Katy Flint

Guardian: 'a lively retelling, enriched by Jessica Courtney Tickle's luscious illustrations - each spread is like an illuminated garden' A stunning retelling of the classic ballet story brought to life by music! Set to the sound of Tchaikovsky's original music, this favorite ballet story features a a musical note to press on each spread. Join the King and Queen as they throw a party for their new baby, Princess Aurora. But when a terrible guest arrives and places a curse on princess, the kingdom must find the one special person who can defeat it... Read the story, listen to accompanying music, then turn to the back of the book to find out more about the Tchaikovsky musical clips in this stunning gift book.

Follow Clara on a magical Christmas adventure in this musical retelling of The Nutcracker ballet - push the button on each beautiful scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Tchaikovsky's original score. It is Christmas Eve at Clara's house. Scents of ginger, chocolate and peppermint waft through the air. Clara's parents are having a party, and her little brother Fritz is decorating the Christmas tree. Clara's godfather, a toymaker, arrives with gifts, including a very special one for her - a wooden nutcracker carved in the shape of a little man. After Fritz breaks it, the children are sent to bed. The story follows Clara in her dreams as she battles and defeats a mouse king, then travels with her nutcracker-turned-prince to the Land of Sweets where she watches its enchanting inhabitants perform beautiful dances. As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the ballet's music, including 'The Waltz of the Flowers', 'The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy', 'The Russian Dance', and the awesome 'Finale'. At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with details about his composition of The Nutcracker ballet. 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. The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores. 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.

See the human body as never before, in this unique scratch and discover format. Every spread addresses a new theme, teaching little ones about our skeletons, muscles and brains! An appealing, interactive first introduction to how our bodies work - with activities to help understanding.

From the The Story Orchestra series, a beautifully illustrated first piano sound book! Press the keys to learn 8 famous classical tunes from the story books. While other books in the series play famous pieces of classical music, in this new Story Orchestra title, young readers can now play the tunes themselves! Colour and shape codes correspond to the 14 keys, so kids can learn easy 8-bar, one-finger melodies, so even the youngest child can learn to play music with this simple method. For best results, playing readers the original piece first is recommended so children can familiarise themselves with the pacing of the tune. Each song includes an enchanting illustration and description of the part of the story that the music is telling along with playing tips. All the favourite characters from the series are there to encourage young musicians as they play their first notes with the sound of a piano. I Can Play: The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky) The Dance of the Reed Flutes - The Nutcracker (Tchaikovsky) Flight of the Swans - Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky) Dance of the Cygnets - Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky) Royal March of the Lions - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saens) The Elephant - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saens) The Swan - The Carnival of the Animals (Saint-Saens) Spring Dawn Chorus - The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) Readers should press firmly on the pages to activate the keys, encouraging them to explore the possibilities of making music!