Peter and the Wolf: A Musical Fairy Tale

by Sergei Prokofiev, Jörg Müller (Illustrator)

A retelling of the orchestral fairy tale in which Peter ignores his grandfather's warnings and proceeds to capture a wolf.

Genres: Picture Books, Music, Childrens, Classics, Audiobook, Fiction, Fairy Tales

24 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 1936

About the author

Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (27 April [O.S. 15 April] 1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who later worked in the Soviet Union.

Reviews

[TAP · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean—it’s Bowie.

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering it important that we sample classical music, my brothers & I were small when our Mom bought us the record “Peter And The Wolf”. I found the wolf theme music scary. Music amplifies emotions. Orchestral bursts of music representing story characters was naturally well suited and ingenius. Not all of us take to classical music: often 400 years before our birth, reflecting a spectrum of emotions but not the sound of our times.

However, our ears audibly recognize when music signifies characters and narrates emotions onscreen. Assigning sounds to characters or emotions is natural, versus accepting sounds as songs that may not be relatable or according to taste. We might not crave broccoli by itself but have been nourished by its presence subtly.

It was a pop and rock fan that I became and thus, wherever I encountered this recording by David Bowie from 1978, buying and listening to it was fun. I was instantly familiar with the theme music personalities of Peter, the cat, duck, bird, Grandfather, and wolf. As a story I had criticisms that it was stupid to trap a wolf, certainly by a tail, instead of staying home until he returned to the woods. It made no sense for hunters to appear, nor for the live duck to not exit a stomach and deliver a triumphant conclusion. However, although animal rights do not favour zoos, I loved Sergei Prokofiev’s vision in 1936 to save the wolf. He was a brilliant composer and conductor.

Like our LP, the CD plays a variety of classical music after the story. I absorbed it all and most of the stirring music was familiar. We laid our precious Mother cat, Marigold, to rest on June 26. I felt like the music was thundering a majestic send-off for Marigold to Heaven.

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jim Dale does a fine job as narrator of Prokofiev's delightful musical story.

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

A musical fairytale, 25 minutes long, narrated by Sophia Loren. It was a lovely little listen and Sophia Loren narrated the story well.

[P_H · Rating 4 out of 5]

واقعیتش اینه که من اصلا به داستان کاری ندارم یعنی داستان منطقا برای کودکانه و خیلی ساده ولی شاهکار استفاده از آلات موسیقی به جای هر شخصیت کم نظیره..... بالا و پایین شدن هایی که اتفاق میافته را خیلی دوست داشتم و اینکه وقتی چشم هام را می بستم میتونستم مثلا تیکه ای که دارند از درخت میرند بالا را با همون صداها تصور کنم.
من به دو صورت این سمفونی را گوش کردم. یکی کارتون دوبله شده که خب تصویر هم داشت و دیگری اجرای بی نظیر ارکستر تهران به رهبری آقای شهرداد روحانی که با اندکی تفاوت در روایت راوی در بیان داستان رو به رو بودند.

[Sharon Barrow Wilfong · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pop-up scenes in this book blew me away. It will always be a treasured book for me.

[David Goetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the reviews are combined for this tale, which is unfortunate in light of how many versions there are. I read the mechanical / pop-up version, with scenes done by Barbara Cooney. The tale is famous, of course, and worth reading perhaps for that reason alone; the scenes are beautiful and convincingly Russian. But it's the pop-up aspect of the book that makes it wonderful. Most pop-up books are forgettable and deserve to be destroyed precisely when your toddler gets them alone in a room and destroys them; but this book, if destroyed, would be mourned in our household.

[Olive]

The library copy is missing the CD, but David Bowie accompanied us.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The wolf is actually quite scary.

Poor duck :(

[Naja Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great musical orchestration and an interesting short story!

[Jan Moens · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

[Set · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had higher expectations for the illustrations of this book but it appears that everyone including the animals have a sour and upset look on their face throughout the whole book.

[Gonçalo Sousa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Só li isto porque estava sempre a ser mencionado quando jogava trivia e então tive curiosidade.
A música é slay? Ya é. Mas a história em si é bué fraca, até para um livro infantil. Para além disso, esta merda foi criada para ser propaganda política… 😭😭 N fiquei fã.

[Evie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love David bowies silly voices and just his voice in general it’s so nice. Also justice for the duck that was swallowed alive tf

[Jessica Bernier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Bowie and his many side quests

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd somehow never heard this before. Music from it tends to get quoted often, but I never knew the origin. I enjoyed how each character has its own instrument which helps the listener to better imagine the story through the music. The story is simple, but my 6-year-old listened to it on repeat for several days after we listened to it together.

I've often imagined my own stories to go along with classical music pieces. It's just a shame there aren't more musical pieces with story accompaniments for children.

*Other classical works written for children (not necessarily with words): https://open.spotify.com/user/paisley... (Spotify playlist)
*Children's books paired with musical accompaniments: http://www.letsplaykidsmusic.com/stor...
*Storytelling set to classical music (although I wasn't impressed with the one I listened to): http://www.funwithmusic.com/

[Livia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reader by the name of Melissa (Books and Things) mentioned this was her first ever audiobook on the Geeky Book Blogger's #LoveAudiobooks Giveaway Week 2: How did you start listening? new post in honor of June is Audiobook Month. I'd never listened to this classic fairy tale as an audiobook record/cassette growing up, so I clicked on the YouTube link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfM7Y...) with zero expectations. The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra's music director Bramwell Tovey does double duty as conductor and narrator, and boy does he animate this one fantastically. I've listened to it twice now and will probably listen to it again someday.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just wanted to know what the story was, and hoped a nice picture-book would prove more enlightening than a wikipedia entry. Not so much. I guess I need the music, and probably a teacher too. The pictures in this are appealing, though.

I read the hardcover with the Reading Rainbow sticker, same illustration as the Puffin pb: 0140506330

[Fred Conrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a terrific interpretation, the illustrations are spot-on. almost as good as the ballet.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellie read at naptime..krb 3/25/16

[Michelle Farella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous book! AND it came with the CD with the music, just a wonderful experience all around!

[Ronja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous illustrations.

[Terri Zumbahlen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the traditional story. The book contains great illustrations to go with the story. The music and narration are wonderful for introducing musical instruments to younger children.

[Saffron Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rating is for the edition translated by Maria Carlson and illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak.

[Grace Noto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Peter and the Wolf
Author: Sergei Prokofiev
Illustrator: Peter Malone
Genre: European folktale
Theme(s): animals, fantasy, nature
Opening line/sentence: “Early one morning Peter opened the gate and walked out in the big green meadow.”
Brief book summary: Peter leaves the gate open to his house as he walks into the meadow, letting different animals out. In the meadow, he encounters a wolf.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Name of Source: Kirkus
Link: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
Short blurb:
A new treatment of Prokofiev’s symphonic folktale in which each character is represented by a different orchestral instrument. Set in Russia, the familiar story presents a boy who, to save his animal friends from a wolf, disobeys grandfather’s warnings. From his vantage point in a tree, and with the help of a teasing, distracting bird, Peter fearlessly lassoes the wolf by the tail. This new edition boasts pleasing new illustrations that are at once original and reminiscent of highly decorative Russian art, brightly colored and meticulously detailed. Each character with designated orchestral instrument is graphically introduced at the beginning. Problems arise with the brief, well-known text that has always been at the service of the symphonic movements. Here Prokofiev’s original ending has been changed and softened so that the duck, which has been swallowed whole by the wolf, escapes. There is ample precedent for tinkering with Prokofiev’s masterwork, but this ending may jar those for whom the final melancholy notes of the oboe, representing the trapped duck, are the poignant, seminal moment in the story.

Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Name of reviewer: Bob Jay
Name of Source: CLCD
Link: http://www.clcd.com/#/bookdetail/1/1/...
Short blurb:
Prokofiev's words are illustrated in a quasi-Russian-primitive style by Erna Voigt. Two styles of double page spread are alternated. One contains the text, a small illustration, a picture of the appropriate musical instrument and a line of music - the latest theme; the other is simply a double page illustration. The large picture illustrates the previous two pages and so stimulates much discussion. My consumer research shows that this mixed layout is very attractive, especially to reluctant readers (and with the possibility of reading along with the record there is considerable potential here). This is an attractive way to present a perennially successful story. These small books, which prove difficult to open at first, are glued and sewn. They should withstand quite a bit of wear. A worthwhile addition to a library or music corner.

Response to Two Professional Reviews:
I thought that the review by Kirkus was interesting. It was not necessarily negative, but it gave the impression that this new reiteration of the Russian classic may not please everyone. It is not shocking to me that this new treatment of the book features a more family friendly ending, because modern versions of many popular “Brother’s Grimm” stories have made the same changes.

Evaluation of Literary Elements:
I thought the illustrator’s use of a mixed layout was very unique and made the book stand out from others. It is very easy for books to become repetitive, so the layout of the pages and pictures offered something new for the reader. Also, large pictures may be a good way to promote discussion between you and the child you are reading this with.

Consideration of Instructional Application:
In this book, every animal is represented by an orchestral instrument. I think an interesting activity would be read the book and have my students play the coinciding instrument to introduce each character. To take that idea further, I may have them assign certain instruments to characters in other fairy tale books. Light and whimsical instruments such as recorders could go with animals or princesses, and low and heavy instruments such as tubas could go with the villians.

[Alex Gallaher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Peter and the Wolf
Author/Illustrator: Sergei Prokofiev
Genre: European Folk Tale
Theme: Adventure
Opening Line:
“One morning, a boy named Peter opened his gate and walked out into the big green meadow that was beyond it.”
Brief Summary:
Spite what he is told, Peter ventures into danger. He meets a wicked wolf and goes full cirle in saving other animals he encounters as well as the wolf.
Review 1:
School Library Journal
“PreS-Gr 3-This musical fantasy about a disobedient boy who leaves the safety of the garden for the unknown world of the meadow, cleverly conquering the danger he encounters, has been a childhood favorite since 1936. An opening page introduces the characters, naming and depicting the instrument associated with each one.”
Review 2:
Kirkus Reviews
“Here Prokofiev's original ending has been changed and softened so that the duck, which has been swallowed whole by the wolf, escapes. There is ample precedent for tinkering with Prokofiev's masterwork, but this ending may jar those for whom the final melancholy notes of the oboe, representing the trapped duck, are the poignant, seminal moment in the story.”

Response:
Both reviews expressed simplicity, something that the original peter and the wolf somewhat lacked. Because the story is somewhat shortened, we as readers do not have to sort through unnecessary information, and are left with the main point. Also, the ending was rather conflicting with the story and the sounds, which was a noticeable modification to the story.
Evaluation:
The intricate artwork must be appreciated within these pages, but more significant to me, was the CD provided. The sounds of the instruments accurately displayed the clumsiness, terror and every other emotional and physical association that is connected with each individual character. This is what makes the story work. The illustrations in the book without the CD don’t make sense, but when together are a fantastic composition.
Application:
I would love to apply this story and musical piece to my classroom, though curriculum might have to be altered to do so. There is an entire music curriculum that could be designed about the piece, and maybe with the help of the music department at the school we could work along side one another to break the story down and explain the emotions conveyed in the musical language. It would also be fun and effective to act this story out ourselves with a drama.

[Pablo Enrique · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating concept — a symphonic fairy tale. I hadn't spent much time with this specific format before, but the idea of telling a story through minimal narration and allowing the orchestra to do the heavy lifting is incredibly creative. It is an efficient, effective way to drive a narrative; the instruments aren't just background, they are the characters. That is where the beauty of the work lies: in the composition itself, rather than the text.

If I look strictly at the plot, it is standard fairy tale material. The actual story beats didn't blow me away with their originality; it feels like a familiar, perhaps even generic, cautionary tale. However, the mechanics of how that story is delivered make it unique.

What I find most compelling is the work’s honesty. I am not looking for a heavy-handed moral lesson here. Instead, I appreciate that the narrative truthfully confronts the dark and scary parts of nature and mankind, represented respectively by the wolf and the hunters. It allows the audience to interact with these dangerous realities in a controlled environment. We can engage with the fear and the deceit, and then we can simply turn off the audio or close the book. That ability to safely explore the darker truths of the world is essential, and it is what gives this piece its lasting power.

[E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited when friends recently gave Sebastian this book with included cd of Prokofiev's setting of the story. Excited because as a young child I had a 45 of the music that I enjoyed listening to often. Enjoyed, despite being scared of the wolf and the great motif Prokofiev composed to represent the wolf. My mother reminds me that when listening to it, I would hide behind a chair and peak out.

So, it was with nostalgic delight that I sat with Sebastian as we listened to the music and narration and looked together at the pictures in the book. He did not appear to be frightened by the wolf.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard Peter and the Wolf, when I was in grade school. We used to listen on radio, to different educational programs. I think we heard one about once a month. The characters in the story are introduced by different instruments in the orchestra, with there own music. Peter is the boy in the story and the hero. I loved hearing this story and music again. The animals, and Peter are in danger from the wolf. The narrator uses some of the voices of characters, that sound very much like Harry Potter characters. Playing this for children, is a fun way to introduce children to musical instruments.