Jin-May wants to learn to play the drums. She loves the sound of a good beat.

Jin-May loves drums so much that she can’t sit still. All day long she taps a beat. She pats her desk, drums on her books, and taps her feet.

Jin-May sees that she’s not the only one tapping. Mr. Lopez is looking at her and tapping his foot. “Jin-May, give it a rest,” he says.

A rest? This gives Jin-May an idea. She taps out a new beat on her desk.

Tap, rest, tap, tap.

Tap, tap, rest, tap, tap.

Not bad! She likes this new beat.

“Stop, Jin-May, it’s school time,” says Mr. Lopez. “Be quiet.”

Jin-May has to stop drumming.

The next day Mr. Lopez has a surprise for Jin-May. He brings a drum to school. His drum is called a darbuka. He shows the children how to play it. Then he lets them try it.

Jin-May loves the darbuka. She taps with her fingers. She drums with her hand. Tap, rest, tap, tap. Tap, tap, rest, tap, tap.

The class begins to dance to her beat.

“Go, Jin-May, go,” they say.

Jin-May is very happy.