A Symphony of Stories

A follow-up to Once Upon a Tune, this beautiful gift book introduces children to six more musical classics through story and illustration

Six world famous orchestral pieces from six renowned composers feature in this beautiful gift book, introducing children to the world of classical music through story and illustration. James Mayhew tells the stories of six much loved pieces of music, accompanied by breath-taking illustrations: Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saens

The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi
The Sunken Cathedral by Claude Debussy
The Butterfly Lovers by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao
The Planets by Gustav Holst
The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky

"A wonderful collection of sumptuously illustrated stories taken from six iconic and much-loved pieces of music... There are also recommended recordings of the music to stream or download as I can imagine many families and classrooms doing to accompany their reading of this splendid celebration of art, music and storytelling."

"This stunner of a book is a companion to James’ Once Upon a Tune….An absolutely terrific celebration of creativity through art, music and words. A book to keep and to give."

“A superb, handsomely produced, wondrously illustrated, energetically told gift picture book.”

"The book is richly illustrated: gold leaf on the dust jacket, vibrant or muted colours inside reflecting the moods of the chosen words and music, a combination which encourages pupils to listen with appreciation. It is a book for both home and classroom. There is a ready-made music syllabus to be found in its pages, with helpful notes and suggested recordings to support the musically less confident. But more than that, it is an opening into more storytelling, writing – both prose and poetry, exploration of countries and cultures, all through the rich heritage of music."

"A beautiful book for bedtimes, these stories are magical, captivating, soothing and will certainly lead to sweet dreams…. There are notes about the stories, information about the best versions to download and pages of beautiful collage illustrations to marvel at."

"Mayhew’s lyrical storytelling and spectacular illustrations create a rich experience with added notes and suggested recordings for further learning. Highly recommended."

"His distinctive technique uses hand-printed, patterned papers that he cuts up and assembles as stunning collage pictures. This gives every illustration depth of colour and texture that is really eye catching. I hope that children, parents and teachers might be inspired to try something equally creative. What a delicious treat to look forward to! I strongly recommend these beautifully illustrated stories"

"A Symphony of Stories is a stunning celebration of creativity - a book to keep and treasure. Mayhew's passion for these pieces shines through in his introduction, the accompanying notes and, above all, his fabulous illustrations which are completely captivating.

From a teacher's perspective, the book is perfect for enriching the curriculum: music appreciation lessons, assemblies, story times, art lessons - all these and more could be inspired by A Symphony of Stories, sprinkling a little much-needed creative joy into learning!"

"This whole book has exceptional production values – clear font, beautifully designed pages that instantly attract and engage and an immediately accessible voice. Nor should the price be a barrier. This is a book to last, to be used with families, with classrooms to welcome all listeners and widen horizons. Music is an exciting world in all its forms – and here we are reminded of that."

James Mayhew is an internationally acclaimed author, artist and storyteller. Once Upon A Tune was inspired by his work with orchestras and musicians, presenting concerts that incorporate stories, music and art created live on stage. He is the illustrator of the Mrs Noah series written by Jackie Morris (twice nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal). He lives in Suffolk, England, where the big skies and gentle light are perfect for artists.

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