Gaspard the Fox

Product Information

Brought to life by Jonathan Dove’s wonderful composition, Gaspard’s latest adventure is the perfect introduction to classical music for primary school pupils in P3 – P6. I have been a huge devotee of James Mayhew’s books for children for a while now – his Katieseries and Koshka’s Tales, for example, have delighted the children I have shared them with. James’ art style is infused with warmth, love and light and during these times, when we feel rather deprived of comfort, I can think of nothing better than to immerse myself in his welcoming illustrations. There is something infinitely reassuring about his pictures – they manage to capture characters and life at its best, while retaining their unique quality. For me, he is one of the best illustrators we have nowadays. Lucy Drever will host two live sessions online in advance of the concert! Expect fun and games, links to the resources, what to expect from the concert and some special RSNO guests. Charlotte’s Web comes instantly to mind from my childhood reading; where a spider saves a pig from being killed by weaving inspirational messages into her web above the pig-sty. It’s a beautiful story. Everything I write for the BBC is written to be read aloud on the radio and so, quite unconsciously, I think I selected words for this book that are pleasurable to say and many adults have said how much they enjoy reading it to children. It is perhaps a bit challenging in places for a very young child to read for themselves; Peter the Cat, for example, uses quite sophisticated language – but I think that is a good thing and I’m grateful to my wonderful publisher, Graffeg, for allowing me ‘Lepidoptery’! I learned a lot of vocabulary reading for myself when I was younger. You feel empowered as a child with exactly the right word for something.

Before starting to read the story, look at the cover image together and talk about where this story takes place and what might happen to the fox. Read the story aloud to your child pausing to talk about what is happening in the story or pictures or any unfamiliar words. Join in Join us for Gaspard's Foxtrot - the RSNO's 2022 National Schools Concert Programme - featuring free concerts across Scotland, a special concert film, teaching resources, and more! Enhancing and enriching children’s learning through partnerships with professional arts companies, creative adults, and cultural organisations. I have been a huge devotee of James Mayhew’s books for children for a while now – his Katie series and Koshka’s Tales, for example, have delighted the children I have shared them with. James’ art style is infused with warmth, love and light and during these times, when we feel rather deprived of comfort, I can think of nothing better than to immerse myself in his welcoming illustrations. There is something infinitely reassuring about his pictures – they manage to capture characters and life at its best, while retaining their unique quality. For me, he is one of the best illustrators we have nowadays. Alongside the digital concert, you will have access to digital resources, an online workshop with Lucy Drever, and teacher CPD.

Zeb Soanes Press Reviews

This session is repeated – you do not need to attend both.) Gaspard’s Foxtrot in Concert release: Monday 10May

This title provides a model for the teaching of literacy, art and music – now that is the kind of 3 for the price of 1 we all want on our bookshelves! A super next read for fans of The Queen’s Hatby Steve Antony (which was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra) and the perfect bridging text to Peter and the Wolf. At a time when staycations and outdoor performance are gaining enormous popularity, this is a timely tale to encourage children to enjoy the arts in any way available to them. So join with us and ‘civilise’ the next generation by immersing them in the words, art and music of this incredible picture book that will inspire a lifelong love of culture in all its many facets. Yes – the programme and resources have been developed in consultation with a SEND music education specialist. The video learning resources and concert film will include British Sign Language interpretation, optional subtitles, and accompanying Boardmaker resources. Gaspard’s foxtrotis an artistic and musical joy of a picture book, created by two of the nicest people you are ever likely to meet. To truly indulge in this story it must be heard read aloud by the dulcet tones of author Zeb Soanes (who you may recognise from BBC Radio 4) and the ultimate experience would of course be attendance at one of the live orchestral performances with Jonathan Dove, which will happen as soon as permitted. Join us for the musical version of the much-loved modern classics, narrated by the author with beautiful live illustrations. Is the programme also appropriate for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)?Equipping teachers with the skills and increased knowledge that they need to confidently deliver music in the classroom. The story is full of humour and warmth, but I wondered if you might be trying to say something about our treatment of animals, wildlife and nature too? What do you hope readers take from the story? As with the first two Gaspard adventures, this story centres around a real community event – this time an open-air concert at Hyde Park. Gaspard the fox walks with her friend Finty the dog to the bus stop and when Finty’s owner drops her scarf, Gaspard instinctively catches it and hops on board to return the lost garment. Thus he ends up on the number 38 travelling through central London, admiring the sights and disembarking at Hyde Park for the climatic concert. CookieYes sets this cookie to record the default button state of the corresponding category and the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Gaspard remains a ‘he’ in the series of books, and in the first one, we follow in Gaspard as he embarks on his first adventure, meeting neighbourhood cat Peter (aka Fluffy – to his horror) and Finty, the feisty escapee dog, on her way. He discovers the delights of leftovers from a festival on the canal, and glows in the friendship offered by other local animals who, contrary to popular belief, don’t really seem to mind foxes all that much. It is easy to see why, in James Mayhew’s sensitive and delightful illustrations, which capture Gaspard’s unique personality so well. Who could not fall in love with such a beautiful fox?

Ensuring that pupils can benefit from the positive holistic impact on learning and engagement that musical education can bring. I was saddened to read that there has been ‘a spate of attempts around the world to remove titles depicting gay or transgender characters from library shelves’ (The Guardian, January 2019). Why do you think children’s books that explore the lives of gay and transgender characters and present a variety of relationships are still so important? A real little fox started visiting me in my London street almost every day. It was the most handsome fox I had ever seen. It even knew the sound of my bicycle and would often appear silently next to me as I folded it up. I posted photos of the fox online and it gathered thousands of followers all over the word. Friends suggested I write a story about its adventures and, one day, on a long train journey, I started writing Gaspard the Fox. Buy the book hereThe National Schools Concert Programme is developed in line with the Curriculum for Excellence and aims to benefit pupils and teachers by: I don’t like feeling I’m being preached at, so I hope the themes in the Gaspard books are almost homeopathic … just there, running throughout. The vocabulary is delightfully challenging. Phrases such as ‘civilise the bees’ and ‘brightly lit signs enticed tourists’, make this a joy to read aloud and ideal for enriching children’s own writing. The story really does read well. I laughed out loud when Peter, who is my favourite character (as both a cat lover and a lexophile!), fell off the sofa in surprise to see his fox pal take the stage. Unfortunately, the programme is only open to schools. We would encourage you to share the programme with your child’s teacher/school and ask them to consider registering. individual lessons with accompanying short videos, written and presented by Lucy Drever, and focusing on various aspects of the programme. Teacher CPD Session: Wednesday 24March 4-5.30pm