John Coltrane's Giant Steps

This book employs a unique concept that through illustrations deconstructs and explains Coltrane's jazz classic "Giant Steps". It might be helpful to play the tune as you read this book to the reader. The book uses visuals of raindrops, boxes, and kittens to explain the different layers of rhythm, harmony, and melody. You could also have some musical instruments or even pots and pans close by to give an aural example. Under the right conditions this book could be a original and stimulating experience for the young reader.

4 stars for cross pollenating, Mr. Raschka. Using a line-drawn cat to represent melody, and a colorful entourage of shapes to represent accompaniment pushed my artistic boundaries and expanded my definition of literacy. Mr. Holland couldn't have done it better.

As a music teacher arts integrationist, I have to present this book to young musicians and visual artists. I'm not sure yet whether I would read it first or listen to music and activate from that prior knowledge, but use it I shall.

I enjoyed this book. The way it used the layering of pictures to show how different elements of music are layered to create an over all sound can be useful in teaching children about music.

Not going to lie, this book was confusing to me. I did not know who John Coltrane was. I thought he was the kitten in the book. But I like the storyline of the book. I understand how Raschka was teaching us how to draw how Coltrane plays his music. I wish the book had more details because I just did not get it. When the kitten, raindrops, and boxes messed up the drawing, I was confused. I guess they got a little crazy and the author was reminding them they need to take it slow.

Raschka uses a song from John Coltrane to illustrate the upbeat organized feel of his music. John Coltrane was a jazz artist, and one of his songs, "favorite things" mentions a snowflake, a tear drop, and a kitten. Raschka brings these images to life with this book by creating colorful illustrations that complement the song. Each particular subject in the book seem as if they have a certain "instrument" assigned to them, as they create new vivid colors and patterns on their cues. This book also contains what I like to call "book inception", which is a type of book in a book, or the story recognizes that it is a book. The important roles of each of the items demonstrate that each piece in a song are all important contributors to create show more the final piece of art. show less

Raschka takes a bold step in trying to talk about a complicated jazz song in a children's book. I'm not sure that the book is entirely effective in what it is trying to accomplish, but it is very fun nonetheless.

This book was okay. I guess it would be cool if I knew who John Coltrane was. People that like music may really enjoy this book. Also as a kid I feel like it would be really fun to read. It sort of makes you feel like you are at their little performance. It also gets you to go back and look at the pages the the performers messed up on and it points out the colors and shapes. The art is wonderful it is very different. This kind of art is very fun for kids because it isn't perfect and it looks kind of like a kid drawing.