Have you Heard? Books About Music

Get movin’ and groovin’ with these audiobooks featuring music and musicians.

Below you’ll find a selection of audiobook recommendations from the Plano Public Library. This is just a sample of the audiobooks in our collection, and you can visit a library location for assistance in finding personalized recommendations.

Adult

This is What it Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You by Susan Rogers, read by the author. A legendary record producer-turned-brain scientist explains why you fall in love with music. Print / Playaway / eAudiobook / eBook.

The Come Up: an Oral History of the Rise of Hip-hop by Jonathan Abrams, read by a full cast. The essential oral history of hip-hop, from its origins on the playgrounds of the Bronx to its reign as the most powerful force in pop culture-from the award-winning journalist behind All the Pieces Matter, the New York Times bestselling oral history of The Wire. Print / eAudiobook.

Let Love Rule by Lenny Kravitz with David Ritz, read by Lenny Kravitz. Kravitz looks back at his life with candor, self-scrutiny, and humor. It’s the story of a wildly creative kid who, despite tough struggles at school and extreme tension at home, finds salvation in music. Print / Playaway / CD Book / eAudiobook / eBook.

Country Music: a History by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns, read by Brian Corrigan. The rich and colorful story of America’s most popular music and the singers and songwriters who captivated, entertained, and consoled listeners throughout the 20th century. Print / CD Book / eBook.

Don’t Stop Believin’ written and read by Olivia Newton-John. Olivia Newton-John shares her journey, from Melbourne schoolgirl to international superstar, in this deeply personal book. Print / CD Book / eAudiobook.

Teen

Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan, read by Corky Siegel. Lost in the Black Forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and finds himself entwined in a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica–and decades later three children, caught up in the same thread of destiny in the darkest days of the twentieth century, struggling to keep their families intact, and tied together by the music of the same harmonica. CD Book / Spanish / eAudiobook / eBook.

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas, read by Bahni Turpin. When sixteen-year-old Bri, an aspiring rapper, pours her anger and frustration into her first song, she finds herself at the center of a controversy. Print / Playaway / DVD / Large print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson, read by a full cast. In 1998 Brooklyn, three teens plot to turn their murdered friend into a major rap star by pretending he’s still alive. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going, read by Matthew Lillard. Seventeen-year-old Troy, depressed, suicidal, and weighing nearly 300 pounds, gets a new perspective on life when a homeless teenager who is a genius on guitar wants Troy to be the drummer in his rock band. Print / eAudiobook.

K-pop Confidential by Stephen Lee, read Joy Osmanski. In this romantic coming-of-age novel about chasing big dreams, a Korean-American girl travels o Seoul in hopes of debuting in a girl group at the same K-pop company behind the most popular boy band on the planet. Print / eAudiobook / eBook.

Children’s

Duet by Elise Broach, read by Caroline Hewitt. The life of a musically gifted bird changes forever after she discovers the music of Chopin and helps a talented young pianist solve the mystery of a long-lost Chopin piano. Junior fiction / Playaway.

Simon B. Rhymin’ written and read by Dwayne Reed. Chicago fifth-grader Simon, an aspiring rapper who lacks self-confidence, uses his rhymes to help bring his community together. Junior fiction / Playaway.

Emmy in the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido, read by Suzy Jackson. Sixth-grader Emmy tries to find her place in a new school and to figure out how she can create her own kind of music using a computer. Print / Playaway / eBook.

Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid Makes it Big by Dolly Parton. French bulldog Billy the Kid was born with an ear for music. And not just any music. He loves barking to the beat of country music! So Billy sets out to Nashville to sing his heart out. Easy / Vox Book.

Symphony for a Broken Orchestra: how Philadelphia Collected Sounds to Save Music by Amy Ignatow. What happens when musical instruments can’t make the sounds we expect them to make? Is music still possible? An uplifting picture book based on a true story. Easy / Wonderbook.