The Story Orchestra: Hansel and Gretel: Press the Note to Hear Humperdinck’s Music

Discover the enchanting magic of Hansel and Gretelin this musical reimagining of Humperdinck’s most famous suites - push the button in each scene to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Humperdinck’s score.

On the edge of the woods live Hansel and Gretel with their parents. One day their mother is furious at them for not completing their household chores and sends the siblings into the woods to pick some strawberries. But these are no ordinary woods. They are home to an evil witch who delights in baking children into gingerbread men and eating them! Discover what happens to Hansel and Gretel in this magical retelling of the famous Grimms’ fairy tale.

As you and your little one journey through the magical scenes of one of the greatest fairy tales, press the buttons on each page to hear 10 excerpts from the incidental music! 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, Engelbert Humperdinck, with details about his composition of Hansel and Gretel. 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, opera and program music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores.

Also available in the Story Orchestra series: Four Seasons in One Day, The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Carnival of the Animals, The Magic Flute, In the Hall of the Mountain King, I Can Play (vol 1), The Planets and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

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.

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.