Moses Goes to a Concert [Paperback]

Isaac Millman (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2002 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Moses and his school friends are deaf, but like most children, they have a lot to say. They communicate in American Sigh Language, using visual signs and facial expressions. This is called signing. And even though they can't hear, they can enjoy many activities through their other senses. Today, Moses and his classmates are going to a concert. Their teacher, Mr. Samuels, has two surprises in store for them, to make this particular concert a special event.

Isaac Millman tells Moses's story in pictures and written English, and in American Sign Language (ASL), introducing hearing children to the signs for some of the key words and ideas. At the end of the book are two full conversations in sign language and a page showing the hand alphabet.

You can learn sign language, too.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The seemingly incongruous premise of this harmonious debut?a class of deaf children attends an orchestral concert?leads to a revelation for readers who may well have assumed that the ability to hear is a prerequisite for enjoying music. Holding balloons that their teacher passes out to help them "feel the music," Moses and his classmates are thrilled to pick up the vibrations. Afterward, they visit with the orchestra's deaf percussionist, who, intriguingly, performs in stocking feet so she, too, can feel the beat. She lets the students play her instruments and, using American Sign Language (precisely illustrated in easy-to-read diagrams), explains how she worked hard to achieve her career goal. Back home, Moses tells his parents about his day, signing a message of universal value: "When you set your mind to it, you can become anything you want." An introductory note explains how to interpret the sign-language diagrams, which are integrated throughout the clear and colorful illustrations. Fiction and instruction make beautiful music together on these cheerful pages. Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2?A group of deaf children is taken to a concert where the youngsters meet the percussionist, a friend of their teacher, and learn to their surprise that she is also deaf. She explains to Moses and his class how she became a percussionist even though she had lost her hearing and helps them understand that anything is possible with hard work and determination. She lets the children play on her instruments and feel the vibrations on balloons that their teacher has given them. Cheerful watercolor illustrations show the multiethnic children enjoying themselves at the concert, while smaller cartoon strips feature Moses's additional comments in sign language. A page displaying the manual alphabet and a conversation in sign language in which Moses tells his parents about his day enhance the upbeat story.?Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374453667
• ISBN-13: 978-0374453664
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.3 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #620,188 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FOR ANYONE WHO KNOWS A DEAF/HEARING IMPAIRED CHILD., April 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Moses Goes to a Concert (Hardcover)

Parallel to the story of a teacher taking a class of deaf students to a symphony performance, is a cartoon-strip of the main character showing sentences in the manual alphabet. The percussionist is also deaf and shows the students the instruments after the performance. Readers will discover how "normal" life can be for this segment of our disabled population and they will enjoy learning sign language words like balloons and vibrations. This is especially useful for teachers and parents to encourage hearing students to accept and interact with hearing impaired peers, cousins, etc. A wonderfully innovative book. We need more like this.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Moses Goes to a Concert" fascinates 1st and 2nd Graders, June 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Moses Goes to a Concert (Hardcover)

My children loved this book. They have just started to read independently, and I enjoy watching them read and watching their hands move as they easily follow the drawings for signed words. They are fascinated with it, and I think the motion as well as reading makes it even more enjoyable. The story is entertaining, and the use of a balloon or stocking feet to feel sound vibrations is very clever.

We are not part of the deaf community, but books like this one will help to build a positive attitude in my children toward the deaf community.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Including Deaf Children in Deed -- Not Just Word, February 4, 2000

By 

Judy Nelson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moses Goes to a Concert (Hardcover)

Moses' deafness does not prevent him from enjoying a concert nor impede his communication with his classmates; they are deaf too. Their ideas flow freely among each other in American Sign Language. Afterwards, they interact spiritedly with the deaf percussionist who bears more than a passing ressemblance to Evelyn Glennie, the true-life celebrity deaf musician. While the kids have a stimulating field trip, we see that where there is language (no matter the form) and understanding, deafness is no disability. In fact, they go confidently into a domain one would think a bastion of hearing people -- the concert hall -- both as patron and star performer. Could the lone deaf child struggling in an all-hearing school have it this good? With light-hearted watercolor illustrations, this book is a uniquely positive portrayal of deaf children, at home in the "hearing" world and with themselves. Destined to be a watershed work, it may very well be the only juvenile trade book currently on the market addressing deafness without obliging the protagonist (of any age) to be an isolated individual in a social sea of moving lips, bereft of the playful and loving relationships many deaf children enjoy in a portable environment where signing is the preferred means of communication.