Peter and the Wolf (Prokofiev/Schulman)

Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf is a time-tested way to introduce children to classical music. Different instruments voice each character; the strings of the orchestra play the young boy Peter, the flute represents the bird, the oboe portrays the duck, the clarinet depicts the cat, the bassoon plays the grandfather, the drums represent the hunters, and French horns play the big bad wolf. With this book and CD package, children can look and listen to the music at the same time.

Janet Schulman's retelling of the beloved story culminates in a kinder ending for both the wolf and the duck. The illustrations by Peter Malone are reminiscent of art from old Russian masters. The Cincinnati Pops performed the music on the CD, and Peter A. Thomas reads the word-for-word narration.