The Carnival of the Animals (Book and CD) [Hardcover]

Jack Prelutsky (Author), Camille Saint-Saens (Creator), Mary GrandPre (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: August 24, 2010 | Age Range: 5 - 8 years | Series: Book and CD

A great way to introduce children to classical music.

America’s first Children's Poet Laureate has written all-new verses to accompany the composer Camille Saint-Saëns’s The Carnival of the Animals, and the illustrator of the Harry Potter books has turned these rollicking rhymes into a picture-book fun fest. Included is a CD of the music and of Jack Prelutsky reading the verses. A note to parents and teachers by Judith Bachleitner, head of the music department at the prestigious Rudolf Steiner School in New York City, suggests ways preschoolers can act out the music—tromp like an elephant, hop like a kangaroo, glide like a swan—or, for older children, be creatively inspired by this joyful work.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 1-7–Prelutsky has created a group of poems that match the animals that Saint-Saëns portrayed in his famous classical work, composed in 1886. Read alone or in tandem with the accompanying CD, the sounds of the animals come through in the poetic form with Prelutsky's use of repetition, alliteration, and carefully placed line breaks. Listen to “Roosters and Hens” and the “peck peck peck” and “cluck cluck cluck” bring these skittery creatures to mind. The CD allows readers to listen for the same animal through Saint-Saëns's music, which brings the chickens alive in a very different way. In “Birds” children can hear the “flitter” that Prelutsky describes come alive in the tones of the flute. Having children tune in to the sounds, whether poetic or orchestral, creates a sensitivity to music in all its forms. A third dimension is added with GrandPré's vibrant art, which suggests movement through the use of collage and luminous acrylics. This is a carnival, after all, and the rich colors bring to mind the otherworldliness a carnival provides. While music teachers will want this book to complement their introduction of the sounds of the orchestra, it is also a collection children will enjoy on their own. Teachers will enjoy sharing Prelutsky's use of “just the right words” when describing each animal. It is onomatopoeia at its best.–Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About the Author

Jack Prelutsky, America’s first Children’s Poet Laureate, is the king of funny verse. Two of his recent books are The Swamps of Sleethe: Poems from Beyond the Solar System and Good Sports: Rhymes about Running, Jumping, Throwing, and More.

Mary GrandPré is best known as the illustrator of the Harry Potter books. She has also illustrated The Blue Shoe by Roderick Townley and the picture book Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat by Jennifer Armstrong.

Product Details

• Age Range: 5 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers; Har/Com edition (August 24, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 037586458X
• ISBN-13: 978-0375864582
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 0.4 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,601 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > Children's Books > Arts, Crafts & Music > Performing Arts
  • #61 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry

More About the Author

Jack Prelutsky has filled more than fifty books of verse with his inventive wordplay, including the national bestsellers The Wizard, Scranimals, and The New Kid on the Block. He is also the author of Be Glad Your Nose is on your Face, a collection of his most celebrated verses. He was named the nation's first Children's Poet Laureate by the Poetry Foundation. Jack Prelutsky lives in Washington State.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a perfect introduction to classical music for young students! April 22, 2011

By D. Fowler TOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

The magical combination of Jack Prelutsky's verse, Camille Saint-Saën's captivating music, and Mary GrandPré's stunning artwork infuse the pages of this book with excitement.

All fourteen movements of Camille Saint-Saën's Le Carnaval des Animaux (The Carnival of the Animals) are included on the CD. The movements are prefaced by Prelutsky's recitation of his poem. The last track on the CD is an uninterrupted, fully orchestrated performance of the piece performed by the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra.

On each two-page spread is a stunning interpretation of the animals in the Carnival. Mary GrandPré is best known for her illustrations of the American Harry Potter books. The illustrations are vibrant and capture the essence of Saint-Saën's work perfectly.

In the back of the book is a note to parents and educations discussing this work. The Carnival has been long noted as a perfect introductory classical piece for young children. Judith Bachleitner, head of the Rudolf Steiner School music department, notes that "Kindergarten-age children will move with the rhythm of the music, imitating the animals. They'll walk like an elephant, swim like a fish, march like a lion, hop like a kangaroo, and so on." This amazing book would be a perfect addition to any homeschool or classroom shelves!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun with classical music? Yes, with beautiful pictures and catchy lyrics! July 6, 2011

By Funaek

Format:Hardcover

A beautiful and fun book that covers various segments of Camille Saint-Saens' The Carnival of the Animals, with catchy rhymes by Prelutsky, and energetic illustrations by GrandPre. There are 15 sections, including an intro and finale, and the CD begins with Prelutsky's dramatic reading, followed by the relevant section of Camille Saint-Saens' music.

The concept behind this book and CD is that Prelutsky wrote a set of lyrics to accompany Camille Saint-Saens' The Carnival of the Animals, composed in 1886. It's a perfect introduction to classical music for children of all ages as it consists of a set of orchestral character pieces, with each depicting a particular animal. Think of it as like Peter and the Wolf, where each character was represented by an instrument that complimented its nature and personality.

Prelutsky has put together a great set of lyrics that captures the essence of the movements and has a great knack for words and rhythm. And I think that GrandPre's work really shines here, compared to in Harry Potter, as she uses vibrant colors and stylized set-ups to convey big movements and sounds in the lion, rooster, and donkey pages, but also beautifully captures the quiet stillness of the turtle and the swan.

The book alone is wonderful, but it's the CD that really seals the deal here. Enjoy this by reading the book, listening to the CD, or doing both, and you can do it all at once or in chunks. This can be as interactive or lazy of a read as you want it to be. I bought this for my niece and nephew last holiday season for the concentrated all-day family events when I knew we would all be too busy and too tired to read books all day. It was perfect and they still love The Carnival of the Animals to this day.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Companion Pieces for Classical Music Lovers August 24, 2011

By Princess Luna

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I got this for my 3 year old daughter for Christmas. She saw the finale for "Carnival of Animals" in the movie "Fantasia 2000" (dancing flamingos-check it out), and she loves it, so I got this to show her there was more to it. It has a nice little book, a cd that has the words to the book in it set to the music, and the entire "Carnival of Animals" set by itself at the end of the CD (track 16). It would be a good investment to teach my child to like classical music in some form. This is a good introduction.