Marvel at the wonders of the natural world this Earth Day and every day with these musical children’s picture books. From stories that explore connections between the environment and song to collections that pay homage to the elements and animals that bring habitats to life, there are many ways to appreciate our planet.
The Four Seasons of the Pipa
On a cold winter night, a young girl dreams of visiting her grandfather in Kunming, China, the city of eternal spring. As she drifts off to sleep, her mother plucks the pipa, a traditional Chinese instrument with one string for each season. Download the free teaching guide and activity sheets.
Bug out with this collection of classical music devoted to works inspired by insects, arachnids and amphibians, such as spiders, wasps, butterflies, frogs and snakes from the likes of Beethoven, Ravel, and Prokofiev.
When Sofia leaves the singing waves and whispering sands of her seaside home to visit her grandparents, she discovers the musical sounds of the forest. Amongst the dark pines and majestic oaks, she hears the songs of the fox, wolf, and owl.
This collection features 25 songs from East and Southern Africa, a region celebrated for its production of vanilla. From Reunion to South Africa, explore the local flora, fauna, and wildlife through songs like “Une tite fleur l’amour” and “Mbube”—the original version of the popular song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” Download the free teaching guide and activity sheets.
Take inspiration from the classical composers who celebrated the symphonic wonders of water with tributes to tributaries and orchestral odes to oceans. The collection features works by Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Debussy and includes explanatory notes on the compositions and rivers, seas, fountains, rainfalls, and other wellsprings that inspired them.
Join Bertie and gang as they travel to Blue Mountain after it rained for more than 100 days. Along the way they encounter a horse, a ladybird, a rooster, a frog symphony, and many more animals.
Listen to the beautiful song of the hummingbird or sing a song for a little orange tree and the little white horse. Nature abounds in this collection of 18 nursery rhymes and lullabies from Latin America performed in Spanish by Grupo Cántaro.
Throughout history, birds have caught the imagination of composers and inspired their creativity. This selection of works by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, and others introduces children to classical music through the melodious similarities between instruments such as the flute, organ, harpsichord and birds’ songs.
Travel across the seven continents to discover how nature’s best musicians use their voices and their bodies to create a symphony. This survey of 14 different species delves into the natural talents, behaviors, and habitats of gibbons, whales, wolves and other animal musicians.
In this sequel to A Picnic in the Sun, Bertie and gang explore Blue Mountain with their new friend Alice. On their adventures they meet a wise old owl, a really big dog, a baby rat, and many more animals who join them for a feast beneath the moon and stars. Available for preorder.
In this musical picture book by Tomson Highway, a young rabbit named Weeskits participates in a contest with the aim of winning all-healing waaskee-choos juice to rid his brother’s wife of the dreadful manchoos. In the process, he finds himself marveling at the beauty of nature. Available for preorder.
Earth Day Activity: Learn how to make paper birds and flowers
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay informed about our new releases and events and for a chance to win our subscriber giveaway. To order books for your library or bookstore, please contact Hornblower Books/University of Toronto Press (Canada, United States) and MMS/BookSource (United Kingdom). For additional information, email info@thesecretmountain.com.
Search
11 Inspiring Musical Picture Books to Read on Earth Day
Marvel at the wonders of the natural world this Earth Day and every day with these musical children’s picture books. From stories that explore connections between the environment and song to collections that pay homage to the elements and animals that bring habitats to life, there are many ways to appreciate our planet.
The Four Seasons of the Pipa
On a cold winter night, a young girl dreams of visiting her grandfather in Kunming, China, the city of eternal spring. As she drifts off to sleep, her mother plucks the pipa, a traditional Chinese instrument with one string for each season. Download the free teaching guide and activity sheets.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon
Little Creatures
Bug out with this collection of classical music devoted to works inspired by insects, arachnids and amphibians, such as spiders, wasps, butterflies, frogs and snakes from the likes of Beethoven, Ravel, and Prokofiev.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon
Music All Around
When Sofia leaves the singing waves and whispering sands of her seaside home to visit her grandparents, she discovers the musical sounds of the forest. Amongst the dark pines and majestic oaks, she hears the songs of the fox, wolf, and owl.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon
Songs on the Vanilla Trail
This collection features 25 songs from East and Southern Africa, a region celebrated for its production of vanilla. From Reunion to South Africa, explore the local flora, fauna, and wildlife through songs like “Une tite fleur l’amour” and “Mbube”—the original version of the popular song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” Download the free teaching guide and activity sheets.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon
Amazing Water
Take inspiration from the classical composers who celebrated the symphonic wonders of water with tributes to tributaries and orchestral odes to oceans. The collection features works by Vivaldi, Beethoven, and Debussy and includes explanatory notes on the compositions and rivers, seas, fountains, rainfalls, and other wellsprings that inspired them.
Shop Local (Canada) | Books A Million | Indigo | Amazon
A Picnic in the Sun
Join Bertie and gang as they travel to Blue Mountain after it rained for more than 100 days. Along the way they encounter a horse, a ladybird, a rooster, a frog symphony, and many more animals.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon
The Hummingbird Sings and Dances
Listen to the beautiful song of the hummingbird or sing a song for a little orange tree and the little white horse. Nature abounds in this collection of 18 nursery rhymes and lullabies from Latin America performed in Spanish by Grupo Cántaro.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon
Listen to the Birds
Throughout history, birds have caught the imagination of composers and inspired their creativity. This selection of works by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, and others introduces children to classical music through the melodious similarities between instruments such as the flute, organ, harpsichord and birds’ songs.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon
Animal Musicians
Travel across the seven continents to discover how nature’s best musicians use their voices and their bodies to create a symphony. This survey of 14 different species delves into the natural talents, behaviors, and habitats of gibbons, whales, wolves and other animal musicians.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon
A Feast Beneath the Moon
In this sequel to A Picnic in the Sun, Bertie and gang explore Blue Mountain with their new friend Alice. On their adventures they meet a wise old owl, a really big dog, a baby rat, and many more animals who join them for a feast beneath the moon and stars. Available for preorder.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon
Grand Chief Salamoo Cook Is Coming to Town
In this musical picture book by Tomson Highway, a young rabbit named Weeskits participates in a contest with the aim of winning all-healing waaskee-choos juice to rid his brother’s wife of the dreadful manchoos. In the process, he finds himself marveling at the beauty of nature. Available for preorder.
Bookshop | Shop Local (Canada) | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | Amazon
Earth Day Activity: Learn how to make paper birds and flowers
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay informed about our new releases and events and for a chance to win our subscriber giveaway. To order books for your library or bookstore, please contact Hornblower Books/University of Toronto Press (Canada, United States) and MMS/BookSource (United Kingdom). For additional information, email info@thesecretmountain.com.