Broadway Books: 10 Children's Books to Share With Your Kids While in Quarantine!
By: Stephi Wild Apr. 19, 2020
Looking for something new to read with your kids while stuck inside, but still need your Broadway fix? We've rounded up 10 theatre-themed children's books that are sure to fill the void.
From books written by Broadway stars, to books that are just about theatre, this list will have something for every young person, or a person who is just young at heart!
Check out our list of favorites below!
When I Grow Up - Tim Minchin
A group of children imagines all of the things that they will be able to do once they grow up, and they plan to do anything and everything. They hope to solve problems, play in the sun all day long, be brave, and even eat ice cream all day. The combination of Tim Minchin's Tony Award-winning Matilda the Musical lyrics and Steve Antony's joyful artwork is sure to inspire readers of all ages to explore the endless possibilities that the future could have in store.
Purchase on Amazon here.
Matilda - Roald Dahl
This is the book that was the basis for the hit film, and subsequent musical!
Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she's just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a menacing, kid-hating headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It'll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!
Purchase on Amazon here.
A is for Audra - John Robert Allman
Step into the spotlight and celebrate a cavalcade of Broadway's legendary ladies. Start with "A" for six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, then sing and dance your way through the alphabet with beloved entertainers like Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Lea Salonga, Kristin Chenoweth, Kelli O'Hara, and Liza Minnelli!
Broadway fans and theater lovers everywhere will give a standing ovation to this one-of-a-kind tribute full of toe-tapping rhymes, with illustrations as bright and beautiful as the shining lights on any marquee.
Purchase on Amazon here.
Jack & Louisa - Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Kate Wetherhead
Twelve-year-old Jack Goodrich was a Broadway star, with two shows under his belt and a third in rehearsals. But when his voice suddenly changes, Jack and his parents leave the spotlight and move far from New York City to Shaker Heights, Ohio.
While Jack hopes to leave his Broadway past behind, his new neighbor refuses to let him off the hook. Louisa is a self-proclaimed "musical theater nerd" and can hardly believe when an actor moves to town. What's more, the local theater has announced auditions for her favorite show, Into the Woods. As the audition date looms nearer, the two are faced with difficult choices. Should Jack risk humiliation and return to the stage? Will Louisa have confidence to go it alone? And can friendship survive all those complicated octave leaps?
Purchase on Amazon here.
Better Nate Than Ever - Tim Federle
Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he's wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he'd settle for seeing a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he's stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby's help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There's an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom.
Purchase on Amazon here.
Drama - Raina Telgemeier
Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school's production of Moon over Mississippi, she can't really sing. Instead she's the set designer for the Drama Department's stage crew, and this year she's determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget. But how can she, when she doesn't know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage AND offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen. And when two cute brothers enter the picture, things get even crazier!
Purchase on Amazon here.
Short - Holly Goldberg Sloan
Julia is very short for her age, but by the end of the summer run of The Wizard of Oz, she'll realize how big she is inside, where it counts. She hasn't ever thought of herself as a performer, but when the wonderful director of Oz casts her as a Munchkin, she begins to see herself in a new way. Julia becomes friendly with the poised and wise Olive--one of the adults with dwarfism who've joined the production's motley crew of Munchkins. With her deeply artistic neighbor, Mrs. Chang, Julia's own sense of self as an artist grows. Soon, she doesn't want to fade into the background--and it's a good thing, because her director has more big plans for Julia!
Purchase on Amazon here.
Theater Shoes - Noel Streatfeild
When orphans Sorrel, Mark, and Holly are sent to live with their grandmother, a famous English actress, she enrolls them in the Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training, the same Academy that made the orphans from Ballet Shoes famous so long ago. It's the chance of a lifetime, but the Academy won't give the children the "proper" education their parents would have wanted. However, the children learn to love the Academy when they find out that Sorrel has dramatic flair, Mark can sing, and Holly charms everyone with her adorable impish ways. Maybe talent does run in the family.
Purchase on Amazon here.
Babymouse the Musical - Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Babymouse and the gang are taking center stage in the feel-good book of the season! Will Babymouse get the lead in the school musical or will Felicia Furrypaws steal the show? Find out in The Musical-the 10th hilarious, action-packed installment of the beloved Babymouse graphic novel series!
Purchase on Amazon here.
Replay - Sharon Creech
With the backdrop of a large family and a theater as its frame, this is a story about twelve-year-old Leo, who has a talent for transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. That's why he's called "fog boy." He's always dreaming, always replaying things in his brain. As an actor in the school play, he is poised and ready for the curtain to open. But in the play that is his life, he is eager to discover what part will be his.
Plus, there's a full play at the end of the book that kids and teachers can perform!
Purchase on Amazon here.
Videos