24. Because by Mo Willems

24. Because by Mo Willems

Willems, M. (2019). Because. NY: Hyperion Books.

This picture book begins “Because a man named Ludwig wrote beautiful music…” “a man named Franz was inspired to create his own…”  It continues with because this, then that.  People wanted to hear the music, so they became part of an orchestra and practiced for the performance.  The little girl got to go with her aunt because the uncle got sick. Because she saw the performance, she became enthralled with music.  She learned to play and write.  Over time she worked hard and became good and her music was discovered and performed.  And because of it, someone else was inspired to create music.

This story has a strong theme; what you do now can effect on others later.  You never know what impact you will have on the future.  Hundreds of years ago a man loved and wrote music, and it influences people even today to love and write music.  This book uses music, to show how this theme builds and flows, but it can apply to anything. The book has powerful illustrations.  There are two center spreads of just the orchestra.  No words are written, but it shows how music can transform you.  The picture before the performance shows an organized group of ordinary people smiling at the audience.  The second picture shows the electricity of the music transforming them.  The illustrator uses purple, gold and white to paint the shimmering scene of making music.

I found a book companion pack filled with activities and lessons to use with the book.  It is not free, but the pintables look great!  It is on teacher’s pay teachers.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Because-by-Mo-Willems-activities-Book-Companion-4499224


 

 

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