Music Over Manhattan by Mark Karlins

The first thing that struck me about this book were the very descriptive, original illustrations done in what looks like colored pencils. The illustrations make excellent use of light and shadows to convey the mood and theme of the story. The story is about a young boy, named Bernie, who is intimidated and feels under-appreciated compared to his "perfect" cousin Herbert. However, Bernie eventually learns to take solace and find individuality in music. He begins to play the trumpet and take lessons from his Uncle Louie. Being a huge fan of all types of music, I really enjoyed how this book was about the magic and importance of music. For example, in one scene Bernie and his Uncle Louie float over the city while playing the song "Moonlight Over Manhattan". Overall, I found this to be a very enjoyable book about the power and importance of music.