The One about the Blackbird by Melanie Florence illustrated by Matt James

Please begin here - listening (no visuals) to the famous Beatles Song - Blackbird.

This is a very special Canadian picture book exploring an intergenerational relationship between a grandfather and his grandson. This book is only 32 pages but over the pages we watch as a young boy moves through is teenage years and into adulthood. His grandfather plays Blackbird on his guitar and then he patiently teaches his grandson Jack how hold, then how to form chords, on a guitar.

Image Source: Matt James

"I can't do it. It's too hard,' he said, pushing the guitar back towards his grandfather. 'If it was easy, everyone would do it,' his grandfather said kindly. 'Keep trying'.

Jack does try. He learns more chords and keeps practicing until eventually he can play whole songs. 

"Jack went from playing the guitar in his living room to playing for crowds of people all over the world."

Even though he lives and works far away, Jack still comes back to visit his grandfather. At this point the story goes full circle. With advanced age and perhaps memory loss Jack's grandfather has trouble getting his fingers to work on his old guitar - the guitar that was once his but that has now travelled around the world.  When his grandfather struggles he reminds him:

"If it was easy, everyone would do it,' Jack told him. His grandfather nodded, like he had heard those words before."

The Teacher-Librarian in the school where I volunteer shared this book with her Grade Two students today. It was fun listening to the way these kids, born in 2019, had no idea about vinyl records - the Teacher-Librarian had an old record to show the kids - one child suggested it could be a frisbee and another, who had seen a record before, knew you should not run your fingers over the surface. I kept wishing the library had an old turntable so the children could gain an idea of how records work. It is odd to think these kids also possibly have no idea about CDs (or videos!).

Publisher blurb: A young boy learns to play guitar from his grandfather, and the one about the blackbird is their favorite song. Years later, the boy visits his grandfather, and while his grandfather doesn’t recognize him, now grown-up, he does still remember how to hold a guitar. A beautiful full circle moment ensues when the boy plays his grandfather their favorite song. The moving text and dynamic, gorgeous art celebrate the connection that music can create between two people and the joy that music, and the shared love of it, can bring at any age.

A hymn to intergenerational ties. Kirkus

Like the blackbird of that song, the boy, and later young man, learned to fly. He learned to take flight in song and in life, gathering knowledge at the feet of one who knew how. And when that knowledge wanes, as happens with time and age, that grandson helps his beloved grandfather hear the song again. Can Lit for Little Canadians

You can see more books illustrated by Matt James here. Matt James is a painter, author/illustrator, and musician whose books include Yellow Moon, Apple Moon by Pamela Porter (New Mexico Book Award); I Know Here by Laurel Croza (Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award); When the Moon Comes by Paul Harbridge (Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award); and I Know How to Draw an Owl by Hilary Horder Hippely. Matt’s illustrations for Northwest Passage, a tribute to the Stan Rogers song, won the Governor General’s Literary Award. The books Matt has written include Tadpoles, Nice Try, Charlie!, and his author-illustrator debut, The Funeral, which was named a New York Times and New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book. As a child, Matt James liked to trace comics and pretend that tennis racquets were guitars—now he lives in Toronto and behaves more like a grown-up.

Here is the web page for Melanie Florence. Melanie Florence is a Canadian author of Cree and Scottish heritage. She lives in Toronto. 

This book was purchased in Canada while we were travelling there for the 2026 IBBY Congress. Sadly here in Australia this book will probably be too beyond your library budget but perhaps you can persude your local public library to purchase a copy. 

The Paper Piano by Rachel Ip illustrated by Natelle Quek

Publisher blurb: When Noah hears beautiful piano music sweeping through the train station, he longs to play. Without a piano of his own, he carefully crafts one out of paper, and the notes fill his head night and day. Until finally, with the help of a neighbour, his musical dream comes true . . . An inspirational picture book about the power of perseverance and music, celebrating the joy that railway station pianos can bring to all.

Take a look at the labels I have assigned to this post - Piano (yes Noah hears a piano and then really wants to learn how to play. Other suggested instruments just won't satisfy him); Determination (his mum says he has to wait until he is older but Noah does not want to wait so he makes a paper piano); Kindness (thank goodness for the neighbour who has a piano and even better she agrees to help Noah learn); and finally Practice (Noah loves playing, but playing well is not an instant process. He is happy to practice and then one day he is also able to perform just like the person he originally saw at the railway station). 

Image source: Natelle Quek

I have the 'idea' of buying a piano on my own wish list. I did have one as a child. This sweet picture book makes me think I should act on this and stop dreaming. If you are gathering books to share with your library group as a way to explore the 2026 Book Week slogan - Symphony of Stories - make sure you add this book to your collection. It will be a perfect one to share with your younger students and then I would find some beautiful piano music to share as a way to think about the music that Noah hears, loves and then performs. You could also perhaps share some a short extract or two from the recent ABC and BBC television programs about playing pianos in public spaces.

Make sure you stop and notice the end papers - it's the handmade piano keyboard made by Noah. I found that image very poignant.

Here is some music for piano that I love that you might use with this book. Just play snippets to give your library group a soundscape to enjoy with this story:

Clair de Lune – Claude Debussy (video)

Gymnopédie No. 1 – Erik Satie (video)

Chopin – Nocturne in E flat major (Op. 9, No. 2) (video)

There are lots more you could share here.

Rachel Ip is an award-winning picture book author and author ambassador for Bring Me a Book Hong Kong, the leading family literacy charity in Hong Kong. Rachel was born in the UK and also lived in France and Belgium before moving to Hong Kong 15 years ago. The Forgettery won the 2022 English Association Picture Book Awards and The Last Garden was longlisted for the 2021 Klaus Flugge Prize and won the Crystal Kite Award for Middle East, India, and Asia.

The Forgettery

Natelle Quek is a Malaysian-born illustrator who grew up in New Zealand and now lives in leafy Southeast England with her husband, an apathetic cat, and a loud-snoring dog. Natelle currently focuses on children's illustration, in particular picture books, young fiction, and non-fiction. She loves to use bold colours and cinematic perspectives to draw audiences into her worlds. Here is her Instagram account.

I am Nefertiti

I am keen to see this book too

Carrie and the Roller Blade Boots by Lisa Thompson illustrated by Jess Rose

In the children's school each week there is an assembly called Friday Fun Time. The young children (I imagine in Kindergarten or perhaps Grade One) are allowed to come on the stage and share their special talent. Sidney has been learning to tap dance. It is not easy but he has been practicing for a long time ready for his special moment. But what about Carrie - she is his friend - but does she have a special talent? 

Carrie and Sidney like to watch a talent show on television and one day they see a girl doing amazing tricks wearing roller boots. "As luck would have it" Carrie and her dad see some roller boots in a local charity shop and by an amazing coincidence they are exactly the right size.  Carrie expects to put in the boots and begin to skate up a storm - but of course she falls down and down and down. Will Carrie master this new skill and can she please say yes to the offer of help from her best friend Sidney. I am sure many young readers will relate to the ups and downs of this story. 

Bookseller blurb: Carrie's best friend Sidney is planning to show off his tap-dancing skills during Friday Fun Time at school and Carrie wants to join in. She plans an amazing routine where Sidney will dance and she will roller skate. But there's one big problem .... Carrie has never roller skated before. Will the performance end in disaster or will their friendship help them to dazzle the audience?

Carrie and the Roller Blade Boots is the second book featuring Sidney. The library I visit each week do something very helpful for the children. They add a little yellow circle sticker on the front cover of books in a series and add a number. I would have had no idea Carrie and the Roller Boots was the second book about these two friends. Note it is not the second book in the Little Gems series just the second book by Lisa Thompson where we meet Sidney and Carrie. 

Sidney Makes a Wish

I have talked previously about this series called Little Gems published by Barrington Stoke. Pop that name in my side bar or click the label at the bottom of this post. I know school library budgets here in Australia are shrinking but if you can afford to add books to your library, I highly recommend the Little Gems.

Here are some of the famous authors who write for this series: Holly Webb, Michael Morpurgo, Anne Fine, Dick King Smith, Jeremy Strong, Nick Sharratt, Alexander McCall Smith, Eoin Colfer, Ian Beck, Joseph Coelho and Julia Donaldson. 

Little Gems are gorgeous early reader chapter books, written by the cream of children’s talent, with super-readable layouts and design, and a chunky friendly format. Each Little Gem is fully illustrated and they are packed with fun extras and activities. The Little Gems are published with high quality cream paper, the special Barrington Stoke font and illustrations on every page.