THE PLANETS | THE STORY ORCHESTRA

A thrilling musical picture book from the award-winning Story Orchestra series — The Planets brings Holst's magnificent orchestral suite to life through Jessica Courtney-Tickle's breathtaking illustrations and 10 built-in sound buttons. Press the musical note on each page to hear a 10-second excerpt from a real orchestra playing Holst's score as you follow Tim and Helen on an extraordinary night-time adventure through the solar system.

Tim and Helen are very excited — Mum has just finished decorating their bedroom with a space theme, complete with rocket bunk beds and glow-in-the-dark planets and stars. As they snuggle under their duvets, the bed starts to make a strange rumbling sound… WHOOSH! The countdown has already begun. The children blast off in their blue and yellow rocket with their orange cat, soaring past Mars, landing on crater-covered Mercury, gliding through the asteroid belt, and exploring the outer planets before racing home to watch the sun rise over Earth.

At the back of the book, find a short biography of Gustav Holst, musical notes on all 10 sound clips discussing instruments, rhythms and techniques, and a glossary of musical terms.

• The Planets — The Story Orchestra series
• Illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle
• Published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books (Quarto)
• Hardback, published 9 November 2023
• ISBN: 9780711289161
• 10 built-in sound buttons — press to hear real orchestral excerpts from Holst's The Planets suite
• Includes composer biography, musical notes for all 10 clips and glossary at the back
• Note: pull the white tab out of the back of the book before first use; press buttons firmly in the exact location to activate
• Also available in the series: The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Four Seasons in One Day, Carnival of the Animals, The Magic Flute, In the Hall of the Mountain King, Peter and the Wolf, A Midsummer Night's Dream and I Can Play Vol. 1

A wonderful birthday or Christmas gift for children aged 3+ who love space, science and adventure — and a beautiful introduction to classical music for the whole family.