>>Welcome to Songs and Stories.

>>With Mary and Mike.

>>Where we tell the stories of music.

>>And we share the music of all people.

>>Yes, and we're talking kind of fast because we're running late.

We've got to get to the Music Resource Center where we're going to meet a book author.

He's going to read his book, and we're going to meet a musician today.

>>This sounds like so much fun.

What book is he gonna read?

>>Oh, right.

I got it right here.

Hold on just a sec.

>>Yeah.

>>I know I can find it.

Yep, if you could just hold these things.

Yep, hold that, sure.

All right, one more thing.

Oh, Nope.

Okay, I've got it.

I see it.

Just a couple more things.

Do you mind?

All right, here we go.

Yeah.

oh, that's where that was.

Huh, all right.

Here's the book.

""The Girl Who Carried Too Much Stuff."

Well?

What are you waiting for?

Come on.

Let's go.

♪ Come play with me ♪ ♪ Won't you come play with me.

♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ Come play music with me, yeah.

♪ (mellow music) >>Hi there, friends.

We are here in Charlottesville at the Music Resource Center, and we have with us today Marc Boston, a children's book, author, and Tevin White, a musician that takes inspiration from the words in Marc Boston's books to create songs.

We are so honored to have you all with us today.

>>Thank you.

It's so great to be here today.

>>Thank you.

So- >>Appreciate you having us.

>>Before we get started, let's get to know your all stories just a little bit.

So Marc, could you tell us why or when you were inspired to think, gosh, I think I'd like to start writing children's books?

>>Well, sure.

It's funny because I didn't really get into picture books or children's books until I had children myself.

(Mary laughing) And when I became a dad, I became also the primary bedtime storyteller.

So in the evenings I'd read the books, and I just fell in love with the stories and the pictures.

And I thought, you know, I should try to do something like this myself, just maybe to write a story for my kids to read to them at night.

And of course I tried to write a book, and then I showed it to, guess who?

My mom.

(Mary laughs) And of course she was like, oh, son, it's so great.

What a great story!

>>Mom's are good for that.

>>So that encouraged me to continue writing.

And you know what happens when you practice something, you get better.

And so I got better and better.

And with the books that I've published, the books that I published are based on my daughters and my interactions with them.

They are my muses.

They inspire the books that that I write, including this one that I'm gonna read today, "The Girl Who Carried Too Much Stuff."

And this book is based on my middle daughter, Delaney, and her habit of when she was little.

She used to gather up so many of her things with her whenever she'd leave the house.

I'm talking books, and teddy bears, and crayons, and all this stuff.

And she'd take it with her whenever we'd leave the house.

And I'd say, "Delaney, I mean, come on, do you have to take all of this stuff with you?"

(Mary laughing) And she say, "Yes, I have to have all of this."

And I say, "Okay, come on."

(Mary laughing) And we'd go out.

And I'd turned around and I'd say, "But Delaney, do you need the blanket too?

I mean, it's July for goodness sakes."

>>Just in case, Dad.

(Mary laughing) >>So I thought, this is a pretty interesting habit of hers.

And I thought, well maybe other people could relate to this as well.

So that became the, basically the genesis of the idea of the book, "The Girl Who Carried Too Much Stuff."

>>I love it.

>>Thank you.

>>I love that you're seeing things in your children, and you're inspired to write them down and make a story for others.

I love it.

>>Thank you.

>>I love it.

>>Thank you.

>>So, Tevin kind of the same question for you, but with music.

When did you know that you wanted to be a musician or when did you just get it in your heart and think, oh, this is what I wanna do?

>>Since childhood.

Always making beats.

I'm primarily a percussionist.

So on the desk in school making beats and stuff, and teachers would be bobbing their head to it, and then they come to their senses.

Like, you can't do that.

You gotta stop doing that.

And so over the time, and I just realized when I was feeling down or when I was feeling high it was always music that could relate to that too, and that could also help me get through it.

So always since a little child, I always wanted to do music, always been singing, always been instrumental, but I was just a little too shy to sing.

And then by 2016.

>>So recently.

>>That's when I broke out of my shell.

>>Wow, you started singing.

>>Out loud.

(Mary laughing) >>Out loud, right.

Exactly, you had that song in your heart, and then you took that step, and singing is kind of a vulnerable thing, right?

>>Very.

>>And you have this feeling of maybe somebody might make fun of you, but gosh, sharing your voice is really important.

Yeah.

>>I appreciate it.

>>Thank you both so much.

>>The world is a better place for it too.

>>Thank you.

>>I think when we all share what we have to give, right, whether it's our story, our voice, our talents in some way, the world's a better place, for sure.

Oh my goodness.

Well, Marc and Tevin, thank you so much for being here.

We're so excited to hear this book, to hear your music and your song.

So let's get to it.

>>Let's read a book.

>>Hi, my name is Marc Boston, and I'm gonna read you a story today.

This book is entitled, "The Girl Who Carried Too Much Stuff" by Marc Boston.

Illustrations by Annie Wilkinson.

There once was a girl who had too much stuff who never felt she had enough.

She collected things, both new and old.

The way it piled up was a sight to behold.

All over the house her things would abound, and she liked to gather them up and drag them around.

The types of things she'd tote would vary.

It was scary how much she tried to carry.

A rag doll, two blankets, a brush, and a comb.

Without these things, she'd never leave home.

A book, and her hat with a flower on top, four teddy bears, and a red lollipop.

She put on her rain boots and grabbed an umbrella.

Both were pink.

It seems she lugged everything but the kitchen sink.

In her hair was a yellow ribbon tied neatly in a knot, and she wore purple sunglasses with green polka dots.

If anyone asked her to put some stuff down she'd turned her nose up scoff and frown.

Bound and determined, she would not be denied.

Even her purse had more stuff inside.

A box of crayons, a yo-yo, her lucky black stone, a shiny new quarter plus, many things unknown.

She collected so fast it was hard to believe.

I'll bet she even had a few tricks up her sleeve.

It would have been easier to leave some stuff at home.

Instead she brought too much with her wherever she'd roam.

But she ran into trouble when she decided to embark on an afternoon outing to the neighborhood park.

Once she reached her favorite destination, she raced to the monkey bars without hesitation.

Other kids could climb quickly, but she was stalled before she'd even begun because all her stuff simply weighed a ton.

When she looked up, the kids seemed befuddled.

And they whispered about her.

Their voices were muffled.

How can she climb with all that stuff, they wondered.

Well, maybe she could if she were more unencumbered.

She thought, all those kids looking at me, I'll climb up there too, just wait.

You'll see.

I'd shoot to the top like a popped rubber band.

But how can I do it without one free hand?

Just when her predicament began to look bleak, she decided to carry certain things on different days of the week.

So on Sunday and Monday she'd never forget to grab her striped pillow and fancy tea set.

On Tuesday and Wednesday tucked under each arm a butterfly net and her giant ant farm.

On Thursday and Friday in her backpack she'd stock her grandma's old clock that didn't tick or tock.

On Saturday she'd choose a pair of blue shoes from her collection of styles in various hues.

So she rushed to the park to play the next day, determined that nothing would get in her way.

She planned to climb up the bars and not stop until she reached the very tip top.

With less stuff to carry she'd show everyone that they weren't the only ones who could have fun.

Using her free hand and determined not to fall, she began to climb up with less stuff to hold.

But with all the things that weighed her down, she still found herself unable to get off the ground.

She left the park with a feeling quite unexpected.

She was somewhat different and mildly dejected.

Why can't I climb?

How can this be?

Is there something the matter with me?

Of course, I know that can't be true, and I think I know just what to do.

If I really want to climb and play it's time I give some stuff away.

If I let some stuff go without fear and with zeal, imagine how wonderful I'll start to feel.

I'll have a joyful feeling beyond measure, and giving this stuff away will be no problem.

My pleasure.

To give unto others is life's greatest ambition.

So instead of collecting, giving will be my main mission.

And if I ever falter or don't always succeed, I know deep inside love is all I truly need.

So when the challenges come and the going gets tough, know that life can be rough when we carry too much stuff.

Thank you.

>>Oh, Marc, thank you so much for sharing your story.

>>Oh, my pleasure.

It's my pleasure.

>>I loved how you read it.

You brought such life.

I mean, the words are written so beautifully, and then to hear you read them was just so fun.

>>I appreciate that.

Thank you very much.

>>Yes.

Friends, I was so inspired by this message, this message in the book, of this little girl who wants to carry all of her stuff all of the time.

And I think we can all relate to that in some parts of our life.

>>I think so.

I think so, yeah.

(laughing) Yeah, I think we can all relate to that, but sometimes it's, when we have so many things, and we hold on 'em, and we begin to depend on them to make us happy, then they sort of get in the way of true happiness.

>>Yeah.

>>But this book tries to speak to the fact that happiness comes from within.

>>Boys and girls, maybe you can be inspired today to look around you and think, gosh, what do I have to give and to share with others?

Maybe it's some clothes that you've outgrown, or some toys that you don't play with anymore.

And if you don't have those things, maybe all of those things you still want.

You always have love to share.

>>That's right.

>>You always have hugs and smiles.

You always have time to listen to one another, and those are the things that we can give that truly have that deep meaning.

>>I agree.

>>I agree.

(laughing) >>Let's make music.

♪ Don't carry too much stuff ♪ ♪ Cause it'll hold you down ♪ ♪ And it's hard to climb ♪ ♪ When you carry too much weight around ♪ ♪ Don't carry too much stuff ♪ ♪ Cause it'll hold you down ♪ ♪ You're trying to fly away ♪ ♪ But always end up on the ground ♪ (guitar solo) >>Nice.

Oh, goodness!

Friends, we are here with Tevin White who is a musician and was so inspired by Marc Boston's book "The Girl Who Carried Too Much Stuff" and those words, to write this gorgeous song.

Tevin, can you tell us a little bit about the song?

Like how were the words of your song inspired by Marc's words in the book?

>>So really what I did, I guess the way that my mind works is (laughs) I read the book, and I was just taking the words from it.

The main part of the words I'm learning, like you make songs, and it seems like you kind of just want to go all over the place sometimes.

But I wanted to focus on what the book said, and it's "The Girl Who Carried Too Much Stuff."

And so as I read the book and understood that there comes many difficulties when you're carrying too much stuff.

So, and parsing a book about her trying to fly high and falling down, and always having a difficult time climbing.

And so I came up with the part of, don't carry too much stuff cause it'll hold you down, and it's hard to climb when you carry too much weight around.

And just relating it to my real life, it's just hard to maneuver at all when you carry too much weight around.

So, I just kinda tried to relate to my own personal life and understanding to the book that it would be relevant to ages of, well, to all ages.

>>Yeah, I love that.

>>Thank you.

>>I would love for us to learn that chorus.

Boys and girls, the chorus of a song is the part that repeats, and then the verse changes a little bit, but then you always come back to that central message of the song, the chorus.

And the words are 'don't carry too much stuff.'

I love that.

Don't carry too much stuff.

So can you teach it?

Why don't you sing it and we'll be your echo.

>>Okay.

I'll go a little slow for us (Mary laughing) til they learn, but it starts off with... ♪ Don't carry much stuff ♪ ♪ Cause it'll hold you down ♪ >>Let's sing that together.

Ready?

>>Okay.

>>Here we go.

♪ Don't carry too much.

♪ ♪ Cause it'll hold you down.

♪ >>What's next?

♪ And it's hard to climb ♪ ♪ When you carry too much weight around ♪ >>It's hard to climb when you carry too much weight around.

All right, so let's put all four lines together.

>>Okay.

>>Okay.

>>One, two, three.

♪ Don't carry too much stuff ♪ ♪ Cause it'll hold you down ♪ ♪ And it's hard to climb ♪ ♪ When you carry too much weight around.

♪ >>I love that.

All right, boys and girls, that's that beautiful messaging of don't carry too much stuff because then you can't move around like you want to, and you can't fly.

You can't climb.

So that's the chorus of the song.

Tevin and I are gonna do it again.

And when you hear that chorus come back, sing it with us.

You can also be keeping the steady beat or just swaying to this beautiful song.

Tevin, you have the most beautiful singing voice.

>>Thank you very much.

>>Sounds so good.

>>Thank you.

Thank you.

>>I'm so honored to play with you.

All right, let's try the song.

>>Okay.

>>All right.

>>So one, two, three.

♪ Don't carry too much stuff ♪ ♪ Cause it'll hold you down ♪ ♪ And it's hard to climb ♪ ♪ When you carry too much weight around ♪ ♪ Don't carry too much stuff ♪ ♪ Cause it'll hold you down ♪ ♪ Trying to fly away ♪ ♪ You'll always end up on the ground ♪ ♪ There's way too much greatness within you ♪ ♪ To allow yourself to be used like an average utensil.

♪ ♪ You're plan for your drive that's your zen soul ♪ ♪ It's okay to love yourself ♪ ♪ You don't have to pretend to ♪ ♪ You don't have to pretend to ♪ ♪ But don't carry too much stuff ♪ ♪ Cause it'll hold you down.

♪ ♪ And it's hard to climb ♪ ♪ When you carry too much weight around ♪ ♪ Don't carry too much stuff ♪ ♪ Cause it'll hold you down.

♪ ♪ Trying to fly away ♪ ♪ You'll always end up on the ground ♪ ♪ Every time you carry too much stuff ♪ ♪ Whoa, whoa ♪ >>Awesome.

>>Thank you.

Thank you.

>>Let's learn some new words.

>>So Marc, one of the things that I noticed in your book is the vocabulary words.

>>I love words.

(Mary laughs) And when I wrote this book, I consider myself sort of a teacher in a way.

I'm a father.

So that means that by default I am sort of a teacher or a coach.

So I like to expose my girls to words as well.

So when I was writing my book, I was like, well, if I'm exposing my girls to them, why not to you the reader?

So like birds, words like embark and unencumbered.

I wasn't afraid to add those in because I knew that in the right context folks would understand what they meant.

But if you didn't, if you don't catch it, in the back of the book, I have a glossary of many of the fancier words in the back with their definitions as well.

So now you've got several words that you can add to your vocabulary and show off to your parents and teachers.

>>Can we practice one?

>>Sure.

>>One of my favorite ones that you use is an unencumbered.

>>Yeah!

>>It really sounds like cucumber.

(laughing) But it has nothing to do with cucumbers.

>>Unencumbered.

Does that mean we don't like cucumbers?

(laughing) >>I love cucumbers.

All right, so what does unencumbered mean?

>>It means, by definition in the book, it means no worries, cares, or responsibilities.

So in the book she was carrying around a bunch of stuff.

So when she gets to the part where maybe she could climb if she were more unencumbered, maybe if she didn't have as much stuff holding her down, some of the cares and worries, and in her case, actual possessions that were holding her down and keeping her from being able to climb.

Yeah, so that's what unencumbered's all about.

>>Okay, friends, can we try to say unencumbered together?

Here we go.

Ready?

Unencumbered.

Lots of sounds in that word.

I want you to practice that word today and practice feeling unencumbered, right?

>>Ah, right.

>>Yeah, everything's gonna be all right.

Love is all you need.

>>Exactly.

>>That message from the book.

>>That's part of the theme of book too.

So it's not just about stuff.

It's about things like emotions, and sadness, and things like that that can make us feel encumbered.

>>Encumbered not unencumbered.

Right.

These are some heavy messages, but if we can leave you with something to think about today, if you're feeling kind of down, and we all have bad days.

We all have heavy days.

That's just part of it.

But if you can think to yourself, I'm gonna be brave.

I'm gonna let some of this go, and then practice that word unencumbered.

(Marc laughs) I love it.

(Mary laughs) >>Yeah, that's great.

>>You are a beautiful learner.

>>Friends, we have learned so much today from our wonderful guests Marc Boston and Tevin White.

Thank you both so much for spending time today with us.

>>Yes, thank you for having us.

>>It's been an honor.

And thank you so much to the Music Resource Center here in Charlottesville for this beautiful space to learn in today, and make music, and hear a story.

And friends, remember what we say when we learn new things.

Repeat after us.

I am brave.

>>I am curious.

>>I am strong because I can do hard things.

>>I am a beautiful learner.

>>Yes, you are, friends.

And we will see you next time.

Y'all ready?

(mellow music) ♪ Come play with me ♪ ♪ Won't you come play with me ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ Come play music with me ♪ ♪ We're gonna sing, yes ♪ ♪ And we're gonna dance ♪ ♪ We're gonna learn to play some instruments ♪ ♪ Oh, come play with me ♪ ♪ Won't you come play with me ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ Come play music with me ♪