Carnival of the Animals

But oh! what a fabulous night he had had,

When his world was turned into a zoo!

After wandering off from a school field trip, a young boy falls asleep in the Natural History Museum. There he sees his classmates, teachers, and family transformed into a menagerie of animals, from wild hyenas to stately peacocks.

John Lithgow's exhilarating word play, inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns's 1886 composition, provides a narrative arc to the piece for the first time. Lithgow created the text for the New York City Ballet, where the Carnival of the Animals ballet, with his narration, debuted in 2003. Boris Kulikov's witty artistic interpretation of the story adds to the fun.

A new recording of Saint-Saëns's suite, performed by Chamber Music Los Angeles under the direction of Bill Elliott, complete with John Lithgow's recitation of the text, is included on an enclosed CD.

Customer Reviews:

Great rhymes, gorgeous illustrations - will age well

By Kim Skildum-Reid - November 25, 2004

When looking for presents for our three-year old neighbour, I found this book and was immediately enthralled. The illustrations are gorgeous and the rhymes excellent.

Some of the words are a bit too advanced for a three-year old, but when I read it to her the first time, she asked what they meant, so we got to talk about them, which is really good.

I believe the book will age well, in that the story, illustrations, and vocabulary are complex enough so in a couple of years it won't be a "baby book", but it also had plenty to keep a three-year old entertained. In fact, she was enthralled.

I purchased the book before I realised it was written by THAT John Lithgow, and am really impressed at how multi-talented he is. I will definitely buy more of his books for presents and, as my own young baby gets a little older, really enjoy reading them with her.

Well done!

Carnival of the Animals

By Katherine - January 18, 2005

I was a bit skeptical of this book when it was given to my 5-year old at Christmas, but I have to say it won me over. My son really loves it too, and we don't always have the same taste for books, so it's nice that we both enjoy this together. The rhymes are ingenious and the music is lovely. The vocabulary is advanced, but that's part of what makes this book so charming.

what a combination!

By Monika Plume - December 25, 2004

I've always loved this music, especially to help children appreciate classical music. But what a great idea to combine it with clever rhyme and whimsical art! My 6 year-old daughter received it for Christmas and enjoys listening to the CD and following along with the book at bedtime.