Hello there! Welcome to a magical storytime with Storyline Online. I’m John Lithgow, and today I’m going to share a fun story called “Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo.” I wrote this story, and my friend Leeza Hernandez made the pictures.
Once upon a time, I went to a concert with my family. It was a warm summer day, and we were sitting right next to a zoo! The music was so nice, but it went on for a long time. I started to feel sleepy in my seat.
Suddenly, something wild happened! The conductor, the person who leads the music, got really upset. A bunch of animals from the zoo ran onto the stage! Oh, remember, never play music right next to the zoo. The animals might want to join in!
The lions, elephants, bears, and raccoons grabbed the instruments. They chased the musicians away and started playing music themselves!
The monkeys played the fiddle, and the bison played the bass. The camel was in charge of the drums. The yak played the saxophone until he was all red in the face! Even the hippo played the tuba under the moonlight. It was a wild and funny concert!
The audience just watched as if nothing strange was happening. I was a little scared, but my parents were enjoying the show. I decided to sit back and watch too. It was quite a sight!
When the animals finished playing, they put down their instruments and went back to their cages. They were happy and proud of their performance. My family started to leave, but my sister whispered to me, “Wake up, or we’ll leave you here!”
So, remember, never play music right next to the zoo. And always stay awake when an orchestra is playing!
I love writing stories for kids because I enjoy reading to children, including my own kids and grandkids. I also love animals and music, just like you! This story has both, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
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Animal Orchestra Craft: Create your own animal orchestra at home! Gather some craft supplies like paper, crayons, scissors, and glue. Draw or print pictures of different animals and musical instruments. Cut them out and mix and match to create your own animal musicians. What instrument would a giraffe play? How about a penguin? Share your creations with your family and tell them about your animal orchestra.
Sound Safari: Go on a sound safari in your home or backyard. Close your eyes and listen carefully. Can you hear birds chirping, leaves rustling, or maybe a dog barking? Imagine what kind of music these sounds would make if they were part of an orchestra. Try to mimic these sounds using your voice or by tapping on different objects. What kind of music can you create with the sounds around you?
Storytime Reflection: Think about the story “Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo.” What was your favorite part? Why do you think the animals wanted to play music? Draw a picture of your favorite scene from the story and write a sentence about why you liked it. Share your drawing with a friend or family member and tell them about the story.
Hi and welcome to Storyline Online, brought to you by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. I’m John Lithgow, and today I’m going to read you “Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo,” written by me and illustrated by my good friend Leeza Hernandez.
I went to a concert when I was a lad, no older than many of you. I sat with my sister, my mother, and my dad at a band shell right next to the zoo. The soft summer air was so balmy and sweet, and the program was running so long that I found myself falling asleep in my seat, despite all the music and song.
All at once, the conductor erupted with rage! A band of wild animals was storming the stage! Oh, children! Remember! Whatever you may do, never play music right next to the zoo. They’ll burst from their cages, each beast and each bird, desperate to play all the music they’ve heard. The lions and the elephants, the bears and the raccoons will steal away the trumpets, the flutes, and bassoons, replace the musicians, and chase them away. Then they’ll sit in the band shell and play.
The monkeys played fiddle, and bison played bass, the percussion was manned by the camel. The yak played the sax until red in the face—a surprisingly musical mammal. The bonobo played oboe, the ferret the flute, the jackal attacked the bassoon. The hippo had chosen the tuba to toot by the light of the silvery moon. Siberian tigers, Mongolian goats, a superabundance of bestial notes! Oh, children! Remember! Whatever you may do, never play music right next to the zoo. They’ll burst from their cages, each beast and each bird, desperate to play all the music they’ve heard. The lions and the elephants, the bears and the raccoons will steal away the trumpets, the flutes, and bassoons, replace the musicians, and chase them away. Then they’ll sit in the band shell and play.
As the animal orchestra filled up the air with chaos, confusion, and clatter, the audience calmly continued to stare as if nothing at all was the matter. I trembled with terror, suppressing a scream, while my parents just sat there enraptured. Oh, how I wished it was only a dream and those creatures all safely recaptured. But since, by the minute, I’d grown less afraid, I decided to sit back and watch while they played.
They finished and each put his instrument down, then bowed and descended the stage. Each shed his tuxedo (or evening gown) and hurried back home to his cage. Then each reminisced, so grateful and glad, so full of contentment and pride. My mother, meanwhile, strolled away with my dad, but my sister remained by my side. She tugged on my sweater and spoke in my ear. “You’d better wake up or we’re leaving you here!”
Oh, children! Remember! Whatever you may do, never play music right next to the zoo. They’ll burst from their cages, each beast and each bird, desperate to play all the music they’ve heard. No, never play music right next to the zoo. And pay strict attention to rule number two. Bear it in mind for the rest of your days: don’t fall asleep when an orchestra plays.
Now, why do I write children’s books? Well, because I love reading for children. I love reading for my own children, for my own grandchildren, and I loved reading this one for all of you. I also love animals and I love music; I’m sure all of you do too. And, of course, this book was full of both of them. I’ve written nine books now. This is the ninth, my most recent, and the one I like the best. I hope you liked it.
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