Let's play by Gabriel Alborozo

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Allen & Unwin, 2014. ISBN 9781743316283.
(Ages: 2-8) Recommended. Picture book. Let's Play is a delightful introduction to many of the instruments that make up the orchestra. Hosted by a moustachioed, music loving maestro, a group of delighted children discover the sounds and colour of orchestral music.
Starting with black and white line drawings of our bespectacled, baton wielding teacher and the children, each instrument is introduced and played with the sound represented by shapes and colour to the entertainment of the children and who dance and join in playing. From the bright yellow reverberations of the cymbals and the brightly coloured rectangles representing the xylophone sound, to the shades of deeper orange swirls and wisps representing the bassoon contrasting with the single blue line of the piccolo there is a wealth of colour and movement on every page.
Of course the orchestra finally plays together accompanied by the now colourfully clothed children and the final page is a vision of movement and colour.
Readers will recognise the joy of the children and the exuberance of the orchestral members, like Jeffery banging the cymbals, or the highly energetic Marguerite on the xylophone, from the illustrations. To fully appreciate this book however the reader will need to have some experience with the different sounds the instruments make.
What a great way to begin an exploration of the world of music if this book and a recording of the sounds were to be used in harmony.
Sue Keane

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