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V is for von Trapp: A Musical Family Alphabet
From “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” to “Doe, a deer, a female deer,” many people have grown up humming the tunes or singing the lyrics to the songs from the beloved movie The Sound of Music. But what is the real story behind the brave von Trapp family?
V is for von Trapp: A Musical Family Alphabet gives a behind-the-headlines look at this real-life singing family made famous in the classic movie. Starting with their idyllic early life in Austria where their love of music and performing began, author William Anderson takes readers along on the family’s courageous mountaintop escape from Nazi authorities to their new life in America and the famous von Trapp family lodge in the Vermont hills.
Meet determined Maria, the dashing Captain, and their talented children; the famous von Trapps whose life story captivated thousands and continues to inspire with its legacy of hope and achievement.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2010
3 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
William Anderson
39 books64 followersWilliam Anderson is an American author, historian and lecturer. He is a specialist in the subject of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her times.
His interest in American frontier began after reading Little House on the Prairie. He is a director of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum in Mansfield, Missouri, and he lives and works as a teacher in Michigan.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
His interest in American frontier began after reading Little House on the Prairie. He is a director of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum in Mansfield, Missouri, and he lives and works as a teacher in Michigan.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 23, 2024
time to rewatch The Sound of Music for the hundredth time because Julie Andrews is never a bad idea
I was expecting more poetry than short biographical snippets, but this was a lovely overview of the family whose musical prowess and heroic bravery stole our hearts 60+ years ago. ☺️
I was expecting more poetry than short biographical snippets, but this was a lovely overview of the family whose musical prowess and heroic bravery stole our hearts 60+ years ago. ☺️
December 11, 2024
V is for von Trapp effectively tells the true story of the von Trapp family behind The Sound of Music. Linda Dockey Graves's illustrations capture the vibrance of the family and their traditional clothing. I liked how Anderson told the story in a chronological manner through the alphabet (though I don't think this needed to be an alphabet book). The choices for the difficult letters were excellent, exceeding most picture books that have to phone it in.
Having read Maria Augusta von Trapp's The Story of the Trapp Family Singers and Around the Year with the von Trapp Family, and Agathe von Trapp's Memories Before and After the Sound of Music, I was pleased to find a child-focused story of this family and their lives. It has a family tree, tells the truth about Georg von Trapp (he was not that strict and taught music to his children), and recounts the arc of their lives from Georg's first marriage to the modern day (several von Trapp children were still alive when this book was published). I appreciated the contextual details about Austria and music history.
V is for von Trapp is in the same style as B is for Bookworm by Anna C. Prieto and Renée Graef, and the two books are from the same publisher. Large images cover most of the page; each letter has four lines of poetry; and detailed text in sidebars offers more information.
Having read Maria Augusta von Trapp's The Story of the Trapp Family Singers and Around the Year with the von Trapp Family, and Agathe von Trapp's Memories Before and After the Sound of Music, I was pleased to find a child-focused story of this family and their lives. It has a family tree, tells the truth about Georg von Trapp (he was not that strict and taught music to his children), and recounts the arc of their lives from Georg's first marriage to the modern day (several von Trapp children were still alive when this book was published). I appreciated the contextual details about Austria and music history.
V is for von Trapp is in the same style as B is for Bookworm by Anna C. Prieto and Renée Graef, and the two books are from the same publisher. Large images cover most of the page; each letter has four lines of poetry; and detailed text in sidebars offers more information.
June 12, 2020
Some letters seem a bit a stretch. But still enjoyed it.
February 14, 2022
Big illustrations with a short story for new readers or young listeners, with more detailed facts/story on the margins for adults or older readers wanting to know more.
September 3, 2019
This was a beautiful book about one of my favorite people and families. In fact, I think they are one of the world's favorite families. Most everyone has seen the musical movie "The Sound of Music." It's fun to delve a little deeper into the real family before the movie.
* Talking Points: Georg von Trapp loses his wife, tell me some of the feelings you think he would go through. Have you every had someone very close to you die? What feelings did you experience and how did you work through them? Georg von Trapp doesn't get married again until 5 years after his first wife dies. What hardships do you think he had in those 5 years? Maria becomes a stepmother. Does she fit the role of the evil stepmothers that Disney so often likes to portray? Do you think most stepmothers try to be loving and kind to their children or not? What feelings do you think Agathe's children experienced when Maria married their father and became their new mother. Do you have the same parents you were born to or do you have different parents? If so, how do you feel about that? Have your feelings changed about that over time? Georg has a big family. Did you grow up in a big family or a small family? Do you want to have a big family or a small family when you grow up? Why? What are the advantages of having or growing up in a big family? The von Trapps loved to sing and make music. They loved folk music and classical music. What type of music do you like? Why? What are your favorite classical songs and composers. What are your favorite folk songs? The book mentions edelweiss. What is your favorite flower and why? The von Trapps loved the mountains of Austria and Vermont. Do you like mountains? Or what is your favorite environment to be in? Many of the von Trapps could play instruments: The guitar or piano or recorder. What instruments can you play and which would you like to learn how to play? The von Trapps liked to hike? Do you like to hike? What else do you like to do for physical activity? The von Trapps toured many different countries and states and decided that they liked Vermont best. Where have you been, and where would you like to live? The von Trapps liked to sing together at Christmas. What are some of your family's Christmas Traditions? What new Christmas Traditions would you like to start? The von Trapps lived through World War 2. What wars have gone on during your lifetime? How have you been affected by them? The von Trapps left Austria so that they wouldn't have to participate in the Nazi war machine. That took a lot of bravery. When have you been brave? Tell about some times when you wished you would have been braver and taken a different path? The von Trapps liked to visit museums? Do you like to go to museums? Which kinds of museums are your favorites? The von Trapps fixed up the home they bought. How have you and your family fixed up your home? Sometimes it was scary or uncomfortable for the von Trapps to perform. What do you do that was uncomfortable at first that you've found that you like to do? The von Trapps liked folk dancing. What kinds of dancing do you like? The book tells about many of the occupations that the von Trapp children go on to have. What occupations have you worked in, or which do you think you would like to work in when you grow up? The von Trapps liked cross country skiing? Have you ever tried cross country skiing, or down hill skiing or water skiing? If so, what did you think?
** Essential Oil Pairing Tip: to me the Von Traps were all about music and family. So I would recommend diffusing doTERRA's Holiday Joy essential oil blend. Many families like to put it on for the holidays as it tends to brighten the book and encourage family togetherness.
* Talking Points: Georg von Trapp loses his wife, tell me some of the feelings you think he would go through. Have you every had someone very close to you die? What feelings did you experience and how did you work through them? Georg von Trapp doesn't get married again until 5 years after his first wife dies. What hardships do you think he had in those 5 years? Maria becomes a stepmother. Does she fit the role of the evil stepmothers that Disney so often likes to portray? Do you think most stepmothers try to be loving and kind to their children or not? What feelings do you think Agathe's children experienced when Maria married their father and became their new mother. Do you have the same parents you were born to or do you have different parents? If so, how do you feel about that? Have your feelings changed about that over time? Georg has a big family. Did you grow up in a big family or a small family? Do you want to have a big family or a small family when you grow up? Why? What are the advantages of having or growing up in a big family? The von Trapps loved to sing and make music. They loved folk music and classical music. What type of music do you like? Why? What are your favorite classical songs and composers. What are your favorite folk songs? The book mentions edelweiss. What is your favorite flower and why? The von Trapps loved the mountains of Austria and Vermont. Do you like mountains? Or what is your favorite environment to be in? Many of the von Trapps could play instruments: The guitar or piano or recorder. What instruments can you play and which would you like to learn how to play? The von Trapps liked to hike? Do you like to hike? What else do you like to do for physical activity? The von Trapps toured many different countries and states and decided that they liked Vermont best. Where have you been, and where would you like to live? The von Trapps liked to sing together at Christmas. What are some of your family's Christmas Traditions? What new Christmas Traditions would you like to start? The von Trapps lived through World War 2. What wars have gone on during your lifetime? How have you been affected by them? The von Trapps left Austria so that they wouldn't have to participate in the Nazi war machine. That took a lot of bravery. When have you been brave? Tell about some times when you wished you would have been braver and taken a different path? The von Trapps liked to visit museums? Do you like to go to museums? Which kinds of museums are your favorites? The von Trapps fixed up the home they bought. How have you and your family fixed up your home? Sometimes it was scary or uncomfortable for the von Trapps to perform. What do you do that was uncomfortable at first that you've found that you like to do? The von Trapps liked folk dancing. What kinds of dancing do you like? The book tells about many of the occupations that the von Trapp children go on to have. What occupations have you worked in, or which do you think you would like to work in when you grow up? The von Trapps liked cross country skiing? Have you ever tried cross country skiing, or down hill skiing or water skiing? If so, what did you think?
** Essential Oil Pairing Tip: to me the Von Traps were all about music and family. So I would recommend diffusing doTERRA's Holiday Joy essential oil blend. Many families like to put it on for the holidays as it tends to brighten the book and encourage family togetherness.
February 17, 2020
I wouldn't want to read this to a child, but I thought the ways the story was different from The Sound of Music were interesting, and I liked hearing what happened to the Von Trapps after they left Austria. Interesting, but it really missed it's target audience.
February 22, 2022
Great illustrations! Historical side notes for the older reader and traditional verse for the learning reader. It's much more than an alphabet book.
September 18, 2011
Genre: Biography
Copyright: 2010
This book is terrific because it is geared towards many levels of readers. The basic text is an ABC book. For each letter of the alphabet, something is told about the Von Trapp family. On the outside of the pages is in depth text that goes into the history of the family and the world during WWI. As a music teacher, I love that I can use this same text with all of my different grade levels.
Copyright: 2010
This book is terrific because it is geared towards many levels of readers. The basic text is an ABC book. For each letter of the alphabet, something is told about the Von Trapp family. On the outside of the pages is in depth text that goes into the history of the family and the world during WWI. As a music teacher, I love that I can use this same text with all of my different grade levels.
December 9, 2017
Adorable re-telling of the Von Trapp Family singers. (I think this was based on the book The Story of the Trapp Family Singers.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews