Wild Symphony

by Dan Brown (Author) Susan Batori (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

#1 New York Times bestselling author Dan Brown makes his picture book debut with this mindful, humorous, musical, and uniquely entertaining book!

The author will be donating all US royalties due to him to support music education for children worldwide, through the New Hampshire Charitable foundation.

Travel through the trees and across the seas with Maestro Mouse and his musical friends! Young readers will meet a big blue whale and speedy cheetahs, tiny beetles and graceful swans. Each has a special secret to share. Along the way, you might spot the surprises Maestro Mouse has left for you- a hiding buzzy bee, jumbled letters that spell out clues, and even a coded message to solve!

Children and adults can enjoy this timeless picture book as a traditional read-along, or can choose to listen to original musical compositions as they read--one for each animal--with a free interactive smartphone app, which uses augmented reality to play the appropriate song for each page when a phone's camera is held over it.

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Kirkus

Batori's cartoon illustrations are whimsically engaging. 

ALA/Booklist

Best-selling author [Dan] Brown's debut picture book offers a wide-ranging, peppy blend of rhyming poems, puzzles, motivational messages, and music.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

PreS-Gr 2--Maestro Mouse guides readers on this wild musical ride. Readers follow him through jungles, pods, trees, fields, and seas to explore the animal kingdom. As readers learn about each type of animal, Maestro also reveals something new, with a secret lesson or two hiding on every page. The armadillo, who has a shell to keep out the bad things, reminds readers that "it's okay to block out the bad things, but don't forget to open up and invite the good things in." Brown does not disappoint with his picture book debut. Rhyming poems accompanied by Batori's detailed, animated illustrations share each animal's story and helpful lesson. An added feature of this musical book can be found on the inside cover; Brown's original musical compositions accompany each page--one for each animal--and can be accessed through an interactive smartphone app. VERDICT A delightful musical debut sure to be a hit at story hours.--Elizabeth Blake, Fields Corner Lib., Dorchester, MA

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

Bestselling adult author Brown shares a menagerie of lighthearted animal poems, each composed of four sets of couplets, as Maestro Mouse introduces readers to musical animal friends, who gather at the end for a "big surprise." Nearly every page introduces an animal through whimsical, nonsensical, and occasionally onomatopoeic lines ("Bounce and eat--Ka-chew! Ka-chew!/ Bounce asleep--Ka-snooze! Ka-snooze!" reads the kangaroo's entry). Kittens, stingrays, hippos, and frogs are all present, with little organizational transition between habits or habitats. Batori's assortment of digitally rendered, cartoonishly expressive animals and colorful landscapes complement the text; the creators further supplement with an aphorism beneath each poem, "a hidden game" to be played, and accompanying music via QR code. Though the busy volume feels unfocused, its interactive format allows for various levels of entertainment. An author's note shares Brown's musical background and a last coded message. Ages 3-7. (Sept.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

[The] author of The DaVinci Code (2003) and other wildly popular titles for adults, here offers young listeners a poetry collection accompanied by music.... Batori's cartoon illustrations are whimsically engaging. —Kirkus Reviews
Dan Brown
DAN BROWN is the author of numerous #1 international bestsellers, including The Da Vinci Code, Inferno, The Last Symbol, Angels & Demons, Deception Point, Digital Fortress, and Origin. He is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he spent time as an English teacher before turning his efforts fully to writing. He lives in New England.
Website: danbrown.com
Twitter: @authordanbrown

Instagram: @authordanbrown


Susan Batori is a Hungarian illustrator, graphic designer, and character design addict. She studied graphic design at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts, Budapest.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780593704233
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Rodale Kids
Publication date
September 19, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039050 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emotions & Feelings
JUV031040 - Juvenile Fiction | Performing Arts | Music
JUV002000 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | General
Library of Congress categories
Animals
Music

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