Horace and Morris Join the Chorus (but what about Dolores?)

Horace and Morris and Dolores #2

by James Howe, Amy Walrod (Illustrator)

Best friends Horace, Morris, and Dolores do everything together. So when they try out for the chorus and Dolores (who sings notes no one has ever heard before) doesn't get in, she feels hurt and angry and -- not like Dolores at all -- sorry for herself. But mostly she feels lonely, with her friends too busy rehearsing to have time to share adventures with her. So Dolores does what she does best and takes matters into her own hands. But can she prove to Moustro Provolone that there's a place for every kind of voice in the chorus?

Genres: Picture Books, Music, Childrens, Friendship, Fiction

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Calista]

Dolores loves to sing. Poor thing sings from the heart but without any training so she is hard on the ears. All 3 kids try out for the school chorus. Horace has a lovely tenor and Morris has a lovely base voice.

I remember those tryout days back in school. The anticipation and 'did I make it'. It churned my guts and kept me on pins and needles. It is a risk to try out for things and have someone else tell you what they think.

Dolores did not make the cut. It breaks her little heart. She then decides, she intends, not to give up and she writes the director a note. She is such a wonderful poet that the director decide to put her letter into song and she needs to be in the chorus to sing it. He gives her lessons and helps her learn to sing. Happy happy.

I don't know what it is, but the kids love this series of books. I think the art is rather cheap looking, but I always enjoy James's story and his rhymes. There is always something cute. The kids gave this book 5 stars. They have loved each one. The one about cheese was my nieces favorite book there for a while, so loved it. Go figure.

[Rod Brown]

Three inseparable friends are separated when one of them can't sing well enough to make the cut for the school choir.

My daughter liked it when she was six, but I am annoyed by the plot being caused by the choir director not doing his job in the first place and only doing it when he can get a benefit out of it for himself. What an ass!

On the plus side, our edition of this book was a giveaway included with a box of Cheerios. I love that!

[Rick]

Fun book. Good lesson.

Although I think it might have been better had Dolores had to learn how to deal with not being able to sing (but writing songs would still be a valuable contribution).

[jacky]

A picked up a small paper copy of this for free from our play group. They were donated to them at least a year ago and they still have copies hanging around, so I felt no guilt taking on for us and one for my sister. I didn't recognize the author's name, but was happy to see he was the author of Bunnicula when I added the book here. The story was a bit old for Natalie and she didn't show much interest. But I found the rhyming names cute and the story about staying with what you love engaging.

[Rebecca Timberlake]

I read this book when I was younger, and recently found it in my box of old books, so I read it again. This book in particular deals with Dolores, who wants to sing in the chorus, but isn't quite as good as everyone else. But instead of feeling sorry for herself, she keeps trying, and eventually learns that, with hard work and dedication, she could be as good as everyone else and earn a spot on the chorus.

[Matthew]

Horace and Morris make the choir. Dolores doesn't. She gets sad. Finds a way to prove that she should be allowed to be join the choir. Writes a song and practices really hard with the choir director. Happy endings for all. Lesson to be learned: give people a chance, even if they don't seem like the natural choice. Pretty simple story. Children would immediately side with Dolores and would feel great when she persevered.

[Dolly]

This is a fun story to read aloud and it teaches a good lesson on friendship, jealousy, trying your hardest and perseverance. It has very expressive illustrations and a story that many children can relate to.

[Cody]

Read it because it was attached to the cereal box and as everyone knows the only thing to read while eating cereal is the box. I must say though even for cereal box reading material it was a rather dull read. As a children's book I feel it should have offered a better story.

[The Brothers]

A cute story of friends trying out for the chorus, but not all of them make it. The one who wanted in the most, can't carry a tune. But through hard work and determination, she finally makes the cut!

Okay illustrations.

[Rida]

Really great book!

[Anna]

:) Positive teaching music books. YES.

[Bailey Vernon]

Horace, Morris, and Dolores are three best friends who enjoy singing together and decide to try out for choir but only Horace and Morris make the cut. Dolores speaks with the teacher who crushes her dreams by saying she doesn't really have an ear for music. Dolores tries to occupy herself with many activities but always finds herself even lonelier than before. She decides to write a poem to the teacher on why she should be able to join the choir and the teacher ends up loving her poetic work. He agrees to offer choir lessons and in the end, she is finally able to join her friends on the stage. A theme of this book is perseverance. Dolores is upset and angry when her friends get to do something without her but she tries to not let this get to her. She explores in nature and tries to give herself distractions but none of them seem to work. She is still determined to join the chorus so she writes the poem explaining her desires and the teacher allows her to join after some practice. It would have been easy for Dolores to give up her dreams and find something else but she persevered and accomplished her goal. I would recommend this book for many reasons. One reason is that Dolores never gives up when she is trying to accomplish her goal no matter being told no multiple times. Dolores also mentions that she is upset and angry but wishes she wasn't this way. Dolores tries to find ways to let this sadness and frustration away. This is a great lesson for children to see that being told no does not mean that you can be angry all of the time and that it might be hard at first to accept it. I really enjoyed reading this book because it is a great reminder that anyone can do something if you set your mind to it. Although, I wish the author would have made it where Dolores ended up getting to write the songs or something else that involved being in the choir. The teacher clearly said her singing voice was not great and the fact that she gets to join the choir in the end despite not having the talent might give students the wrong idea.

[Rose Rosetree]

To get this off my chest before moving forward. I'm a huge fan of picture books by James Howe. But this premise on the book jacket, not just Goodreads? "There's a place for every kind of voice in the chorus."

Grrrr. Singing in tune is a skill. Vocal quality, support, etc. is another matter entirely. After this review, I'll add a COMMENT about why I think so.

I may also throw in a COMMENT about "Dolores sang notes that no one had ever heard before." Geeesh, I strongly disagree with this concept.

"SQUEAK TO ME SOFTLY OF LOVE."

How delightful. James Howe's writing is delicious, like the really good Brie I had for part of my lunch today!

Oh, I won't share any more of the hilarious puns. They must be read in context to be fully relished.

As for the ending, I really-really-really don't like it. (Another COMMENT to be added below.)

HECK, I'LL GIVE THIS BOOK FIVE STARS ANYWAY

But, really, those of you more musical Goodreaders may already know what I'm going to put in a few COMMENTS below.

[Nancy]

This is a story of three friends, who want to join the chorus. They try out, and only two of them make it. Dolores loves to sing, and finds great joy in it, but she doesn't always hit the right notes. She is very hurt when she doesn't make the choir. She wrote a poem to the teacher to describe how much joy she gets from singing. The teacher wisely includes Dolores in the Chorus, and gives her private lessons. When she sings with the choir, she sometimes hits the right notes, and sometimes she doesn't. This reminds me of our church choir, and how hard our director works to get the best out of all of us.

[Julia Rojas]

I like this book. It was well-written and it had a good story. I like the almost rhyming style.

[Wallis]

A feel good story we’ll told with good illustrations