THE OBOE GOES BOOM BOOM BOOM

As a band director instructs the new band members on the different instruments they can play, he must also contend with a very enthusiastic drummer.

A group of excited-looking children is joining the band today. Mr. V, the band director, tells them “There is a perfect instrument for everyone. Let’s find yours!” First up, the clarinet. After telling the children about the different characteristics of the instrument, he invites one to try it out. But instead, all sounds are drowned out by a BOOM, BOOM, BOOM coming from Felicity on the bass drum. And so it proceeds as the other instruments are presented—trumpet, oboe, flute, saxophone, and trombone. Each one is drowned out by Felicity’s enthusiastic BOOM, BOOM, BOOM on the drum. The droll illustrations depict the mood of the band director going from animation to despair, but an end is in sight (or is it?) when an instrument with an even louder sound takes over. Be careful what you wish for! There is an irrepressible feeling of energy in the illustrations that at times just jumps across the gutter; it’s further emphasized by playful and colorful typography. As a bonus, readers learn that each child, and their chosen instrument, is based on a real musician, as detailed in the backmatter; Mr. V is the author’s own father, and Felicity is the author herself. Both Mr. V and Felicity present White, and the other characters in the book represent different ethnicities and places of origin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11.5-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 23.2% of actual size.)

A lively introduction to some musical instruments.