Book Description

Luke won’t play the trumpet Grandpa gave him until he discovers a seed Grandpa sent will only grow when it hears music.

Luke the frog is too busy to play the trumpet his grandfather sent him, and when Grandpa sends him a seed, Luke is frustrated that it is slow to grow—until it responds to the music of a band of street musicians. Luke and the musicians play until the magical tree is tall and strong, and until Luke loves playing his trumpet. This is a story about patience and effort with delightful retro/folk art style illustrations.

  • A frog learns the patience and effort it takes to play trumpet in a story about how musical skills grow only like a “music tree,” – when time and practice are involved.
  • Appealing retro/folk art style illustrations, and a range of animal musicians add to the fun.
  • Perfect for children starting music lessons or for learning how any skill takes time and effort.

“Luke is quite a busy frog. … Luke and the other anthropomorphized animals are depicted clothed and in human habitation in the happy, playful, childlike paintings; with their bright, colorful hues, they are in perfect synchrony with the simple, direct text.” —Kirkus Reviews (U.S.)

The Author-illustrator

Julia Valtanen is an author and illustrator currently living in Tallinn, Estonia. Julia has an MA degree in graphic design with many years experience in this field. However, Julia has recently found her real passion – writing and illustrating stories for children. The main source of Julia’s inspiration is nature and she uses this to help teach children to love and care about their environment.

Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Levels

Guided Reading Level: J

Grade Level Equivalent: 1

Educational Descriptions

Picture book, animal fantasy, Story elements: setting, plot and character development: main character, Luke the frog,  problem and solution, Illustrations enhance meaning and tone,  Comprehension strategies: Make predictions,  Identify cause and effect relationships & changes from beginning to end of the story. Themes: Power of music, our natural world, grandfather and grandson relationship, inspiration.

Interest Age: 3 to 7 years

Reading Age: 6 to 7 years

RRP: $15.99

ISBN: 978-1-76036-204-1

Format: Paperback

JUVENILE FICTION / Performing Arts / Music

World rights available, except for Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand, the UK and the US.

Book Details
Author:
Julia Valtanen
Illustrator:
Julia Valtanen
Format:
Paperback
Size:
27.5 cm in H · 21.0 cm in W · 40 pages
Release Date:
August 2021
Likes:
3
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