Jake the Philharmonic Dog, by Karen LeFrak, parallels environmental sounds with instrumental. In this way, Richie and his dog Jake build readers a bridge to the symphony. Marcin Baranski’s illustrations of Jake will appeal to younger children. Since her only human characters are adults, this book is also accessible to older readers. LeFrak interprets the sounds in our surroundings as music. When Jake barks, he’s in conversation with these sounds, and he plays his part in a natural orchestra. He associates the music of the woodwind section with birdsong he’s heard in the park. The percussion section reminds him of thunder and sends him running circles in fear. When the string section calms Jake, we realize the author has conveyed the emotional power of music.
This story hints at the
narrative and evocative elements of classical music, which music teachers could
expand upon. In the fall of 2022, the “grand concert hall” we see in this book
reopened as the David Geffen Hall. The New York Philharmonic’s new space and
updated programming give us all a new opportunity to enjoy the symphony.
This story is read aloud
online by Morgan McWethy.
