Book Description
for Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Mr. Samuel has planned a field trip to a young people's concert for his 11 pupils. Each of the children is deaf and communicates by using American Sign Language (ASL). Moses can be located on each page because of his red cap. After they ride in a school bus to the concert, Mr. Samuel has three surprises for his pupils, who appear to be kindergarten- age. He gives the children balloons to hold in their laps to help them feel the music. The children see that the featured soloist is a percussionist who is also deaf; she wears no shoes in order to follow the orchestra by feeling the vibrations of the music through her stocking feet. Mr. Samuel has arranged for the children to meet his percussionist friend after the concert. She answers their questions and invites them try out her instruments. That night Moses tells his parents about the concert in ASL, and some of his words are pictured in hand signs on the final pages, ending with when you set your mind to it, you can become anything you want when you grow up. Moses tells about many choices, but right now he wants to become a percussionist. Sign-language diagrams with helpful arrows are located in small boxed areas on each page of this upbeat, unusual picture book written and illustrated in full color. (Ages 3-7)
CCBC Choices 1998. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 1998. Used with permission.