My favorite children's book is Animal Bop by Jan Ormerod and Lindsey Gardiner (Authors). I like it because it has large, beautiful illustrations and addresses expressive language and gross motor movements while dancing to music.

Joni Pappas

MA, MT-BC

Huntington, WV

My favorite children's book is The Very Bouncy Bear by Jack Tickle (Author). The animal identification is paired with beat patterns that fit the story. A great book for use in music therapy sessions.

Laurel Rosen-Weatherford

MT-BC

Ann Arbor, MI

I enjoy The Very Happy Hen by Jack Tickle (Author) a great deal. This pop-up book naturally leads to interactions, sequencing, and holds children's attention.

Angela Snell

MT-BC

Monroe, MI

My all-time favorite book is is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin (Author) and Eric Carle (Illustrator). It has wonderful illustrations, includes repetition, sequencing, and basic cognitive concepts. The book is easily set to music.

Ruthlee Adler

MT-BC

Bethesda, MD

I like Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes (Author and Illustrator) for gross motor sequencing and its emotional content. The book includes pleasant black and white drawings. 

Dorothy Denton

MT-BC

Mansfield, OH

I am a fan of The Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth (Author) and Laura Huliska-Beith (Author) as it allows for counting, and tactile stimulation. A great book for spring with beautiful illustrations.

Michelle Kennemer

MT-BC

The Colony, TX

John Langstaff’s The Frog Went A-Countin’

is my favorite book.

It encourages expressive language and can be adapted to music. The illustrations by Feodor Rojankovsky are colorful and inspiring.

Carole Thomas

MM, MT-BC

Woodbridge, VA

Mortimer by Robert M. Munch (Author) and Michael Martchenko (Illustrator) is one of my favorite books. I use it in my music therapy sessions for sequencing, turn taking, and following directions.

Julia Lundquist

MT-BC

Minneapolis MN

I Love you Forever written by Robert Munch and illustrated by Sheila McGraw is a predictable story, which can be song in lullaby style.

Anna Robinson

MT Student

Bloomington, IL

I like any of the Snappy Pop-Up books. Snappy Little Farmyard: Spend a Day Down at Snappy Farm by Dugald Steer (Author) and Derek Matthews for instance, is a good one. It includes elements of surprise, which children love and the story lends itself to being sung. 

Marianne Abene

MA, MT-BC

Middle Village, NY

Animal Kisses by Barney Saltzberg is an interactive book. It encourages making animal sounds and offers opportunities for tactile experiences.

Becky Wellman

Ph.D., MT-BC

Itasca, IL

I Love to use Pete the Cat books. They usually have some great sight words mixed into them, the kids seem to like Pete, and I love to make the singing/chant part of the books super silly. There are a lot of Pete books to use and they typically have great messages and morals.

Jaley Montgomery, MT-BC

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

The Music Together Singalong Storybooks pair great illustrations with great songs. One of my favorites is One Little Owl. This book can address basic counting skills and animal identification and sounds, and the crash at the end is fun for everyone! Each book comes with a code for a free song download and includes the sheet music and activity suggestions. All of them are available as board books or hardbacks.

Dana Bolton, MEd, MMT, MT-BC

Murfreesboro, Tennessee