cweichel's review
3.0
I should know better than to read books I am contemplating waiting. It’s just the cover drew me in and then I had to keep reading. It’s the story of a homely baby named after Frederic Chopin. Although his parents try to get him to play some kind of musical instrument, Frederic seems to be a failure. In the end it’s quite remarkable what he can actually accomplish.
circleofreadersdruid's review
2.0
Sometimes I read a picture book and it rubs me the wrong way, which is what happened with The Fabulous Song. You know those parents who insist that their child is going to be a famous fill-in-the-blank-whatever when they're older? Those are the parents in TFS. Yes, this is a musical family, and yes, everyone seems to play an instrument, but that doesn't mean that your newborn or toddler has talent. You know those parents who don't hold their kids to commitments and so they jump from activity to activity? Those are the parents in TFS. Frederic tries 11 (eleven) different instruments over the course of several months, doesn't sound good while playing them, and moves on to a new instrument. That is not how you go about learning to play anything. You know those parent who let their kids be such brats that they're actually affecting other people? Those are the parents in TFS. Little F announces loudly to the world that his sister, who's just performed in a big concert, has a pimple on her nose and no one says a word. Little F swats his uncle on the head three times with a wooden spoon and again, crickets. There some lovely message about bringing everyone together with the power of music and direction that I'm missing because I disliked everyone in the book so very much. The upside? I loved illustrations of music in the book; they're very well done.
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