Do Re Mi: If You Can Read Music, Thank Guido D'Arezzo

by Susan L. Roth, Angelo Mafucci

If you can read musical notes, you can sing any song or play any piece. But musical notes have not always been here. Long ago, songs were memorized. If songs were forgotten, they were lost forever.
Thanks to one man, Guido d’Arezzo, music now can last forever.

Genres: Music, Picture Books, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Childrens, School

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 8, 2007

About the author

Susan L. Roth creates unique mixed-media collage illustrations that have appeared in numerous award-winning children’s books, many of which she also wrote. Her book, Listen to the Wind, spent a year on the New York Times best seller list. The Mangrove Tree, which was released in 2011 and addressed Dr. Gordon Sato's mangrove tree-planting project, was the winner of Jane Addams Children's Book Award. Roth lives in New York.

Reviews

[Luisa Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here's a book that patterns its narrative style after the modern children's stories to explain how notating music came to be.

Ages: 4 - 7

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[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess just as languages were invented, so too did our musical language need to be invented, but I had never stopped to think about that. How interesting to think of a time before staffs and notes and clefs. It feels like second-nature to conjure up images of the sheet music I practiced in high school, but to think about how much work it took Guido d'Arezzo to come up with this language is incredible! And to continue to do so his whole life even as many resisted the idea of change (what's new) is a testament to his perseverance and conviction.

I have been reading through all of the books illustrated and written by Susan L. Roth that my library system has, and I am continually astounded by two things. The first is how much research she puts into a story that essentially amounts to less than 20 pages of finished work! That alone endears all her books to me, because I appreciate when anyone puts in their time and effort into something without any guarantee that anyone will notice that time and effort. The second is that her method of illustration--the best word I can think of is collage, although I'm not sure that's correct--has grown on me. Initially I wondered at the choice of it. I wondered what it brought to the stories that pencil or watercolor or other "normal" illustration choices did not (especially since I'm sure it takes a lot of materials and work to put together a whole book like this). Now that I have read several of her books I understand that it brings a 3D feel to the story. The texture of Guido's hair, for example, makes him come off the page as a real person. And there is another quality that it brings to the reading experience that I am unable to articulate except that there is a certainly feeling conjured by the collage aesthetic. I want to go back and reread those first books that I read when I didn't "get it" to see how they change for me.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been done a lot better.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Objectively, it's a four star book. I do recommend it to readers and families who sing, play instruments, etc.

It's interesting, with charming art, good note, glossary, & selected bibliography. I never really thought about what it must have been like to only be able to learn songs by hearing and memorizing them.

I'm only giving it four stars because it's not my field of interest and didn't quite reach through my indifference, didn't have universal appeal.

(I do appreciate the sticker in my library copy that says 'funding for this book provided by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.)

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never given any thought about how written music originated until this book.

[Blackpanther123 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging... a picture-book, but I liked it

[Miri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super interesting collage-type illustrations. A little too text-heavy for storytime, but could be good for older children who are interested in history or music.

[Margaret Schachte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing is okay but the art is amazing.

[Miri Gifford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super interesting collage-type illustrations. A little too text-heavy for storytime, but good for older children who are interested in history or music.

[Amanda Walz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never heard of Guido d'Arezzo before I read this book. He's the guy that invented how we write music! Wow! This is a nice picture book, though I found the illustrations interesting.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story for teaching children about where our current notation system got its start. Took off a star because the illustrations, while interesting and well done, aren't very child-friendly.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really gorgeous book, made with paper, watercolors, felt, and fur collage. It's a quick history of the invention of musical notation by Guido D'Arezzo, which was really an astounding and amazing feat. People who aren't musicians usually don't know who Guido was, and probably don't even think about what the world would be like if we weren't able to communicate musical sounds through writing. It's very beautifully illustrated and told in a language that would please both children and adults.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this at my library book sale, and then gave it to my brother and sister-in-law-both musicians. If there is anyone who loves and plays music in your life, they might want to read this, to discover the origins of musical notation. The persistence of someone so passionate for an idea rings strongly throughout the story. The illustrations are beautifully dreamy.

[Cassidy Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture book style biography about Guido d'Arezzo. Guido d'Arezzo was the first person to create the musical scale, making it possible for music to be read, not just memorized. The book follows his trials and tribulations of trying to figure out just exactly HOW to write the sounds of music. Best suited for 1st-6th

[Rhea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book did not wow me with its flow, but I think if a young class were learning a little bit of music history, then it would be nice to read this book to read in a small group or as individuals. The illustrations were interesting

[Heather Why · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story of which I was not aware, but it's really the illustrations that make this sing. (Ha! See what I did there?)

[Josianne Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

More beautiful torn paper illustrations from Susan Roth. I would have liked more detail on how Guido d'Arezzo came up with the principles of notation.

[Mills College Library]

Picture R845d 2006

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enchanting way to teach young music students about the origins of our music notation system.

Will be using this in my classroom!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting picture book biography of the man who invented musical notation, though I'm not sure how interesting this book would be to anyone other than musicians.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool collage illustrations introduce readers to the monk who figured out how to put sounds on paper, creating the system of written music that we still use today.