Kirkus Reviews QR Code
AND THERE WAS MUSIC by Marta Pantaleo

AND THERE WAS MUSIC

by Marta Pantaleo ; illustrated by Marta Pantaleo ; translated by Debbie Bibo

Pub Date: April 22nd, 2025
ISBN: 9780802856401
Publisher: Eerdmans

A loving tribute to the ways music shapes and reflects our cultures and to the unique way it binds humanity.

There’s an old maxim that “writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” Yet Pantaleo admirably manages the daunting task of capturing music’s complexity through word and image. The author starts with small, personal experiences, describing in brief, straightforward language how music allows one to “relive a memory.” It can elicit tears or soothe anxious hearts. Pantaleo then widens her perspective to consider music that holds important cultural meaning. Occasional overly broad statements feel a tad discordant, but pages showing Maori hakas or Hawaiian people blowing conch shell trumpets nicely demonstrate that music can play both symbolic and utilitarian roles. Pantaleo closes by urging readers to “follow its rhythm. Can you hear it?” Raucous, wildly colorful images accompanying the text, translated from Italian, are as exuberant as a rock concert. Dark lines emanating from instruments and mouths feel like sound bursting forth; readers will readily sing the praises of the chunky, high-contrast portraits of diverse musicians from around the world and beyond—one image depicts astronaut Wang Yaping performing “Jasmine Flower” on the International Space Station. Brief but comprehensive backmatter provides further information on the culture, instrument, or musical element on each page.

Sweeping and thought-provoking. Readers will agree: “Music is magical.”

(glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)