her] ears," "[looks] at the rhythm with [her] eyes," "[catches] the rhythm with [her] hands," and much more. Ready made for storytime, Schofield-Morrison's text pulses with a beat of its own and practically demands audiences to clap along. Each double-page spread offers interactive elements that work for a range of ages, from vocabulary presenting each way the narrator catches the rhythm (hands, knees, feet, and more) to the fun readers can have joining in and keeping the rhythm with their own fingers, singing it with their own mouth, or tapping it with their own toes. Morrison's oil-on-canvas illustrations take their lead from the energetic text but form the core of the story with expansive spreads crackling with movement. A rich, color palette helps the action jump off the page, with a bright blue sky as the backdrop for the yellows and golds and greens of the setting complementing an array of pinks, especially the narrator's bright pink dress. The urban setting and varied cast of characters make this title particularly valuable, showcasing diversity as an integral part of everyday life.-Ted McCoy, Springfield City Library, MA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
I agree that this book really encourages readers to join in on the activities presented in the story. I have used this book in my classroom and students can’t wait to do the actions themselves. I would have mentioned that the book works well as a read aloud story, but be ready for students to get up and move!
( October 01, 2014; 9781619631786 )
PreS-Gr 1-A young girl discovers a world of exuberant rhythm in her neighborhood, from the drummer in the park to playground clapping games to the subtle beat of butterfly wings. The straightforward narrative captures the engaging ways the narrator finds her own rhythm exploring the world around her. She "[hears] a rhythm with [her] ears," "[looks] at the rhythm with [her] eyes," "[catches] the rhythm with [her] hands," and much more. Ready made for storytime, Schofield-Morrison's text pulses with a beat of its own and practically demands audiences to clap along. Each double-page spread offers interactive elements that work for a range of ages, from vocabulary presenting each way the narrator catches the rhythm (hands, knees, feet, and more) to the fun readers can have joining in and keeping the rhythm with their own fingers, singing it with their own mouth, or tapping it with their own toes. Morrison's oil-on-canvas illustrations take their lead from the energetic text but form the core of the story with expansive spreads crackling with movement. A rich, color palette helps the action jump off the page, with a bright blue sky as the backdrop for the yellows and golds and greens of the setting complementing an array of pinks, especially the narrator's bright pink dress. The urban setting and varied cast of characters make this title particularly valuable, showcasing diversity as an integral part of everyday life.-Ted McCoy, Springfield City Library, MA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
I agree that this book really encourages readers to join in on the activities presented in the story. I have used this book in my classroom and students can’t wait to do the actions themselves. I would have mentioned that the book works well as a read aloud story, but be ready for students to get up and move!
December 3, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Grade Level: Early Primary
This book is an easy and fun read. I loved the onomatopoeias in it, they make the book have some rhythm. I love how this book brings music to life. I would recommend this book if you need a book to relate to music.
Grade Level: Early Primary
This book is an easy and fun read. I loved the onomatopoeias in it, they make the book have some rhythm. I love how this book brings music to life. I would recommend this book if you need a book to relate to music.
February 22, 2017
As she walks down the street and through the park with her mother, a little girl revels in the rhythms of her neighborhood. A simple walk becomes a feast for the senses as she hears the rhythm with her ears, looks at it with her eyes, catches it with her hands, and shakes it with her hips. The catchy beat of the rhyming text make this a great book for a toddler or preschool storytime. Using a sunny palate of colors the oil on canvas illustrations feature a cast of diverse children as they are drawn into the rhythm of the city. The movement and music in the text and illustrations are an enticing invitation for readers to get up to get the rhythm, too.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
July 2, 2014
I love the illustrations in this one.
October 10, 2014
This is the perfect book to read aloud when the kids are getting wiggly - it'll get them toe-tapping, hip-shaking, hand-clapping. The art-filled pages work for a group share.
April 20, 2015
Great for a fun read aloud with younger children who need to get up and move! This would work for a music class read aloud, or a summer story time activity.
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March 4, 2020This is about a young girl. This young girl is finding her calling in life.
April 25, 2021
Title (italicize): I got the rhythm
Author: Connie Schofield-Morrison
Illustrator: Frank Morrison
Genre: Children's Literature, Fiction
Theme(s): Music, song, and dance.
Opening line/sentence (type directly from text): “I thought of a rhythm in my mind”
Brief Book Summary (2-3 sentences in your own words):
Throughout this book the little girl hears rhythm coming from all around her when taking a walk in the park with her mother. When walking through the park the little girl and her mother come across various beats and rhythms. For example, she hears the rhythm of the street performer, sees the rhythm of a butterfly and finally smells the rhythm of food vendors.
Response to Two Professional Reviews (3-4 sentences in your own words):
According to kirkusreviews.com this book is great for a read aloud. In the review it is encouraged to play music in the background but not too loud that children cant hear the story. In another review written by publishersweekly.com, it is explained that Frank Morrison used oil paints to bring the story to life.
Tell Me Framework (4 sentences in your own words):
Like(s): I liked the illustrations in this book because they are very detailed and I also enjoyed that the characters in the story all come from different backgrounds.
Dislike(s): I honestly thought that this book was a little boring. If a book is trying to show rhythm I feel as if it should be a bit more fun for the children to read.
Patterns(s): “the rhythm”
Puzzle(s): I was puzzled when she said that she could smell the rhythm of the food vendors and see the rhythm of the butterfly because I feel like that is not rhythm.
Consideration of Instructional Application (3-4 sentences in your own words):
A way one could incorporate this book into a classroom is during read aloud or before music. This book encourages children to feel the main characters inner rhythm when walking through the park with her mother. I personally would like to have students create and share their own rhythms with the class.
October 31, 2021
I Got the Rhythm, is a joyous, beautifully illustrated children's book. It is about a young girl who finds joy in everything around her. As she and her mom are walking home from the park, she notices that all aspect of life have a little rhythm and all you've got to do is look around and find it. She finds rhythm in her mind, by a street performer, insects in the sky, at an icecream stand, etc. It is definitely a fun read aloud that inspires you to find beauty/rhythm in everything!
As you read this story, you notice all of the children joining the main character as they find their rhythm. All of the kids from the neighborhood seem to joining in and dancing with pure happiness. Then you see the icecream man return, the street performer return, a friendly clown stops by, and more community members. This book does an excellent job of providing us with a "mirror" so we can see ourselves in the text. We can invision us out there dancing, finding our rhythm too. We feel captivated by this story and it makes us want to look out into our own community to find it's rhythm/beauty!
This book is a part of the own voices genre because the author and illustrator, Connie Schofield-Morrison and Frank Morrison, write from their own experiences. They have an insider perspective to this story based on their own life experiences. They created this beautiful story to help the #ownvoices movement in "... build bridges instead of, or over, walls to link people of many different backgrounds together." (Arnold & Sableski, 2020). Once you read this book, it is very apparent that they did this very well. If you have not yet had the opportunity to read, I Got the Rhythm, you absolutely should.
As you read this story, you notice all of the children joining the main character as they find their rhythm. All of the kids from the neighborhood seem to joining in and dancing with pure happiness. Then you see the icecream man return, the street performer return, a friendly clown stops by, and more community members. This book does an excellent job of providing us with a "mirror" so we can see ourselves in the text. We can invision us out there dancing, finding our rhythm too. We feel captivated by this story and it makes us want to look out into our own community to find it's rhythm/beauty!
This book is a part of the own voices genre because the author and illustrator, Connie Schofield-Morrison and Frank Morrison, write from their own experiences. They have an insider perspective to this story based on their own life experiences. They created this beautiful story to help the #ownvoices movement in "... build bridges instead of, or over, walls to link people of many different backgrounds together." (Arnold & Sableski, 2020). Once you read this book, it is very apparent that they did this very well. If you have not yet had the opportunity to read, I Got the Rhythm, you absolutely should.
March 21, 2020
An enthusiastic little girl finds rhythm all around her on a delightful walk through the city and into the park. She finds rhythm with her ears, her eyes, her nose, and even with her toes. You’ll find yourself tapping along with every beat because there’s no doubt; you’ve got the rhythm in you, too!
I Got the Rhythm is an energetic, wonderfully illustrated celebration of everyday wonders. It is a complete joy to read. While it doesn’t contain a lot of text, the illustrations make this story immensely full. This book is pure delight and revelry, straying from the bygone norm of only recounting African American stories of deficit, dependency, and poverty. The illustrations are powerfully diverse and alive, sending a bold message of unity and community. It also does a wonderful job illustrating cultural pluralism as it features diversity within the many races of the children throughout the book. While some of the children are somewhat racially ambiguous, I Got the Rhythm, makes a clear effort to be inclusive and pluralistic.
I Got the Rhythm scored a B+ on my Multicultural Children’s Literature Rubric losing points only because it does not contain a clear social agenda nor does it inspire activism. I truly do not believe that it’s necessary for every multicultural children’s book to have a social agenda or inspire activism so, despite the rubric totals, I would personally give this an A+ rating for early readers. This would be a great book to read at story time. It would be fun to follow it up with a walk somewhere that the children could use their senses to find the rhythm in their very own surroundings.
I Got the Rhythm is an energetic, wonderfully illustrated celebration of everyday wonders. It is a complete joy to read. While it doesn’t contain a lot of text, the illustrations make this story immensely full. This book is pure delight and revelry, straying from the bygone norm of only recounting African American stories of deficit, dependency, and poverty. The illustrations are powerfully diverse and alive, sending a bold message of unity and community. It also does a wonderful job illustrating cultural pluralism as it features diversity within the many races of the children throughout the book. While some of the children are somewhat racially ambiguous, I Got the Rhythm, makes a clear effort to be inclusive and pluralistic.
I Got the Rhythm scored a B+ on my Multicultural Children’s Literature Rubric losing points only because it does not contain a clear social agenda nor does it inspire activism. I truly do not believe that it’s necessary for every multicultural children’s book to have a social agenda or inspire activism so, despite the rubric totals, I would personally give this an A+ rating for early readers. This would be a great book to read at story time. It would be fun to follow it up with a walk somewhere that the children could use their senses to find the rhythm in their very own surroundings.
March 25, 2021
A little girl parades the town with her mother. While walking, she admires the rhythm of the different sounds, scents, people, movements, etc.
This book represents more than just a story of a young girl. Children's Literature, Briefly (pg.79) states "Diverse literature can reflect the unique life experiences of underrepresented or marginalized children at the same time it encourages readers/listeners to recognize and celebrate our shared humanity." (Sims Bishop, 2016) The quality of diversity in this book are represented in many forms. The main character in this reading is a young African American child and the minor characters in this book are people of different races, careers, clothing, etc. This book is a representation of one's life experience through the story of a little girl. For example, throughout this reading we are able to understand her freedom of being able to roam the park/neighborhood happily and see her connect with people who do not look like her. Although this experience does not stand for all people of this race, it tells a story of a little girl's experience in her society.
The intended audience for this reading would be kindergarten and 1st grade. This book is a simplistic reading that conveys a message of enjoying the beauty of the world around you and connecting with others. The illustrations plus the use of the figurative language, an onomatopoeia, allows the young readers to become engaged to the text. This reading is a great example to use in a read aloud for kindergarten and as shared reading text for 1st graders (and even a bed time story!) Overall, a joyful reading.
This book represents more than just a story of a young girl. Children's Literature, Briefly (pg.79) states "Diverse literature can reflect the unique life experiences of underrepresented or marginalized children at the same time it encourages readers/listeners to recognize and celebrate our shared humanity." (Sims Bishop, 2016) The quality of diversity in this book are represented in many forms. The main character in this reading is a young African American child and the minor characters in this book are people of different races, careers, clothing, etc. This book is a representation of one's life experience through the story of a little girl. For example, throughout this reading we are able to understand her freedom of being able to roam the park/neighborhood happily and see her connect with people who do not look like her. Although this experience does not stand for all people of this race, it tells a story of a little girl's experience in her society.
The intended audience for this reading would be kindergarten and 1st grade. This book is a simplistic reading that conveys a message of enjoying the beauty of the world around you and connecting with others. The illustrations plus the use of the figurative language, an onomatopoeia, allows the young readers to become engaged to the text. This reading is a great example to use in a read aloud for kindergarten and as shared reading text for 1st graders (and even a bed time story!) Overall, a joyful reading.
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November 26, 2019Plot: On a simple trip to the park, the joy of music overtakes a mother and daughter. The little girl hears a rhythm coming from the world around her- from butterflies, to street performers, to ice cream sellers everything is musical! She sniffs, snaps, and shakes her way into the heart of the beat.
The illustrations are rich, with color palettes that help the action jump off the page, with a bright blue sky as the backdrop for the yellows and golds and greens of the setting complementing an array of pinks, especially the narrator's bright pink dress.
Themes: The urban setting and varied cast of characters make this title particularly valuable, showcasing diversity as an integral part of everyday life. Capturing the beat of the street, to create a rollicking read that will get any kid in the mood to boogie.
Personal Reaction: I loved this book. In this fractured fairytale, I loved that Ruby was building a fort instead of baking—and she had mom and grandma help build.
Curriculum Connections: This book is a great way to build foundational literacy skills. As preschoolers hear and say rhymes in the book, they begin to hear sounds within words and identify when those sounds are the same, building phonological awareness. Preschoolers can develop their oral skills as they say the rhymes. Creating a lesson around this book could help children begin to predict what is coming or predict what word will end the sentence. These predictive skills is also important pre-reading skills.
The illustrations are rich, with color palettes that help the action jump off the page, with a bright blue sky as the backdrop for the yellows and golds and greens of the setting complementing an array of pinks, especially the narrator's bright pink dress.
Themes: The urban setting and varied cast of characters make this title particularly valuable, showcasing diversity as an integral part of everyday life. Capturing the beat of the street, to create a rollicking read that will get any kid in the mood to boogie.
Personal Reaction: I loved this book. In this fractured fairytale, I loved that Ruby was building a fort instead of baking—and she had mom and grandma help build.
Curriculum Connections: This book is a great way to build foundational literacy skills. As preschoolers hear and say rhymes in the book, they begin to hear sounds within words and identify when those sounds are the same, building phonological awareness. Preschoolers can develop their oral skills as they say the rhymes. Creating a lesson around this book could help children begin to predict what is coming or predict what word will end the sentence. These predictive skills is also important pre-reading skills.
August 22, 2020
I discovered this award-winning book, I Got the Rhythm written by Connie Schofield Morrison and illustrated by Frank Morrison, in a LibraryThing website review. I followed this
contemporary realistic fiction, picture book in an easy to follow, animated Sankofa Read-Aloud on Youtube. Frank uses bright, lively illustrations and sounds of the urban environment to help tell a story of the joy and enchantment of a mother and daughter as they trek to the park. The daughter uses all her senses to feel the rhythm of drums, butterflies, ice cream and such, and mimics the beat by instinctively dancing while inciting others to do the same.
The story is influenced by the author’s own upbringing, reflection on life and aspirations.
Similarly, the illustrator’s clever use of oil canvas with
bright, lively colors and personality to draw the readers’ attention. In addition, the clothes are inspired by illustrator’s own children and dancing by his own, old dance moves.
If you believe dreams do come true, you will enjoy this book.
This book is great for children Pre-K thru 1st grade, as emergent learners, providing another form of literacy, visual ideas. This can be used to teach interpersonal relationships, getting along with different types of communities, self-discovery and ultimately defining who that child is in relation to the world and affirming one's identity.
contemporary realistic fiction, picture book in an easy to follow, animated Sankofa Read-Aloud on Youtube. Frank uses bright, lively illustrations and sounds of the urban environment to help tell a story of the joy and enchantment of a mother and daughter as they trek to the park. The daughter uses all her senses to feel the rhythm of drums, butterflies, ice cream and such, and mimics the beat by instinctively dancing while inciting others to do the same.
The story is influenced by the author’s own upbringing, reflection on life and aspirations.
Similarly, the illustrator’s clever use of oil canvas with
bright, lively colors and personality to draw the readers’ attention. In addition, the clothes are inspired by illustrator’s own children and dancing by his own, old dance moves.
If you believe dreams do come true, you will enjoy this book.
This book is great for children Pre-K thru 1st grade, as emergent learners, providing another form of literacy, visual ideas. This can be used to teach interpersonal relationships, getting along with different types of communities, self-discovery and ultimately defining who that child is in relation to the world and affirming one's identity.
February 9, 2023
This book is about a young girl that hears rhythm everywhere she goes and on a bright and sunny day she starts singing/dancing and gets others to join in. The book relies on onomatopoeia and other sound words, offers some great rhyme, and includes hip hop dance moves (a bonus!).
This book could best be used in a dance-type setting in which the instructor/librarian is teaching youth about dance, rhythm, rhyming, etc. Unique to this book is the inclusion of mainly diverse characters, including a black narrator who leads us on her dance expedition. The pairing of action words with the images could give youth more to think about – ask them to move to the book, essentially, creating a physical education component to the reading.
I found these illustrations to be some of the nicest because they actually look like they’re made out of chalk, pencil, etc., and on many pages have an almost 3-D feel to them. Another great thing about this book is that even though it is for younger readers, it includes a lot of ‘harder’ words that readers are getting used to (knock, for example). The words start off easy, get harder, and then as they get harder more words are added. A great reader could do a great job of making actual rhythms while reading this book, which I think would lend itself well to an in-person reading.
This book could best be used in a dance-type setting in which the instructor/librarian is teaching youth about dance, rhythm, rhyming, etc. Unique to this book is the inclusion of mainly diverse characters, including a black narrator who leads us on her dance expedition. The pairing of action words with the images could give youth more to think about – ask them to move to the book, essentially, creating a physical education component to the reading.
I found these illustrations to be some of the nicest because they actually look like they’re made out of chalk, pencil, etc., and on many pages have an almost 3-D feel to them. Another great thing about this book is that even though it is for younger readers, it includes a lot of ‘harder’ words that readers are getting used to (knock, for example). The words start off easy, get harder, and then as they get harder more words are added. A great reader could do a great job of making actual rhythms while reading this book, which I think would lend itself well to an in-person reading.
November 18, 2024
1. "I Got the Rhythm" by Connie Schofield-Morrison is a delightful picture book that targets young children, primarily in the age range of 3 to 7 years old.
2. The story follows the protagonist as she embarks on a joyful journey through her neighborhood, discovering rhythm all around her—from the sway of the trees to the beat of her steps. The narrative encapsulates the essence of finding music and motion in the simple pleasures of life, encouraging readers to recognize the rhythms that exist in their world.
Key themes in the book include self-expression, the joy of movement, and the beauty of diversity. These are explored through the lens of daily experiences and the diversity of the urban landscape
3. This book was selected for my library due to its dynamic representation of movement and sound, which resonates with young readers and encourages a broad appreciation of different cultures and forms of expression. In the classroom, "I Got the Rhythm" can be used to introduce students to concepts of rhythm and poetry, as well as to foster discussions about sensory experiences and cultural diversity. I can engage students in activities such as creating their own rhythmic beats, drawing their interpretations of the story, or exploring similar themes through dance and music.
2. The story follows the protagonist as she embarks on a joyful journey through her neighborhood, discovering rhythm all around her—from the sway of the trees to the beat of her steps. The narrative encapsulates the essence of finding music and motion in the simple pleasures of life, encouraging readers to recognize the rhythms that exist in their world.
Key themes in the book include self-expression, the joy of movement, and the beauty of diversity. These are explored through the lens of daily experiences and the diversity of the urban landscape
3. This book was selected for my library due to its dynamic representation of movement and sound, which resonates with young readers and encourages a broad appreciation of different cultures and forms of expression. In the classroom, "I Got the Rhythm" can be used to introduce students to concepts of rhythm and poetry, as well as to foster discussions about sensory experiences and cultural diversity. I can engage students in activities such as creating their own rhythmic beats, drawing their interpretations of the story, or exploring similar themes through dance and music.
May 2, 2019
This book is about a little girl. At the beginning the day she thinks of a rhythm. Then the rest of the book is what she does about it. First she hears it then she sings it, then she dances to it and plays it on a drum. By the end of the book her and the kids around her are moving every part of their body to the rhythm.
I liked this book and the story is cute. But my favorite part of this book is the illustrations. First of all, the little girl is adorable in it. Also all of the drawings are so pretty and full of these vibrant colors. I think I could read it without the words. There is also a lot of onomatopoeias in it.
I would definitely read this in a classroom. Probably with lower elementary students. If I did read it for the class I think I would want to emphasize the illustrations. So first I would go through it without reading the words and ask the students to tell me what they think was happening on each page. Then we would go through and actually read the words. And I think an activity that would go with this book would definitely be a dance party!
I liked this book and the story is cute. But my favorite part of this book is the illustrations. First of all, the little girl is adorable in it. Also all of the drawings are so pretty and full of these vibrant colors. I think I could read it without the words. There is also a lot of onomatopoeias in it.
I would definitely read this in a classroom. Probably with lower elementary students. If I did read it for the class I think I would want to emphasize the illustrations. So first I would go through it without reading the words and ask the students to tell me what they think was happening on each page. Then we would go through and actually read the words. And I think an activity that would go with this book would definitely be a dance party!
November 16, 2020
On a trip through the park with her mother, this girl finds herself loving music. She hears the rhythm coming from the world around her and finds different ways to express herself (dancing, snapping, blinking). In the end, she bursts out dancing and all the children in the park join in.
I think my favorite part of this book was the artwork. I personally really liked the style and think Morrison did an amazing job. I love how you can see movement within the pictures and the text around it.
The story was very simple. A majority of the pages only included one line such as:
“I looked at the rhythm with my eyes.”
“I kept the rhythm with my fingers”
It was just all a little too simple for my taste. I prefer books that are longer that I can use for reading aloud but I think this would be a nice book to include in the classroom library. You could also use this book to get your kids up and moving by having them repeat the action that is done in the book.
I think my favorite part of this book was the artwork. I personally really liked the style and think Morrison did an amazing job. I love how you can see movement within the pictures and the text around it.
The story was very simple. A majority of the pages only included one line such as:
“I looked at the rhythm with my eyes.”
“I kept the rhythm with my fingers”
It was just all a little too simple for my taste. I prefer books that are longer that I can use for reading aloud but I think this would be a nice book to include in the classroom library. You could also use this book to get your kids up and moving by having them repeat the action that is done in the book.
March 17, 2018
This book is very culturally responsive, as the images show kids that are a variety of races. I liked that there was not a level of self segregation that I feel I typically see with children’s books. Sadly, many books also only include white kids or only include black kids. I give props to Connie for being able to show a variety of races because that is realistic in the real world! In a child’s perspective, this book is simply about a young girl who feels rhythm in many different areas of life. She wants people around her to know that music is not only meant to be heard, but also to be understood and felt. This is a wonderful book to read to students who may or may not have a musical background. More books should contain cultural aspects like this book did, in a respectful and all seeing way. The flow of the story made it easy to follow and read along.
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