A List of Inclusive Books for the Music Classroom

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I’ve compiled a list of books that would serve any music classroom (or home library) well – enjoy browsing through the list, and please reach out if I missed anything. There are so many gems here =)

• My Voice is a Trumpet by Jimmie Allen – Al lyrical celebration of the many types of voices that can effect change.
• The 5 O’Clock Band by Troy Andrew – Take a tour of New Orleans…
• My Name is Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz by Monica Brown
• Tito Puente, Mambo King by Monica, Rafael Lopez
• Red Bird Sings: The Story of Zitkala-Sa, Native American Author, Musician, and Activist by Gina Capaldi
• Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa by Veronica Chambers
• The Name Jar by Yansook Choi – A story about a new girl at school who learns to appreciate her Korean name.
• King of Ragtime: The Story of Scott Joplin by Stephen Costanza
• Mozart Finds a Melody by Stephen Costanza
• Paletero Man by Lucky Diaz – Celebrates the strength of community and the tastes of summer from Latin musician Lucky Diaz.
• The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi – Each of us, from the day we’re born, is accompanied by a special companion – the Yet…
• This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt – A toe-tapping tribute to the traditional “This Old Man” song, featuring the greatest jazz musicians.
• Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle
• Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle – Girls cannot be drummers. Long ago on an island filled with music, no one questioned that rule-until the drum dream girl…
• A Song of Frutas by Margarita Engle, Sara Palacios
• We Move Together by Kelly Fritsch – A bold and colorful exploration of all the ways people navigate through the spaces around them. Follows a mixed-ability group of kids as they creatively negotiate everyday barriers and find joy and connection in disability culture and community.
• Hip Hop Speaks to Children: 50 Inspiring Poems with a Beat by Nikki Giovanni, Alicia Vergel de Dios
• Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem by Amanda Gorman
• Ella Queen of Jazz by Helen Hancocks
• When the Beat was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill
• Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna & Dung Ho – A story about learning to love and celebrate your Asian-shaped eyes.
• Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma by Joanna Ho
• Hush! A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho
• Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay by Susan Hood
• Are You an Echo?: The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko
• Everybody Says Shalom by Leslie Kimmelman
• Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe by Vivian Kirkfield
• We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom – Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America.
• Sing with Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla by Diana Lopez – Story of the beloved Queen of Tejano music.
• Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice and Sing Inspired Generations by Kelly Starling Lyons
• Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard – A celebration of food and family with recipe included.
• When We Long Someone We Sing to Them by Ernesto Javier Martinez (Cuando Amamos Cantamos)
• We All Sing with the Same Voice by J. Philip Miller – A lyrical and joyful celebration of inclusion and respect, first featured as a song on Sesame Street.
• The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad – A powerful story about the first day of school, written by an Olympic medalist and social justice activist.
• Itzhak: A Boy who Loved the Violin by Tracy Newman – A boy who was affected by polio yet became one of the greatest violinists of all time
• Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes by David Roessel
• A Voice Named Aretha by Katheryn Russell-Brown – A beautiful picture book biography about the Queen of Soul and how she fought for respect throughout her life.
• Little Melba and her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown
• Bravo Anjali! by Sheetal Sheth and Lucia Soto – For Anjali, playing the tabla is something that comes naturally…
• Best Mariachi in the World by JD Smith – An embedded text picture book that incorporates cultural music tradition.
• Listen by Gabi Snyder – A meditative picturebook about listening and mindfulness.
• We Are Still Here!: A Native American Truths Everyone Should Know by Traci Sorell – Twelve Native American kids present historical and contemporary laws, policies, struggles and victories in Native Life.
• I Sang You Down from the Stars by Tasha Spillett-Sumner – This book sings with Native cultural detail while striking a universal chord of love that comes with expecting and welcoming a new baby.
• The Dance of the Violin by Kathy Stinson – As a young student of the violin, Joshua Bell learns about an international competition to be held in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
• The Man with the Violin by Kathy Stinson – based on the true story of Joshua Bell, who took his instrument down into the Washington DC subway for a free concert.
• Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina by Maria Tallchief – Growing up on the Osage Indian reservation, Maria Tallchief was a gifted pianist and dancer…
• Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
• Nina: A Story of Nina Simone by Traci N. Todd
• Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar – Binny woke up happy but nervous. It was her day to share about Diwali, the Festival of Lights…
• Before John Was a Jazz Gian: A Song of John Coltrane by Carole Boston Weatherford
• The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop by Carole Boston Weatherford, Frank Morrison
• Because by Mo Willems – A Powerful symphony of chance that takes a young girl’s journey to center stage.
• I Affirm Me: The ABCs of Inspiration for Black Kids by Nyasha Williams
• Jazz Age Josephine by Jonah Winter – A picture book biography that will inspired readers to dance to their own beats.
• Esquivel! Space-Age Sound Artist by Susan Wood