A Symphony of Stories – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Music, short stories, myths, animals, magic.
Children’s book title: A Symphony of Stories: Musical Myths and Tuneful Tales.
Children’s author and illustrator: James Mayhew.
Genre: Short Stories.
Published by: Otter-Barry Books.
ISBN: 9781915659347.
Recommended for children aged: 5+ year-olds.
First published: Hardback November 2024.
This children’s book is ideal for: Readers of all ages.
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Our review:
The orchestra is all tuned up…
A Symphony of Stories: Musical Myths and Tuneful Tales is a beautifully illustrated collection of six stories inspired by some of the most famous musical pieces in the world. This global collection includes pieces from China, Russia and Italy, written for both full scale orchestras as well as small ensembles.
The six pieces of music featured are:
The Carnival of the Animals – Music by Camille Saint-Saëns
- As the ‘king of all the beasts’, the lion introduces a host of animals on parade, from hens to tortoises and elephants to kangaroos, all with their own unique beats and rhythms.
The Four Seasons – Music by Antonio Vivaldi
- The composer himself features in this walk through a year in the countryside, as he seeks inspiration from nature.
The Sunken Cathedral – Music by Claude Debussy
- A pair of star-crossed lovers inadvertently cause the fabled city of Ys to be consumed by the sea, leaving just the cathedral’s bells to ring out at low tide.
The Planets – Music by Gustav Holst
- Greek and Roman legends tell of powerful Mars and romantic Venus, of Jupiter who brings good fortune and Neptune who controls dreams and spirituality.
The Butterfly Lovers – Music by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang
- An arranged marriage prevents Yingtai from being with her beloved Shambo. When Shambo dies from grief on Yingtai’s wedding day, Yingtai follows her lover into the tomb and the pair are reborn as butterflies.
The Firebird – Music by Igor Stravinsky
- Prince Ivan sets a trapped firebird free in exchange for a promise of future help. When Ivan is later captured by a fearsome ogre who is holding thirteen princesses captive, Ivan calls on the firebird to keep its promise and break the ogre’s spell.
Author James Mayhew explains that a symphony can be described as both ‘a big piece of music’ and ‘a harmonious gathering of themes’. A Symphony of Stories is indeed such a harmonious gathering – a cohesive literary and musical collection.
The colourful, collage-style illustrations bring the six tales to life, with musical notes floating throughout many of the pages. A biographical section at the back of the book contains information on each of the featured composers, as well recommended recordings of each of the pieces to stream or download.
A Symphony of Stories: Musical Myths and Tuneful Tales will appeal to both established classical music fans and those entirely new to the genre who appreciate well-written stories and beautifully presented picture books.
Many thanks to Otter-Barry Books for the review copy.
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