By Mo Willems, Illustrated by Amber Ren
Hyperion Books For Children, 2019
Picture Book, 40 Pages, Ages 3-7
Any time Mo Willems releases a new title I pre-order it because I know it’s going to be good. This book was beyond my expectations and remains so today.
A little girl is invited to a concert hall to hear the orchestra perform Symphony no. 8 in B-minor by Franz Schubert because her uncle was ill and therefore her aunt had an extra ticket. But what happened before that and after? Because Schubert was inspired by Beethoven he wrote beautiful music. Because people wanted to hear his music an orchestra was formed. Because people practiced their instruments carefully they were asked to join the orchestra. In a ‘six degrees of separation’ sort of way we arrive at the present, and the concert begins.
“Because…. An unexpected note can change a life.”
The text is brilliantly simple in context and significantly emphasizes the positivity and reward of hard work, the transformative power of music, and a girl’s journey to the center stage. When it comes right down to it, the power of this book teaches that dreaming isn’t enough and that excellence comes from practice, diligence, and dedication.
The illustrations by Amber Ren are captivating with strong characters and music that seems to come alive with her wafting lines, sweeping notation across each page, sometimes forte, and at other times a lilting pianissimo. The two center-spreads one with the orchestra standing at the entrance of the conductor and the next swept with dynamic golds and purples makes the ‘music’ come alive.
Will children like this book? You bet! The detail on every page, the depiction of the teamwork that enables such music to be shared, the exquisite colors, and the community that music initiates is captivating from start to finish, in fact, the book notation should have a reprise at the end so you go back and repeat the entire story once again.
Because by Mo Willems receives 5 stars from this reviewer.
Isaiah Basye says
Well that was easy! This was the only Mo Willems book I didn’t own. Read the review! Now I own it haha!