There Is Music in a Pussycat

Nikki Tate-Stratton writes novels for preteens; her latest books are
Jessa Be Nimble, Rebel Be Quick; Raven’s Revenge; and Tarragon Island.

This First Flight Reader is a great transition between picture books and
novels. In a simple, repetitive, rhyming text, the author describes
places where “music” is hidden, just waiting to be released:
“There is music in a hammer, there is music in a nail. There is music
in a pussycat when you step upon her tail.” In addition to the text,
each page features an illustration as well as a secondary narrative
consisting of sound words printed at the bottom in unusual, colorful
typefaces (children just mastering the look of language on the page may
find this difficult to read, but it is not necessary to understanding
the text). Each line of the rhyming text begins with a capital letter
regardless of whether or not the line is actually a complete sentence.
(Since these early readers are the first places where children become
familiar with language structure, I would have preferred a different
punctuation style—sentences beginning with capitals and ending with
periods.)

The book is simple and fun, but there is also a deeper meaning hidden
behind the collection of aural images—that music is really everywhere
if one is prepared to sit still and listen. Recommended.