The Song for Everyone by Lucy Morris

 

"The schoolboy had a long and lonely walk each morning. As he passed beneath the small window he stopped to listen to the music. His loneliness instantly forgotten, he felt as light as a feather. The music and the delighted boy bounced away together"

This beautiful music touches the lives of the people in the town. An old lady no longer feels the aches in her bones; a cat follows the sound and finds a new family.

"Over time it seemed that the music gave the townspeople something they had been missing. It searched out the lonely and lost, the needy and sad. And above all, it made the people of the town care for one another. They shared food and stories and kindness."

Then one day the music stopped. Who will have the courage to find out why? I am not going to spoil this book - but the music maker is sure to astonish you. This is a fairly new book (2021) so it should be very easy to find. The illustrations have been created with a very special kind of delicacy. Take a look here to see more work by Lucy Morris. Highly recommended. This book would make a lovely gift for a music teacher. See inside The Song for Everyone here. 

This is an excellent example of words and pictures working together to tell a story. The visual depiction of music is cleverly done and the use of white space, vignettes and switches in perspective have the effect of encouraging the reader to slow down and engage further with the story. Just Imagine

The music that floats through the book in the illustrations is floral, ethereal, and enchanting. It shows how cathartic music can be. It’s more than sound—it’s a physical thing that can connect a whole community, lift spirits and heal souls. Music, as the illustrations show, is near magic. The Children's Book Review

Here is a companion book:

The Biscuit Maker