Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear

Gr 2-4–A love letter to the sense that gives us music, laughter, and bird calls, Fadeeva’s book explores all facets of its namesake, sound. Featuring bright, color-blocked watercolor illustrations invoking the abstract beauty of jazz, this elementary picture book covers not only what sound is but also how we hear, record, and perceive it. Onomatopoeic words are scattered throughout the illustrations, and the wealth of knowledge presented in the text is substantial without being overwhelming. Short “Try It!” sections encourage readers’ experimentation. Animal vocalizations and even underwater noises are given space, and the last half of the book is devoted to a range of musical sounds. A spread related to languages discusses both spoken words and sign language, with a blurb explaining how deaf and hard-of-hearing people can sense sound via the physical sensation of sound waves. The text wraps around the illustrations, giving a visual presentation of sound in motion; this choice may make reading more difficult for younger or low-level readers, but the effect is pleasing to the observer during a possible story time.