WHAT INSTRUMENT IS THIS?

``What instrument is a long, hollow piece of wood with eight holes?'' begins the Q&A text of this unusually attractive and informative book. The question captions an appealing color photo of a child playing a recorder; a page turn reveals, in crisp black and white, a family group playing recorders, followed by a brief description of the instrument and its uses and special qualities. Grouped and identified by families, 18 instruments are introduced and pictured in performances by diverse players in widely varied situations. There are some nicely offbeat inclusions—bagpipes in a parade, strings in country as well as formal settings, a very small girl playing a large set of drums, an appealing Down's syndrome child with a tambourine, and—last but not least—the instrument ``we all have from the moment we are born'': the precious human voice. Hausherr's photos are outstanding—technically adroit, they sensitively convey her subjects' rich and varied relationships with their music. Inspiring. Glossary; note to parents; summary chart. (Nonfiction. 4-9)