The Story Orchestra: The Planets (Holst)

Discover the spellbinding magic of The Planets in this musical reimagining of one of Holst’s most famous suites. Push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Holst’s score.

This tale is about a brother and sister who adventure deep into our solar system. Our story begins one night as Helen and Tim get ready for bed in their new space rocket bunk beds… but sleep will have to wait as they magically blast up, up, up into the glittering night sky, leaving planet Earth far below them.
 
Helen and Tim journey here, there and everywhere through our majestic solar system. They soar past the cold rocky surface of Mars as it rises into towering peaks and plunges into deep canyons and glide through a bumpy asteroid belt made of icy rocks. They blast deeper into our solar system, exploring the dazzling stars and astounding planets along the way.
 
But now it really is time to head home! As the rocket speeds towards Earth, Tim and Helen watch the sun rise over their planet.

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.

As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the score. Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the sounds, 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, Gustav Holst, with details about his composition of The Planets. 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.

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.

About the Author

Jessica Courtney-Tickle​ is an illustrator who graduated from Kingston University in July 2014. Her absolute favorite thing to draw or paint is nature, finding a focus on foliage of any kind as well as children's stories about adventure and exploration. She also has a penchant for drawing theater from music makers to dancers and even singing animals. Jessica is most influenced by vintage picture books, travel posters, and folk art as well as numerous painters and printmakers.

Reviews

"Music makes this engaging, fact-packed story about the planets even more noteworthy." ―Good Housekeeping, Best Nonfiction Books for Kids Award 2023

"It would make a fantastic gift for space or music enthusiasts this holiday season." ―Book Riot

Dimensions:  30.41 x 26.5 cm