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Jazzmatazz!
When a piano-playing mouse slips inside a house to get warm, watch out! In no time he has a whole family, then a whole town, making music. They're drumming, fiddling, singing, dancing, and jazzmatazz jamming! Stephanie Calmenson's sing-aloud words and Bruce Degen's eye-dancing pictures bring music to every page. What kind of music will you make?
32 pages, Library Binding
First published February 1, 2008
About the author
Stephanie Calmenson
156 books36 followersStephanie Calmenson's many popular titles include concept books, funny school stories, poetry collections, books about dogs and, with Magic School Bus author Joanna Cole, anthologies and beginning reader chapter books.
Stephanie's books have been called "marvelous" (PW), "lyrical" (SLJ), "hilarious" (SLJ), "sweet, funny, and right on the mark" (Booklist).
Before turning to writing, Stephanie was a teacher, a children's book editor, and Editorial Director of Parents Magazine's Read-Aloud Book Club.
Website: my link text
Stephanie's books have been called "marvelous" (PW), "lyrical" (SLJ), "hilarious" (SLJ), "sweet, funny, and right on the mark" (Booklist).
Before turning to writing, Stephanie was a teacher, a children's book editor, and Editorial Director of Parents Magazine's Read-Aloud Book Club.
Website: my link text
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 6, 2015
This is one of those story time books I've been using for ages, but somehow never remembered to put on GR.
It's a solid toddler time book with a great jazzy refrain--"do dat, diddy dat, diddy dat, do." I usually hand out shaker eggs before I read this story and we practice chanting the refrain and shaking the shaker eggs. Segue into the Laurie Berkner song, "I Know a Chicken," and it's good times.
I'm more conscious than I would have been a few years ago of how _white_ it is, so I might consider pairing it with something like Jazz Baby by Walker or Brian Pinkney's version of Hush, Little Baby. I had a co-worker who absolutely PWNED with Jazz Baby though, so I've always been nervous of using it myself.
It's a solid toddler time book with a great jazzy refrain--"do dat, diddy dat, diddy dat, do." I usually hand out shaker eggs before I read this story and we practice chanting the refrain and shaking the shaker eggs. Segue into the Laurie Berkner song, "I Know a Chicken," and it's good times.
I'm more conscious than I would have been a few years ago of how _white_ it is, so I might consider pairing it with something like Jazz Baby by Walker or Brian Pinkney's version of Hush, Little Baby. I had a co-worker who absolutely PWNED with Jazz Baby though, so I've always been nervous of using it myself.
December 19, 2022
music, nov. 2022
May 21, 2023
Ok story for young kids
December 6, 2017
Such a fun book for growing sprouts! I loved all of the play on words and the fun repeated rhythms! This book is upbeat and positive! A lot of color dancing across the pages and songs within the text! This is a very easy and exciting read for all!
December 19, 2017
cute book. my daughter enjoyed it. She loves music dancing and singing
March 1, 2012
The weather is turning cold and a little field mouse scurries inside the house of a family, he runs through the kitchen and to the piano. He jumps on the keys and jazzy music rises from his dancing feet, “Doo-dat, diddy-dat, Diddy-dat, doo!” Soon all the animals have joined in from the dog to the goldfish, each one adding their own colorful and rhythmic addition to the jazzy jam. Next, the humans of the house are sucked into the music. Baby is tapping, Mama is clapping, and Daddy is whistling a tune. Finally, the entire neighborhood, both animal and human, arrives to bring the celebration to a musical finish.
The text of the book trips off the tongue jazzy rhythms and is full of fun words and vocal scatting. The illustrations help to build up the story to it’s rambunctious ending. Each animal or human has a different sound they add to the music and each sound is illustrated by a different shape and color. For instance, the dog playing his dish like a drum makes a sound that looks like orange and red fireworks, while the bird tweets yellow comma shapes. Each addition to the soundscape is woven through and around the other sounds.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
The text of the book trips off the tongue jazzy rhythms and is full of fun words and vocal scatting. The illustrations help to build up the story to it’s rambunctious ending. Each animal or human has a different sound they add to the music and each sound is illustrated by a different shape and color. For instance, the dog playing his dish like a drum makes a sound that looks like orange and red fireworks, while the bird tweets yellow comma shapes. Each addition to the soundscape is woven through and around the other sounds.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
October 15, 2008
Summary: A mouse enters the house on a cold day. He runs across the piano and that causes the whole house to start playing different music. Everyone joins together and plays one great big song.
Uses: shared reading in grades k-2nd; independent reading for early readers; recommend to all students; great for teaching the poetry genre; possibly continue with the rhythm until each child comes up with a new "sound" (great way to incorporate rhythm and song into your classroom)
Literary Devices: rhymes, personification, onomatopoeia, allusion
Social issues: everyone is different just like everyone makes a different sound, everyone is important; working together
Other: This text is written in rhymes. It is perfect for a shared reading (all can join in on the chorus of "doo-dat, diddy-dat, diddy-dat, doo!"). It would be easy to read this story with expression. Children will love it!
Uses: shared reading in grades k-2nd; independent reading for early readers; recommend to all students; great for teaching the poetry genre; possibly continue with the rhythm until each child comes up with a new "sound" (great way to incorporate rhythm and song into your classroom)
Literary Devices: rhymes, personification, onomatopoeia, allusion
Social issues: everyone is different just like everyone makes a different sound, everyone is important; working together
Other: This text is written in rhymes. It is perfect for a shared reading (all can join in on the chorus of "doo-dat, diddy-dat, diddy-dat, doo!"). It would be easy to read this story with expression. Children will love it!
April 28, 2015
Very popular at my SOE program. I had to promise to hold it for a parent for the following week since I had several jazz story times. 4/25/11
It was also popular this year at TPK. A parent grabbed it after the program so I had to order another copy for my Tuesday evening program. I hope to use it again since the rain kept attendence down for Story Time and plus repetition is good at that age right? 4/18/12
Well received at Story Time again. 4/24/13
Went over really well again at story time. I used it as my last book and since my story time crowd has gotten young (2's instead of 5's) I have had trouble keeping everyone's attention for the last book, but not this time.
It was also popular this year at TPK. A parent grabbed it after the program so I had to order another copy for my Tuesday evening program. I hope to use it again since the rain kept attendence down for Story Time and plus repetition is good at that age right? 4/18/12
Well received at Story Time again. 4/24/13
Went over really well again at story time. I used it as my last book and since my story time crowd has gotten young (2's instead of 5's) I have had trouble keeping everyone's attention for the last book, but not this time.
December 4, 2010
I would read this book to students in grades K-2. This book is about a mouse that gets a family and town to making music in no time. In this book, the characters are tapping and scatting. I would read this book to get students singing and moving throughout classroom. This book would be a good book to read to introduce different genres of music. For higher leveled learners, I would use NEA Jazz in the Schools website as a supplement.
July 22, 2009
This book is funny because I heard my 3 1/2 yr old singing the ditty dat ditty dat ditty dat do to himself the several days after reading it. It's a little annoying to read, but catchy, which he picked up on. I love the idea that a mouse in the house would play jazz and start a household party as opposed to reeking havoc too.
January 14, 2013
I loved the story in this book about a little mouse who brings music to a baby's house (although I hate Jazz, lol). The language had a really fun beat and was just overall charming. The illustrations really bothered me, however. They were too busy and pastel colored. I felt my eyes crossing. I'd definitely use this for a music story time.
July 27, 2010
We have really enjoyed Bruce Degen's work, especially in the Magic School Bus series. This is a short, fun story that is more of an improv jazz tune than anything. It has a refrain and some fun "lyrics" and the illustrations are colorful and playful.
March 3, 2011
This vibrant musical book also makes it easy to follow the words on the pages because the colorful illustrations depict every detail of the rhyming words.
Early Literacy Skills:
Phonological Awareness
Print Awareness
Print Motivation
Vocabulary
Early Literacy Skills:
Phonological Awareness
Print Awareness
Print Motivation
Vocabulary
November 11, 2011
I'm not that big on these nonsense word/musical books but my four year old enjoyed it, so I think there is something to reading poetry and rhymes to kids. As an adult it is useful to remember that what appeals to us is different than what our children like.
January 14, 2012
"Doo-dat, diddy-day, diddy-dat, doo!" I love this catchy beat. A little, cold mouse comes into a house and starts to play jazz. Soon all the animals are joining in and everyone is dancing. I love hose the colors intensify as the book goes on. Fun and catchy for all.
September 4, 2013
This is the story of what happens when a mouse comes into your house—he plays jazz, of course! And soon the whole house is up playing and dancing along with him. The rhymes and rhythms in this book are great for phonologic awareness!
November 5, 2014
This book was a hit in my preschool storytime, and I loved it too! The "doo-dat, diddy-dat, diddy-dat-doo!" jazz refrain encourages audience participation, and you can't help but feel that rhythm when you're reading the book!
March 10, 2008
Fun musical book for babies and toddlers. Good storytime option.
April 8, 2008
A story with a beat. Lots of fun for Music storytime.
June 9, 2008
Fun fun!
August 14, 2008
This book is great Max loves it.
October 16, 2008
Another of DD's favorite. She enjoys all the different sounds the animals make as they play jazz. Cute book. Worth renting from the library.
February 16, 2009
I liked the rhythm of this book and think it would read aloud really well. This would be great in a music or rhythm storytime.
August 4, 2009
Pretty fun and jazzy, although I think a couple of the rhythms are a bit off. It made a few pages tough to read out loud. I really like how the pictures give a feeling of music and movement.
December 19, 2016
Read at Baby/Toddler Story Time on 4/19/11.
http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
October 20, 2011
Toddler
February 13, 2012
Cute story with interesting pictures. I like how the writer explains at the end of the book where the idea for the story came from.
November 27, 2013
When a mouse scurries into a house and starts to play jazz music, other animals join in, one by one, each using his or her own particular talent.
March 27, 2014
delightful pictures. rhyming text. very jazzy and fun.
November 18, 2014
A good musical rhyme scheme book in which there is a catch phrase for kids to sing with you and different animals all play instruments.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews