For a little bit of a stretch, you might want to try Jazz Fly. It is a fun book that all my elem music kids have enjoyed. The author has created an accompaniment CD in which he reads the book in a swing style, accompanied by a bass, trap set, a keyboard and a sax.

It tells the story of a jazz fly, trying to get to a gig, but he doesn't know the way. So he asks a pig "boo-zaba zee-baza boo-za roni" (close enough....) and the pig doesn't understand these jazz words (scat) and replies "oink." So the fly goes along and meets a few more critters. Finally gets to the gig and is told that the act is boring and better shape up. So the fly jazzes things up by incorporating the animal sounds into his jazz words. Very nice cool jazz playing goes along with this.

With all these animals in the book, I just haven't been able to use the word "scat" too much in this activity! "Jazz words" suffices for now.

Jazz Fly. Check it out.

Martha in Tallahassee (guesting right now cuz I didn't sign in....)