MY FAMILY PLAYS MUSIC

Here’s a clan that outdoes even the Marsalis family. From her great grandmother, who plays a cathedral’s mighty pipe organ, to little niece Sadie, who plays pots and pans in the kitchen, it seems that everyone related to this high-energy young narrator is a musician. And she’s no exception, either: in fact, she plays with them all, on tambourine, triangle, cowbell, woodblock, maracas, handbell, and more. In cut-paper collages that look silk-screened, Brown depicts this exuberant percussionist with cornrows and a big grin, confidently accompanying big band and string quartet, dancing on club stages, and joining marching bands, plainly welcome wherever she goes. A closing glossary explains some of the terms and musical genres mentioned here, but it’s the pride this child takes in her family, and her place in that family, that readers will remember most clearly. (Picture book. 6-9)