The Four Seasons of the Pipa
9782898360152
36 pages
Secret Mountain, The
Overview
A tender portrait of the long-distance love between a granddaughter and grandfather, kindled by the music of the pipa.
On a cold winter night, a young girl dreams of visiting her faraway grandfather in Kunming, a magical place in China known as the city of eternal spring. As gusts of snow blow outside her window, the gentle sound of her mother plucking the pipa in the family room wraps around her like a warm blanket.
The intricately illustrated story is accompanied by 11 stirring instrumental performances by world-renowned pipa master Liu Fang (included on a CD and via a unique digital download code). With roots that reach back to the Qin Dynasty, the pipa’s repertoire draws from a wellspring of ancient poetry and folklore, summoning themes of natural splendor that resonate across generations.
Notes on the origin of the pipa and each composition appear at the end of the book. A free teaching guide and activity sheets are available at www.thesecretmountain.com.
Author Bio
Patrick Lacoursière is a producer and journalist originally from Saskatchewan. He is the author of the award-winning three-part collection Dream Songs Night Songs, published by The Secret Mountain. Josée Bisaillon has illustrated more than 35 picture books, and received several awards and distinctions, including the 2017 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. Her work has twice been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award as well.
