Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Mar 2009
40 pages
Genre: Mysteries
Publication Information
There's dreadful news from the symphony hall—the composer is dead!
If you have ever heard an orchestra play, then you know that musicians are most
certainly guilty of something. Where exactly were the violins on the night in
question? Did anyone see the harp? Is the trumpet protesting a bit too
boisterously?
In this perplexing murder mystery, everyone seems to have a motive, everyone has
an alibi, and nearly everyone is a musical instrument. But the composer is still
dead.
Perhaps you can solve the crime yourself. Join the Inspector as he interrogates
all the unusual suspects. Then listen to the accompanying audio recording
featuring Lemony Snicket and the music of Nathaniel Stookey performed by the San
Francisco Symphony. Hear for yourself exactly what took place on that fateful,
well-orchestrated evening.
"Starred Review. In true Snicket fashion, the device is a picture book cum police procedural, with a murder investigation functioning as plot. Ages 5+." - Publishers Weekly.
"Due to the length of the musical portions, it is unlikely that children will listen and read simultaneously. It is quite likely, however, that both formats will provide entertainment and enlightenment, in whatever order they are encountered." - School Library Journal.
"Conceived as an alternative to "Peter and the Wolf" but more a send-up than an informational visit to the pit, the episode isn't likely to make much of a lasting impression on young audiences. Ages 8+" - Kirkus Reviews.
"The whole slightly macabre package is great fun, and while many youngsters will miss the clever wordplay and wry twist at the end, this still winds up being a fairly good overview of each orchestral section's role in bringing music to life. Or death." - Booklist.
This information about The Composer Is Dead (Book & CD) was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Daniel Handler tells us that Lemony Snicket was born before you
were, and is likely to die before you as well. His family has roots in a part
of the country which is now underwater, and his childhood was spent in the
relative splendor of the Snicket Villa which has since become a factory, a
fortress and a pharmacy and is now, alas, someone else's villa. To the
untrained eye, Mr. Snicket's hometown would not appear to be filled with
secrets. Untrained eyes have been wrong before.
The aftermath of the scandal was swift, brutal and inaccurately reported in
the periodicals of the day. It is true, however, that Mr. Snicket was stripped
of several awards by the reigning authorities, including Honorable Mention,
the Grey Ribbon and First Runner Up. The ...
... Full Biography
Author Interview
Link to Lemony Snicket's Website
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