My First Story Orchestra: Swan Lake (Sound Book)

You know that moment at bedtime when your child asks for "just one more story" and honestly, you'd give anything to make it feel a little bit magical without having to do all the voices yourself? This is that book. Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, retold in gorgeous illustrations with actual orchestral music to press and hear as the story unfolds. Swans, spells, a crown and a lake full of stars. Bedtime just got considerably more beautiful.

We love it because:

• Six real clips of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake play as you turn each page, so the music and the story happen together, which is genuinely lovely
• The illustrations by Jessica Courtney-Tickle are soft, dreamy and completely enchanting (that swan on the cover alone...)
• It introduces children to classical music and ballet in a way that feels like pure magic, not a music lesson
• Board book format means it's sturdy enough for enthusiastic button-pressers
• A genuinely gorgeous gift that looks beautiful on a shelf too

What's in the box:

• One hardback sound book, 14 pages
• Six built-in sound buttons with 10-second orchestral clips each

Great for:

• Ages 1 and up
• Gifting at Christmas, birthdays or as a new baby gift (a lovely one to grow into)
• Building an early love of music, storytelling and the arts
• Quiet, cosy bedtime reading
• Anyone who wants to introduce classical music without, well, making it A Whole Thing

Important to know:

• 14 pages, hardback board book
• Dimensions: 16.7 x 16.7 cm
• Full colour illustrations throughout
• Sound buttons are built in, no additional batteries required (always worth checking, we know)
• Published November 2024 by Quarto