Kids love music! Hamish and the Double Bass is a celebration of making music with friends.

 

Hamish and the Double Bass takes the listener and the reader on an adventure. A small boy, Hamish, who loves going to concerts, by chance meets the lonely Double Bass, a big instrument that Hamish is way too small to play. With a little bit of magical encouragement from the Double Bass Hamish goes off with his friends to learn to play the smaller instruments of the orchestra. All the children have fun practising their instruments, and not wanting to miss out of being part of the story, have made up whimsical rhymes about themselves. One day, on realising how tall he has grown Hamish races back to the city to find the Double Bass. Together, with great excitement they head off to play with all their friends in the biggest orchestra of all.

Most children’s first experience of learning to play is through the instruments of the orchestra.  The book provides these children, and others who may simply enjoy listening and watching with a positive contemporary story about the orchestra: the excitement and the adventure of going to a concert, the moment of anticipation before the music begins, the imagined places music can take them to and the possibility of growing up to play in an orchestra and the joy of making music with friends.

An underlying subtext is secure attachment, a relationship given by parents, in this case Grandma, who provides a safe base from which the child can grow up into confident independence.

With its beautiful illustrations by Becky Stout of Rock Sheep Studio the book is full of energy, warmth and movement and will delight children between the ages of 3 to 7 years. It gives a new and contemporary perspective on the orchestra and perhaps more importantly, of making music together. With its appropriate culturally diverse characters the book will appeal to young children of the modern world.

With schools in mind some questions would lead to a discussion. For example:

• What do you like about this story?
• Do you play an instrument or know anyone who plays an instrument?
• Which instrument would you like to learn to play? Why?
• What do you think would be good about playing music with others?

A wonderful diversity of instruments, ideas and activities may be identified though this discussion.

Why someone would want to read Hamish and the Double Bass

Hamish and the Double Bass is a contemporary and accessible story. It allows kids to imagine learning an instrument, becoming a musician and perhaps more simply, making music with others. As Hamish and his friends grow the story realistically but gently conveys the journey of how to become a musician, emphasising that while it takes time and effort, there is lots of fun and happiness to be had along the way.