Books published by publisher The Secret Mountain

Winner of:Parents' Choice Gold AwardThroughout history birds have caught the imagination of composers and inspired their creativity, and this selection of works by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, and others introduces children to classical music through the discovery of the melodious similarities between notes produced by instruments such as the flute, the organ, and the harpsichord and the birds’ songs. In addition to lovely illustrations, the book features a glossary of musical terms, a short biography of each composer, and a brief description of each bird evoked or mentioned in the composition. The accompanying CD offers excerpts of 20 different recordings—ranging from The Goldfinch, Hens and Roosters, and The Dance of theSwans to The Cuckoo and the Nightingale, Piano Concerto N, and Dance of theFirebird—performed by world-class luminaries including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Toronto Chamber Orchestra.

Through colorful tunes and splashy illustrations reminiscent of the vibrant flamboyant tree, this collection celebrates life’s passages and various island rituals in the tropical isles of Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, and Reunion. Lyrics are reproduced in the original French Creole dialects and translated into English, followed by notes on the origin and cultural context of each song. The accompanying CD features 30 traditional songs recorded with indigenous acoustic instruments and exquisitely performed by women, men, and children. This uplifting, enchanting production captures the joie de vivre evoked in the original repertoire, making it an absolute delight to musical ears.

Sung in Arabic and Berber, this collection of lullabies and nursery rhymes from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia draws children into a musical journey across North Africa, from the Sahara Desert through the Atlas Mountains to the Mediterranean Sea. In 30 story-songs about everyday life, children learn of the importance of rain, the communal aspects of meals, and the consequences of bad behavior. Lyrics are reproduced in Arabic and translated into English, transcribed in the original script and in Roman characters, and followed by notes on the origin and cultural context of each song. The accompanying CD features traditional songs performed by a group of women, men, and children, and recorded with indigenous acoustic instruments. This uplifting, enchanting production captures the meeting of ancient and modern styles, making it an absolute delight to musical ears.

Songs about children playing in the schoolyard, sisters braiding each other’s hair at the beach, and parents dancing late into the night mesh together thanks to the music. A wide array of styles—nursery rhymes from Gabon, lullabies from Cape Verde, and rumbas from the Congo—are performed in more than a dozen languages. Luminous artwork and homegrown instruments round off this wonderful celebration of history, language, and culture. Lyrics appear in their original language and in English, along with notes on culture, a world map, and a code for song downloads and print-outs.

Winner:2016 Parents' Choice RecommendedSelections from the golden age of jazz for a serene night of sleep With whimsical, dream-like illustrations, this book and accompanying audio CD features a selection of timeless jazz dream songs to lull babies into a sweet, blissful sleep. The book includes 15 popular standards recorded by singing legends Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Chet Baker, among others. Explanatory notes accompany each featured song in this must-have book for any jazz fans with a young child.

An extraordinary repertoire featuring 28 Jewish nursery rhymes, lullabies, and songs originating from the Ashkenazic, Sephardic, and Yemenite communities are collected by Nathalie Sousanna and admirably illustrated by Béatrice Alemagna. The lyrics in Hebrew, Judeo-Spanish, Yiddish, and Arabic are first reproduced in the original alphabets, then transcribed into Roman characters and translated into English. Additional notes on the origin and cultural context of each song as well as on the Klezmer music are also included.

The title story-song is about a little duck from the Prairies who has a big dream—making it to New York City and doing his ducky dance on Broadway! It turns out to be an adventurous journey that appears bound for failure, until he meets up with a truck driver named Big Betty. She points him in the right direction and gives him that little nudge he needs to tackle the Big Apple. Additional songs feature alligators that waltz at midnight, little girls who sing off-key to get tomatoes thrown at them, and opera-singing slugs that sneak out at night to do the boogie-woogie.

A gaggle of stellar singers and musicians from Minnesota's roots-rock label Red House Records convened to record quiet songs written by the likes of Nanci Griffith, Tom Waits, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Neil Young, Billy Joel, Carole King, Bruce Cockburn, Jesse Winchester, Don Henley, and Steve Earle. Mireille Levert's amusingly fantastical illustrations focus on the whimsical title track penned by Greg Brown and performed by all of the singers. The whole project has a warm, rich, soulful sound.

Representing 11 languages originating from Central and West Africa and brought to life with lavish illustrations, this collection's rhymes and lullabies soothe babies to sleep as the songs travel from one country and one language to another. Lyrics are reproduced in the original language and translated into English, followed by notes on the origin and cultural context of each song. The accompanying CD features 29 songs from 10 countries—including Rwanda, the Ivory Coast, and Senegal—each one unique in language and sound, recorded with indigenous instruments and exquisitely performed by women, men, and children. This delightful, enchanting production captures the staccato rhythm of the children's rhymes and the poetry of the language as well as a sense of the heritage and tradition of each culture.