Over the River and Through the Woods: Classroom Storybooks for Fall & Winter Thursday, October 09, 2025
recommended by Jen Sper, School Choral & Classroom Music Specialist
Over the River and Through the Woods by John Feierabend/illustrated by Kian Sylvester
To grandmother’s house we go! Take a lively ride through the white and drifted snow with this festive holiday folk song, part of a series of captivating picture books based on beloved songtales from the great American folk tradition.
Children will be swept up in the snowy fun as they sing along to this classic tune. Beautifully brought to life with Kian Sylvester’s vibrant illustrations of Civil War soldiers reuniting with their families for a Thanksgiving celebration, this retelling showcases America’s rich diversity and captures the joy of coming together.
Like the other folk song picture books in the series, “Over the River and Through the Woods” includes the song’s history, notation, and a link to a free MP3 download of the song. Another winner collected by John M. Feierabend!
The Nutcracker by Denae Konynenbelt
When Clara receives a special Christmas gift, strange and wonderful things begin to happen. Join Clara’s journey through snow and candy canes to the Land of Sweets with her Nutcracker prince in this re-telling of the Nutcracker story!
This storybook is an adaptation of “The Nutcracker” story featured in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet. Combining an entertaining story, illustrations, and Tchaikovsky’s music, this book encourages expressive reading and helps build vocabulary. This storybook may also be used as an introduction to “The Nutcracker” in your classroom. The digital download pack grants you access to the storybook read by the author.
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About the Author:
Jen Sper is a Choral Music Specialist here at Stanton’s Sheet Music. A native of Cincinnati, she holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace College (now University) Conservatory of Music, and taught 7-12 choir, music theory, class piano, and drama in Southern Ohio before joining the Stanton’s team in 2006. An active choral singer and accompanist throughout the Central Ohio area, Jen can also often be found exploring the exciting restaurant, brewery, and theater scenes in Columbus, wandering through the local metro parks, visiting family around the Great Lakes, or at home with her very friendly cat.