The Sad Story of Veronica Who Played the Violin: Being an Explanation of Why the Streets Are Not Full of Happy Dancing People [Hardcover]

David McKee (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

Veronica's skill with the violin is so astonishing that she can move people and animals to tears, until everything changes with her trip to the deepest jungle.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For optimists who wonder "why the streets are not full of happy dancing people," McKee's darkly comic tale offers some explanation. When Veronica begins violin lessons, the neighbors and even her teachers weep at the girl's sour notes. After she masters her instrument, however, she continues to bring her audience to tears with her sweet songs. Her adventurous soul leads her to abandon a concert career and journey to the "deepest darkest jungle," where her music has an opposite effect and sets the animals to dancing--until one fierce lion ruins the party. McKee's ( Who's a Clever Baby? ; the King Rollo series) busy illustrations depict an array of unusual perspectives and minute details that urge close inspection (alligator and cheetah couples moving cheek-to-cheek are not to be missed). The text's sudden, startling finish teeters on the absurd, but finally provokes more thoughtful consideration of Veronica's circumstances than laughs. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

David McKee studied at Plymouth Art College and his first book was published in 1964. His books are now published in many languages throughout the world, and many of them have been adapted for television. Elmer the patchwork elephant is David McKee's brainchild, and he is the one of the most highly acclaimed contemporary children's book creators. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Publishers (July 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0916291375
• ISBN-13: 978-0916291372
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,084,513 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars you'll laugh out loud!, December 1, 2000

By 

bookaddict (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sad Story of Veronica Who Played the Violin: Being an Explanation of Why the Streets Are Not Full of Happy Dancing People (Hardcover)

I bought this book because it made me laugh out loud in the shop when I got to the ending. "Mothers are always right!"... Veronica plays violin beautifully, but terribly sadly... in every picture there are tears tears tears. One day Veronica who is now a star decides to get away from it all and go for a trip to the jungle... incredibly enough she plays music for vicious beasts but it is HAPPY music!! Yes, she will go back and play differently and the streets will be full of happy dancing people, rather than rivers of tears... but then.... Well, you will have to read it yourself for the explanation of why the streets are not full of happy dancing people. So sad you'll laugh!

The watercolor illustrations are great, with even the birds crying. The layouts are charming, and you can spend an enjoyable half hour searching out the tiny lion motifs hidden on the pages.

A highly recommended book with a great sense of humour, foreshadowing, suspense, character development and a climax ending... what more can you ask of a picture book?!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Veronica's sad story is great., February 16, 2001

By 

veronica (Trenton, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sad Story of Veronica Who Played the Violin: Being an Explanation of Why the Streets Are Not Full of Happy Dancing People (Hardcover)

It is all about a girl named Veronica, who plays the violin. People cry because she plays so nice. She takes a trip to the jungle. She travels with some fearless hunters. When the animals appeared the hunters ran away. Veronica played beautiful music and the animals partied. But then a deaf lion came and he did not know about the music and he ate Veronica. This is why the world is not full of happy dancing people!! I love this book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fun!, May 10, 2000

By 

Nicola Ferguson (North Vancouver, B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sad Story of Veronica Who Played the Violin: Being an Explanation of Why the Streets Are Not Full of Happy Dancing People (Hardcover)

I teach Grade One and my class love this book. It is a fun story with lots of Mr. Mckee's colourful, and rather surrealist, illustrations. This story has a good balance of comedy, tragedy and a sense of the ridiculous. Anyone who has read and enjoyed Not Now, Bernard will love this one.