Susanna Leonard Hill has a feature on her blog called Perfect Picture Book Friday. It is a list of “perfect” picture books recommended by all sorts of people. I chose this book because I love that it is a tale from Norway and based on a play written in 1867!
In the Hall of the Mountain King
Adapted from Henrik Ibsen’s “Peer Gynt” and Edvard Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite” by Allison Miller Flannery
Illustrated by Vesper Stamper
34 pages – ages 5+
Published by Samizdat Publishing (2013)
Theme/Topic- Classical Music / folktale
Genre- Fiction
Opening and Synopsis-
“In the country of Norway, a boy named Peer lived on the forest’s edge, where the trees and mountains are tall. His little house faced West so he could always see the sea.”
Peer goes on an adventure but ends up as an unwanted guest in the castle of the Mountain King! Peer must think fast to escape the king!
Why I liked this book- I really like Norwegian mythology and folktales so this book caught my attention. When I got it, I realized it also came with a music CD with Edvard Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite” on it! It is great to listen to the music and read Ms. Flannery’s adaptation of the story along with it. Even without the music, the story itself is a terrific tale of an adventurous boy. The water-color illustrations really add to the simple text and when you add the music, the whole story comes to life!
Activities and Resources-
I didn’t have to go too far for activities on this one! The music CD is an awesome activity! You can talk about how the music matches the story and have kids figure out what action is happening during different parts of the music.
There is also a section in the back of the book with questions to ask as the story is read with the music.
PLUS if you go to www.inthehallofthemountainking.com you can download coloring sheets and puppet characters!
To learn more about Ms. Flannery, please visit her website HERE.
HEY WAIT!!! Before you go – I have a winner to announce!
The winner of the copy of “Tea with Grandpa” is
drum roll please
bahda bahda bahda bahda bahda bahda
CUPCAKE – the tea-lapping pooch! YAY!
Congratulations!
I will be emailing you (and your mom person) to get the address you want your book sent to!
I also love folk tales. Gorgeous, fun illustrations. I think it’s so important for these classic tales to be re-told to suit every generation.
The illustrations are magnificent! 🙂
Congratulations to Cupcake for the win and this PPBF pick sounds like it makes for auditory and reading fun.
The book and music go very well together! Thank you Ms. Brown!
I’ve always liked the Peer Gynt Suite, but I have to admit I’d never really paid attention to the story it tells. You’ve piqued my interest now 🙂
Check out the book! You’ll love it! 🙂
Erik, this looks like an AWESOME book. I love playing the music on piano (it was also a recital piece for my daughter). I am putting this on my library list.
I hope you like it as much as I did! 🙂
I’m glad you like this set. I first heard In the Hall of the Mountain King when I was in middle school, and it’s been one of my favorite pieces since then! I know Vesper. She’s a musician herself and a genius at illustrating cd covers. This was a perfect project for her. Great review.
Thank you Ms. Roberts! I really enjoyed this story and the music made it all the more special!
Congrats to cupcake! I love your pick today! Gotta find it! You have such varied tastes.
🙂 I do like all kinds of stuff. -I just like stories (and music – not rap…)!
I have gotten pickier with age. Too many books, too little time!
I love books that keep old folktales alive. I’m not familiar with this one but it sounds like a winner!
I think you’d like it! 🙂
I Love folktales and retellings and love Norwegian ones too. Thanks for finding this and adding it to our lists. This one sounds special with the music and activities. I need to read this for the illustrations. they sound great! 🙂
The illustrations are wonderful! 🙂
I love the Hall of the Mountain King – I can hear the music even as I read your review. Sounds like a fun book – and the cover art looks wonderful. Are all the illustrations like that?
The illustrations are all as good as the one I have in the post. They really add to the whole book! 🙂
Will definitely check out thisNorwegian folk tale. I love Grieg and the Peer Gynt Suite. One of my favorite movies is “The Song of Norway,” which is about the life ofGrieg. The music is glorious. I love that the author added a CD. Nice choice!
I think I’d like to see that movie. 🙂 In this book, the music and story go together so well! Thanks Mrs. Tilton!
Whoo-hoo! I won the book about tea! I even drank (slurped) some tea today! This makes me so happy. Thanks, E. But next time, please don’t post a picture of a dog (that may or may not look a little like me) being chased my a Norwegian monster…. It scares me.
Love and thank you licks,
Cupcake
YAY Cupcake! Sorry – I didn’t mean to scare you Cupcake (now that you say it – it looks just like you!). Does it help if I tell you the little dog gets away? 🙂
Yes. Thank you, E.
🙂
Sold! This is one I plan to get soon because of the reasons you said you loved it. How awesome that it comes with a CD. My great-grandparents came from Norway, so I love Norwegian stories. 🙂 Thanks for sharing (and resubscribing to our blog- not sure what happened there).
That’s cool your ancestors came from Norway! I think you’d like this book. 🙂 I am still having problems with your blog and another I get emails from feedburner from. I resubscribed to both and still don’t get notices. 🙁 I’m not sure what to do…
This sounds like a great rendition of this tale, Erik 🙂 I love that type face on the knights (?). And, of course, including activities is definitely a plus!
And congrats to Cupcake! (the tea-lapping pooch! lol) If you haven’t read it yet, it’s an aDORable book! 😀
I think they are the Mountain King’s monster guards. 🙂 They do look cool! 🙂
Congratulations Cupcake! I love the illustrations (sorry, Cupcake). A very interesting book.
The illustrations are great! 🙂 Thanks Ms. Morris! 😀
Yay for Cupcake!!!!! Tea and a story! I’ve heard of this Hall of the Mountain King, but don’t know the story. That cover looks kind of cheery, but the illustration from inside looks kind of scary! It all is pretty intriguing!
The illustrations are very nice throughout the whole book (and not too scary!)- and the story is great too! 🙂
This sounds like something teachers will love.
I think you’re right! 🙂 Thanks Ms. Ferrante!
This sounds like a GREAT book — folk tale and music! What a good way to get kids to realize that music can tell a story. Thanks, Erik!
I am SURE you’d love this one! 🙂 Thanks Ms. Stilborn! 🙂
A picturebook with an audio CD – how cool is that. While it may be quite problematic for some libraries to have books like these, I do enjoy them. And like you, I have a thing for Norse myths and folktales, plus the book cover looks really wonderful. Will try to look for this title. 🙂
I think you would like it! 😀