February marks Black History Month, an occasion to honour and celebrate the past and present contributions of Black leaders and communities across the world. Songs offer children multiple ways to connect with Black stories and customs, especially those passed down from cultures with rich oral traditions. Discover traditional instruments, dances, and musical genres, and tales of triumph, perseverance, and the simple joys and duties of everyday life.
Songs on the Vanilla Trail
An enchanting collection of 25 traditional songs that pay homage to the communities of East and Southern Africa. Discover skipping rope songs from Mozambique, lullabies from South Africa, and counting songs from Réunion. Listen to four versions of “Frère Jacques” and discover the origins of the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and the phrase “hakuna matata.” Download the free teaching guide and activity sheets.
Songs in the Shade of the Cashew and the Coconut Tree
A lively collection of 23 traditional songs that pay homage to the communities of West Africa and the Caribbean. Discover stories about children playing in the schoolyard, sisters braiding each other’s hair, and parents dancing late into the night. Learn the story behind the song “Day-O,” which was popularized as “The Banana Boat Song.” Download the free teaching guide and activity sheets.
Imagine a daily island hubbub with warm breezes, saltwater, music flowing through a marketplace of cinnamon, fresh roasted coffee, bananas, and raw cocoa. Thirty traditional French-Creole lullabies and nursery rhymes from Guadeloupe, Martinique, Haiti, and Réunion pay homage to community, family ties, love, and life’s passages.
Warm sunsets, family mealtimes, laughter, and motherhood, are woven into music, creating this picture book’s unique ambiance. A wellspring of traditional African lullaby and nursery rhyme performances come to life in 29 songs that give delight to the senses.
Presented in Arabic and Berber, this collection of lullabies and nursery rhymes from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia takes children on a musical journey across North Africa, from the Sahara Desert through the Atlas Mountains to the Mediterranean Sea. In 30 songs about everyday life, children learn of the importance of rain, the communal aspects of meals, and more.
Explore our free teaching guides and activity sheets
Visit our Resources page to download free teaching guides and activity sheets. You can also find playlists and animated singalong videos in the audio and video sections. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay informed about our new releases and events and for a chance to win our subscriber giveaway. To order books for your library or bookstore, please contact Hornblower Books/University of Toronto Press (Canada, United States) and MMS/BookSource (United Kingdom). For additional information, email info@thesecretmountain.com.
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5 Picture Books for Black History Month Music Appreciation
February marks Black History Month, an occasion to honour and celebrate the past and present contributions of Black leaders and communities across the world. Songs offer children multiple ways to connect with Black stories and customs, especially those passed down from cultures with rich oral traditions. Discover traditional instruments, dances, and musical genres, and tales of triumph, perseverance, and the simple joys and duties of everyday life.
Songs on the Vanilla Trail
An enchanting collection of 25 traditional songs that pay homage to the communities of East and Southern Africa. Discover skipping rope songs from Mozambique, lullabies from South Africa, and counting songs from Réunion. Listen to four versions of “Frère Jacques” and discover the origins of the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and the phrase “hakuna matata.” Download the free teaching guide and activity sheets.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indigo
Songs in the Shade of the Cashew and the Coconut Tree
A lively collection of 23 traditional songs that pay homage to the communities of West Africa and the Caribbean. Discover stories about children playing in the schoolyard, sisters braiding each other’s hair, and parents dancing late into the night. Learn the story behind the song “Day-O,” which was popularized as “The Banana Boat Song.” Download the free teaching guide and activity sheets.
Shop Local (Canada) | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indigo
Songs in the Shade of the Flamboyant Tree
Imagine a daily island hubbub with warm breezes, saltwater, music flowing through a marketplace of cinnamon, fresh roasted coffee, bananas, and raw cocoa. Thirty traditional French-Creole lullabies and nursery rhymes from Guadeloupe, Martinique, Haiti, and Réunion pay homage to community, family ties, love, and life’s passages.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indigo
Songs from the Baobab
Warm sunsets, family mealtimes, laughter, and motherhood, are woven into music, creating this picture book’s unique ambiance. A wellspring of traditional African lullaby and nursery rhyme performances come to life in 29 songs that give delight to the senses.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indigo
Songs in the Shade of the Olive Tree
Presented in Arabic and Berber, this collection of lullabies and nursery rhymes from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia takes children on a musical journey across North Africa, from the Sahara Desert through the Atlas Mountains to the Mediterranean Sea. In 30 songs about everyday life, children learn of the importance of rain, the communal aspects of meals, and more.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Amazon | Indigo
Explore our free teaching guides and activity sheets
Visit our Resources page to download free teaching guides and activity sheets. You can also find playlists and animated singalong videos in the audio and video sections. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay informed about our new releases and events and for a chance to win our subscriber giveaway. To order books for your library or bookstore, please contact Hornblower Books/University of Toronto Press (Canada, United States) and MMS/BookSource (United Kingdom). For additional information, email info@thesecretmountain.com.