An intriguing if fanciful introduction to a musical classic.
“Zig and zig and zig. Maestro Death keeps time.” A friend’s poem and a visit to the catacombs underneath Paris in 1872 inspire composer Camille Saint-Saëns to write a now-famous orchestral piece echoing the sounds of dancing, clacking skeletal bones.
Imagining dialogue and taking some liberties with the story (as she explains in the backmatter), music scholar Celenza conjures up the underground visit, a first performance of the piece as a song, its orchestration and premier performance. She emphasizes the composer’s fascination with the idea of dancing skeletons and his desire “to try to capture that sensation in music.” She uses some delicious words—ossuary, amorously, rambunctious, diabolical, ghoulish—sure to intrigue young listeners. Two pages toward the end of the narrative could serve as program notes describing the story in the music. As with other books in this series, the package includes a CD recording. The 1996 performance is by the Pittsburgh Symphony directed by Lorin Maazel. Kitchel’s pastel watercolors belie the mood of the story, although the dancing skeletons, in shades of gray, will show beautifully for Halloween read-alouds. Though the live people in these illustrations have all the animation of paper dolls, these jointed figures clearly dance.
An intriguing if fanciful introduction to a musical classic. (Picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-57091-348-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: June 25, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A new series for emerging chapter-book readers combines the allure of baseball parks with the challenge of solving a mystery. Mike and Kate have tickets to a Red Sox game and an all-access pass to the park, courtesy of Kate's mom, a sportswriter. The pass comes in handy when it's reported that star player Big D's lucky bat has been stolen, as it allows them to help find the thief. Historical details about Fenway Park, including the secret code found on the manual scoreboard, a look at Wally the mascot and a peek into the gift shop, will keep the young baseball fan reading, even when the actual mystery of the missing bat falls a little flat. Writing mysteries for very young readers is a challenge—the puzzle has to be easy enough to solve while sustaining readers' interest. This slight adventure is more baseball-park travel pamphlet than mystery, a vehicle for providing interesting details about one of the hallowed halls of baseball. Not a homerun, but certainly a double for the young enthusiast. On deck? The Pinstripe Ghost, also out on Feb. 22, 2011. (historical notes) (Mystery. 6-9)
Pub Date: Feb. 22, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-375-86703-3
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 29, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2011
An approachable explanation of tenacity, friendship, and hope.
Soren is determined to revamp the song of his fellow humpback whales.
Finding the music of the older male whales “outrageously boring,” Soren opts for something catchy, with sounds reminiscent of maracas. Eager to share his new music, Soren performs for his friends, and Hans offers his opinion: That was the worst song ever. After many more revisions (seven iterations altogether), Soren lands on one that becomes a hit under the sea. Eggers tackles important themes—the challenges of the creative process, which entails unavoidable laboring, and the necessity of trustworthy friends willing to give honest feedback. Thanks to Soren’s dogged persistence and Eggers’ tongue-in-cheek humor, these complex concepts become accessible for young readers. Hoffmann’s illustrations depict the widely smiling whales with expressive faces and accessories, like Hans’ red deerstalker hat. The sea creatures have personality, and the underwater world is filled with movement and energy. It helps that Soren is a likable character, but the repeated back-and-forth of the seven versions of the song starts to get tedious, making the book a lengthy read. That said, inspiration finally strikes when Soren learns to look outside his cave at the beauty around him—a lovely point well made. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An approachable explanation of tenacity, friendship, and hope. (Picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781951836733
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Cameron Kids
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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