Four Seasons in One Day- The Story Orchestra

Synopsis

Discover what it would be like to travel through the four seasons in one day in this musical story based on the classical masterpiece The Four Seasons - push the button in each breathtaking scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Vivaldi's score.

Follow a little girl called Isabelle and her dog, Pickle, as they take on the adventure of a lifetime. As a sign of the changing seasons, Isabelle carries a little apple tree with her, and we see it bud, blossom and lose its leaves. As you and your little one journey through the vibrant scenes illustrated by artist Jessica Courtney-Tickle, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from The Four Seasons violin concerti.

Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the sound board at the back of the book, encouraging interactive learning and introducing children to this beautiful piece of music.

At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Antonio Vivaldi, with details about his composition of The Four Seasons. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and, for each of them, read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.

The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet, opera and program music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores. With The Story Orchestra keyboard sound books, children can play the famous melodies themselves with the sound of a real grand piano.
 
Also available from the Story Orchestra series: The Magic Flute, I Can Play (vol 1), Carnival of the Animals, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker.

Manufacturer's note: please pull the white tab out of the back of the book before use. Sound buttons require a firm push in exact location to work, which may be hard for young children. All sound clips are 10 seconds long.

The perfect primer to introduce children to classical music.

Summary

The Story Orchestra: Four Seasons in One Day is an illustrated storybook introducing readers to the four seasons. Written by Jessica Courtney-Tickle and illustrated by Yu-Hsuan Huang, this storybook has a unique feature that sets it apart from other storybooks – it utilizes music to tell the story, accompanying each page with a short piece of music from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons.

In Chapter 1, readers explore the first day of spring, when the birds start to sing and the animals come out of hibernation. This is the time when everything is starting to look brighter and colorful again. The accompanying music is a piece of Vivaldi's "Spring". This section introduces readers to the concept of exploring the four seasons through music.

Chapter 2 takes us to the second day of spring, when the sun is shining bright and the leaves return to the trees. In this chapter, readers learn about how plants and animals make the most of the warm weather and long days. The accompanying music is again a piece from Vivaldi's "Spring".

Chapter 3 explores the first day of summer, when the days get even longer and hotter. This is the perfect time to go for a swim in the lake and have a picnic. The accompanying music is Vivaldi's "Summer".

Chapter 4 takes us to the second day of summer, when the hot days start to cool down a bit and the nights get a bit shorter. This is the perfect time to go camping, have a barbecue, and spend time with friends and family. The accompanying music is also Vivaldi's "Summer".

Chapter 5 introduces us to the first day of autumn, when the weather gets chilly and the leaves start to change color. This is the perfect time to go on a nature walk and explore the changes of the season. The accompanying music is Vivaldi's "Autumn".

Chapter 6 continues with the second day of autumn, when the nights start to get longer and the days start to get shorter. This is the time to get cozy and stay indoors, enjoying tasty treats with family and friends. The accompanying music is again Vivaldi's "Autumn".

In Chapter 7, we find ourselves at the first day of winter, when the days get shorter and the cold weather sets in. This is the time to gather around the fire and sing festive songs. The accompanying music is Vivaldi's "Winter".

Chapter 8 concludes the story on the second day of winter, when the days get even shorter and the snow begins to fall. This is the perfect time for sledding, snowman building, and making snow angels. The accompanying music is Vivaldi's "Winter", bringing the story to a close.

The Story Orchestra: Four Seasons in One Day is a wonderfully unique book that combines music and literature in a way that is both entertaining and educational. By using Vivaldi's The Four Seasons as the musical backdrop to the story, readers are introduced to the idea that music can be used to explore the changing of the seasons. This book is the perfect way to learn about the four seasons and the music that resonates with them.