arts and music

Barbara S. Garriel has created an interesting shy fellow who has an almost never ending appetite for musical instruments. With the artistry of John O'Brien and the writing talents of Ms. Garriel, this shy fellow takes a whimsical journey that will have everyone smiling. This book is a "must have" !

John O'Brien illustrates I Know A Shy Fellow Who Swallowed A Cello, a zany story of a shy wallflower who listens to a duet for cello and viola and who one day attracts attention by swallowing a cello. His appetite for music increases and suddenly he is absorbing numerous musical instruments in his diet in this wacky tale.

This book may become my all time favorite for modeling language and rhythm among all the many versions of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. But it is even more wonderful for children of all ages. Music majors will love it, and I plan to buy it for my son's orchestra teacher. The art of John O'Brien is so complementary of the words, they tell beyond the story line. The author and the artist have worked hard to show accuracies about musical instruments in relation to current as well as historical times. A classroom teacher using this book can easily expand discussions and help children relate text to world examples and model best practice for students. I teach pre-service teachers at the university level in Children's Literature and Garriel's book is a must for such courses. I can't rave enough!