An invitation is given on the very first page…
‘Come! Let’s slip down the end of the garden, we’ll beat a new path, where the path doesn’t go.’
Murmurs and muffled sounds are heard between the leaves of the trees and bushes. Behind the leaves are dozens of animals, both big and small, warming up instruments. What is happening here?!
A panda, a rhino, a snake and a crab. A kangaroo, a chameleon, an elephant too. There are drums and horns and strings between paws and tiny feet. This is The Fantabulous Animal Orchestra getting ready to play.
Together they play beautifully and in harmony.
‘Hear that glorious chorus, it’s soaring uproarious.’
But wait… something is suddenly missing!
Where have all the tiny animals gone? But the human conductor hardly misses a wave of his baton.
The orchestra plays on. But wait… more animals have left. What is happening?
Soon only the large animals are playing. Only the large instruments are ‘…soaring uproarious.’
More and more animals and their music vanish, leaving only the oblivious conductor.
The musicians may have left this garden, but maybe we can change that? Maybe we can hear their beautiful music again?
Such a clever concept! I’m a huge fan of Donovan Bixley’s work, and The Fantabulous Animal Orchestra has joined my pile of favourites from this multi award winning NZ author.
From the cover to the surprising fold out pages at the end of the book – this full-colour, large format, vibrant picture book will delight young readers – (and even old ones like me.)
Beginning with an invitation… down the garden path, so to speak, this story will also intrigue readers. Only a page into the story reveals an animal orchestra. Donovan’s rich illustrations invite further scrutiny, as animals of all sizes and shapes are present, surrounding a small human conductor.
All our favourites are here. The tiger, lion and panda. An octopus, snake and kiwi are ready to play. But when an increasing amount of animals stop playing and disappear, leaving only the largest, the ‘fantabulous’ sound of this orchestra is all wrong and out of tune.
The attitude of the human conductor begins with an, I don’t care, until his orchestra cannot play anymore. It is only then he realises what he has lost.
This allegory to climate change and species extinction is executed perfectly, and finished with positivity. The fold-out page at the end of the book was a fun surprise, and reminds us of what we might lose in the orchestra of life on Earth.
Animal lovers, environmentalists, and all kinds of caring wee humans will love this one.
Author / Illustrator – Donovan Bixley
Picture Book
Find a Colouring Activity here
(2024, Penguin NZ, Animals, Music, Balance, Orchestra, Extinction, Climate change, Environment, Down the garden path, Humour)