Pages of Music

First published in 1988, this gentle picture book set in Sardinia features refreshed illustrations by the beloved and award-winning Tomie dePaola and tells of the giving and sharing of music on a very special Christmas morning.

Long ago, a painter and her son, Paolo, visited the poor but beautiful island of Sardinia and a shepherd shared with them his bread called foglia de musica, pages of music. When the mother offered to pay, the shepherd took his musical pipe and filled the air with music so sweet that Paolo danced and sang with joy.

Many years later, Paolo, now a gifted composer, returns to the island with his entire orchestra on Christmas morning to share with the shepherds his own “pages of music”—a song of a night long ago, a blazing star, and a child born in a manger.

Tony Johnston is the award-winning author of more than 100 beloved children’s books. She lives with her family in San Marino, California, where she grew up.

Tomie dePaola (1934–2020) was the beloved author and/or illustrator of more than 270 books for young readers, including the children’s classic, Strega Nona. He was the recipient of the Newbery Honor, Caldecott Honor, and the 2011 Children’s Literature Legacy Award for “significant and lasting contribution to children’s literature.” A native of Connecticut, Mr. dePaola studied at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and spent much of his life in New London, New Hampshire. Visit his work online at Tomie.com.