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"Monty Harper is known for his library friendly songs"
- School Library Journal

Monty Harper Biography

“Vibrant images of a child's world are a hallmark of Mr. Harper's work,” says Dave Kinnoin of SongWizard Records, “and his prolific playfulness delights the child in all of us.” Based in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where he lives with his wife and daughter, Harper has been writing, recording, and performing songs for kids since 1989.

Harper's songs and recordings have garnered many rave reviews and awards including Parents' Choice Awards, NAPPA Honors Awards, Unisong Awards, and Children's Music Web Awards.

Harper began creating music for kids as a way to combine various interests such as writing, music, performance, and working with children. After completing his master's degree in mathematics at Oklahoma State University (just in case) he immediately began to explore the possibility of children's music as a career.

In the ensuing years, Harper has engaged many thousands of children with his interactive programs at libraries and schools throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. He is one of the most often booked performers on the Oklahoma Arts Council Touring Roster and has penned many songs for clients such as The Oklahoma Department of Libraries and the LAUSD Nutrition Network. Harper's award-winning recordings are available at CDBaby.com, Amazon.com, and iTunes.

Monty's Reading Connection

Monty Harper began his children's music career with volunteer performances at his home town public library. He enjoyed sharing his own enthusiasm for books and reading with the kids so much that he began writing songs especially for upcoming summer program themes. In a few short years Harper was one of the most sought after acts on the Oklahoma summer library circuit.

Harper wrote and recorded four collections of songs for the Oklahoma Department of Libraries: Blast Into Books, Magical Madcap Tour, I'd Sooner Read, and Stampede to Read. Each was distributed to public libraries throughout Oklahoma for use with their reading programs. Many of the songs from these collections are now available on the Reading Songs Volume I: Blast Into Books collection.

More recently Harper has released CDs of original songs inspired by the Paws Claws Scales and Tales, Get a Clue, and Be Creative CSLP themes.

Harper is adept at writing songs that grab kids' attention and celebrate reading in imaginative ways. From a "Great Green Squishy Mean Bibliovore" who learns to appreciate books as more than mere snacks to an alien who demands, "Take Me to Your Library," Harper's songs are filled with characters and situations that vividly depict reading as an adventure worth pursuing.

Harper's own favorite books and series include Green Eggs and Ham, The Great Brain, The BFG, Nate the Great, Junie B. Jones, Winnie the Pooh, Charlotte's Web, Bartimaeus, Larklight, and Harry Potter.

Performance Schedule

To book Monty at your library, inquire here.

January 2012

1/21/2012
Stillwater, OK - Stillwater Public Library at 10:00am
Born to Do Science
This Is Your Brain On Words!
How We Pull Meaning Out of Written Language
Do you understand this sentence? How? Shelia Kennison, PhD, from the Department of Psychology at Oklahoma State University will speak about her research into how our left and right brain hemispheres work together to create meaning while we're reading.

1/30/2012
* Stillwater, OK - Richmond Elementary School at
Songwriting Residency

March 2012

3/10/2012
Stillwater, OK - Stillwater Public Library at 10:00am
Born to Do Science
My One and Only Vole
Pair Bonding in Monogamous Prairie Voles
Tomica Blocker, master's student in Zoology at Oklahoma State University and recent recipient of an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship grant, will speak about her investigations into the mating habits of these amorous rodents and how they may be affected by human industrial activity.

April 2012

4/21/2012
Stillwater, OK - Stillwater Public Library at 10:00am
Born to Do Science
Predators, Prey, and the Games They Play!
Computer Models Reflect Real-World Animal Behavior
Dr. Barney Luttbeg from the Oklahoma State University Department of Zoology will speak about his research using tadpoles, dragonfly larvae, and computer simulations to understand the complex interactions between predators and their prey.

4/28/2012
Washington, DC - USA Science and Engineering Festival at
Songs from the Science Frontier

May 2012

5/8/2012
* Bristow, OK - Collins Elementary at 10:00am
Say It in a Song

5/14/2012
Woodward, OK - Woodward Schools at
Wacky Witty Way-Out Songs
Date is still subject to change

5/19/2012
Stillwater, OK - Stillwater Public Library at 10:00am
Born to Do Science
The Fungus Among Us!
When Fungi Attack, Science Fights Back
Stephen M. Marek PhD from the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Oklahoma State University will speak about his use of molecular tools to investigate "who done it" and how to stop it when important crops suffer damage from pathogenic fungi.

June 2012

6/4/2012
Cushing, OK - Cushing Public Library at 6:30pm
Sing-Along Slumber Party

6/6/2012
Perkins, OK - Thomas Wilhite Memorial Library at 10:00am
Sing-Along Slumber Party

6/6/2012
Meeker, OK - Meeker Public Library at 1:00pm
Sing-Along Slumber Party

6/7/2012
Ada, OK - Ada Public Library at 10:30am
Sing-Along Slumber Party

6/13/2012
McAlester, OK - McAlester Public Library at 10:00 am & 1:00pm
Sing-Along Slumber Party

6/20/2012
Catoosa, OK - Catoosa Public Library at 1:30pm
Sing-Along Slumber Party

6/26/2012
Stillwater, OK - Stillwater Public Library at 10:00am, 1:30pm & 3:30pm
Sing-Along Slumber Party

6/27/2012
Lawton, OK - Lawton Public Library at 11:00am & 1:30pm
Sing-Along Slumber Party

July 2012

7/10/2012
Ponca City, OK - Ponca City Public Library at 11:00am
Sing-Along Slumber Party

7/19/2012
Mulberry, AR - Mulberry Public Library at 10:00am
Sing-Along Slumber Party

7/19/2012
Alma, AR - Alma Public Library at 1:00pm
Sing-Along Slumber Party

7/19/2012
Mountainburg, AR - Mountainburg Public Library at 3:30pm
Sing-Along Slumber Party

7/20/2012
Van Buren, AR - Van Buren Public Library at 10:00am
Sing-Along Slumber Party

7/20/2012
Cedarville, AR - Cedarville Public Library at 1:00pm
Sing-Along Slumber Party

7/23/2012
Norman, OK - Norman Public Library at 2:00pm & 7:00pm
Sing-Along Slumber Party

7/26/2012
Duncan, OK - Duncan Public Library at 11:00am
Sing-Along Slumber Party

August 2012

8/4/2012
Bella Vista, AR - Bella Vista Library at 10:30am
Sing-Along Slumber Party

* Events marked with an asterisk are made possible with assistance from the Oklahoma Arts Council.

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