The Boogie Barn Band by William Nephew and Natalie Neal

Today's read mixes music with reading fun...and let's see how that goes!

THE BOOGIE BARN BAND

by William Nephew and Natalie Neal

Illustrated by Karine Makartichan

Moving Melodies

Picture Book   /   Music

ages 4 to 8

Come along on a musical journey with The Boogie Barn Band!

At a farm just over the hill something amazing is happening. Animals are gathering to play together in The Boogie Barn Band! With Reggie the Dog on drums, Hank the Horse on Bass, and other animal bandmates, their music and words tell a story that pleases the ears, eyes, and body. Get ready to move and groove!

The authors William Nephew, an award-winning musician and music therapist, and Natalie Neal, a speech-language pathologist, created The Boogie Barn Band to foster early learning skills of music and language development. The book’s QR code features a song that is playable, bringing the story to life through an immersive and interactive concert experience.

GOODREADS   /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Musical fun hits with an enjoyable bunch of musicians, while teaching a little about instruments and inviting readers to dance along.

These pages take a peaceful farm setting and draw readers in as music and excitement calls from a barn in the distance. It sets an inviting stage as the illustrations lead through the barn doors to discover a band of animals, playing and singing away. Each animal is introduced along with their instrument before the reader is encouraged to play the party song (thanks to a QR code) and join in with the animals.

This is a cute way to introduce readers to instruments, get them moving, and raise music appreciation along the way. The entire thing is written in rhymed, short phrases with music notes dancing around to keep the song atmosphere present. For the most part, the rhyme flows fine. When the animals and the instruments are presented, the rhyme breaks to allow readers to make the noises of the instruments (like the bass goes Do-do-do doo doo doo) and invites readers to join in.

At first, I thought the included song would match the text so readers could listen or read along, but instead, the included song offers readers a chance to join in with the party at the end. The QR code for the party song is found in the last pages of the book and introduces each animal with their instrument again but not quite in the same way as the text. The music has an up-beat rhythm and is easy to dance to. Plus, the singers are enjoyable to listen to. The song itself is on the longer side, which will delight dancing fans. The chorus is smooth and easy to listen to but it's not an earworm, either due to the complexity and length. Still, it brings across the music and intentions nicely. 

It's a cute introduction to what appears to be the beginning of a series.

And here they are...

William Nephew and Natalie Neal were drawn to each other by their shared purpose of helping others. William is an award-winning musician with over 20 years of experience in therapeutic songwriting and music production. Natalie is a speech-language pathologist and child development specialist with over 20 years of experience working in clinical and educational settings. William and Natalie have a passion for connecting with children through music and movement.