Musical Picture Book Story Ana Gerhard Illustrations Marie Lafrance Music I Musici de Montréal Narration Colm Feore Travel through time following a charming little mouse called Minim who loves cheese and music. On this occasion, he finds himself bouncing around in Emily’s skirt pocket as she joyfully skips down the stairs to her father’s bustling workshop. A very special guest has just arrived, a musician deemed to be the best violinist in the world. Little do the luthiers know that they will come very close to witnessing a terrible accident: the destruction of Niccolo Paganini’s most cherished instrument. Luckily, the little girl saves the day by miraculously catching the violin in midair before it hits the floor. Filled with gratitude, the maestro begins to play a piece for her—as if nothing else in the world ever existed.
In addition to an illustrated story and introductory notes on the composer, the book is accompanied by a CD featuring recordings of the narrated story and the performance of the composition “Caprice 24.”
Pub Date: 2021 Ages: 5 to 9 / Grades 1 to 5 Keywords: Classical Music / History / Mouse / Paganini
Author / Performers Ana Gerhard studied as a concert pianist at the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City and is a renowned music educator. In addition to writing the Little Stories of Great Composers series, she is a four-time recipient of the Parents’ Choice Award for Little Creatures, Listen to the Birds, Simply Fantastic, and Amazing Water.
I Musici de Montréal is a Canadian chamber orchestra founded in 1984 by cellist and conductor Yuli Turovsky. This permanent collective of 15 musicians has a broad repertoire that ranges from baroque to contemporary music.
Colm Feore achieved fame as one of Canada’s premiere stage actors, playing virtually all of Shakespeare’s leading men over numerous seasons of the Stratford Festival. While he continues his work on stage, he also frequently appears on television and film. He is particularly well-known for his supporting roles in notable Hollywood productions Chicago, Thor, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, House of Cards and The Umbrella Academy.
Illustrator Marie Lafrance studied graphic arts, etching, and worked as a printmaker before going on to illustrate children’s books. Over her career she’s earned three nominations for the Governor General’s Literary Award, and she recently received the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award for A Hen for Izzy Pippik.