Mole Music

This book is a simply wonderful book to share with chilren. It is beautifully written and illustrated, and has a great message to share as well. I am an elementary music teacher, and read it to my classes every year. It has become a mainstay in the few short years I've owned it, and my students love it as much as I do.

Not only is the story itself quite clever but the music notes in the growing tree are also quite well chosen. When Mole begins to play the violin the music that is produced on the tree is what almost every beginner learns to play, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". The music of Brahms and Beethoven are illustrated in the tree throughout the book. When the soldiers first stop at the tree, the notes are from Beethoven's 6th Symphony,"The Pastoral". When the soldiers drop their weapons and shake hands, Mole is playing "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's 9th Symphony. And what better way to go to sleep than to Brahms' Lullaby, shown on the very last page as Mole goes to sleep. A wonderful book for adults and children.

In the past 2 months, we've bought about 100 children's books, increasing our selection for toddlers to over 250 and out of all of those, together with those I've read from other sources, I would rate this as one of the best, especially for our 28-month-old son who has a special love for music and dance (yes, I think all-around, it's even better than Gustav Mole). The values in this book (including hard work, practice, humility and peace) are outstanding without being heavy-handed or even obvious, making it a great book for all young children. The story and illustrations are sweet and charming.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank David McPhail's parents for having a child who grew to write this book. MOLE MUSIC will surely be a classic, loved by future generations of creative dreamers. Seldom does such a simple story resonate so deeply. It takes a great talent to wield so few words to mean so much. When Mole sees a violinist on television he is so touched by the music he wants to make beautiful music of his very own, so he orders a violin for himself. When it arrives he can only cajole it to make horrid, screeching sounds. But Mole, the industrious, kind-hearted and hard worker that he is continues to practice (and practic and practice). After many years his music is even more lovely than the violinist he saw so long ago. Dear, dear Mole wishes he could change the world with his music--and Mr. McPhail shows the change that occured because of Mole's efforts strictly through the art. I won't give it away, but it is a great change indeed, and all the more touching because Mole played his music not for fame, but for the love of the music itself and a desire to share beauty with the world.The words and art blend seamlessly together, one never overshadowing the other. This book is as a bright star in the world of Children's literature. I can only imagine that Mr. McPhail himself is like Mole--for who else could write a book like this? It's a visual song from the heart that could possibly change the world by inspiring young children to create some lovliness of their own. Thank you David McPhail--and thanks to your parents too.

On the surface, Mole Music is about a mole who decides to teach himself to play the violin, and the effects that has on the "aboveground" world. It's a charming and funny story with cute illustrations.But "Mole Music" carries a deeper message, a message that should bring hope to anyone who wonders if they are doing any good in the world: it suggests that doing something good and right, something creative, that you love, can change the world for the better in ways you are totally unaware of. Mole may have stopped an entire war through his music, as well as soothing the hearts of countless people.Even though I am a childless adult, I decided to buy a copy of "Mole Music" after reading it in a store. I am going to keep it to look at for those times when I feel like all my efforts are in vain, when nothing I do makes any improvement in people or the world. I'll try to remember Mole and smile.(By the way, I'm a college teacher).