Musical Story - Kitten in the Carton

Author: Tran Tan Sam

The “ musical story ” book is a genre of books that support storytelling; in which, using small songs with the same motif as dialogue for characters or for sounds appearing in the scene, at the same time using rhyming verses as introductions or narration. The melodies and rhythms used for storytelling are all recorded in the book. To further support the narrator’s memorization of the melody, in each corner below the book there is also a QR code linked to a Youtube channel with content corresponding to the melody and rhythm of each page of the book performed by the author himself.

The stories in the book series are pure, lovely poems about the feelings of the character Bé for his kitten and piglet, the cute, emotional dialogues between Bé and his father, mother and grandmother. The story tells about how Bé persuaded his mother to let him take responsibility for taking care of the kitten left in a cardboard box in the park for the first time, or the confusion when he first went back to his hometown, and fed the pigs with his grandmother. It is a story about a boy who loves all things, loves his family and is proactive and patient in solving his problems.

The book series will certainly be a surprising and interesting gift for children, for their parents, and more broadly for all those who are still moved by the true and pure beauty, for those who have missed their childhood, and sometimes want to find the fragrant scent of the fields, where we were small in the loving arms of our fathers, mothers, and grandparents. Readers will see again the familiar taro leaves, the peaceful rows of trees, the rumbling sounds of trains, the grunting sounds of piglets that have been associated with the childhood of many people. Readers will also see the image of a cute kitten with many expressive nuances, and the adorable piglets huddled together with their mother.

Written and composed by a person who supports the early musical development of children according to the Montessori method, it can be said that the Music Stories series is a product that successfully applies the Montessori educational philosophy to traditional Vietnamese family culture.

Each simple poem, each warm and cheerful piece of music throughout the book series is not only pure art but also content that supports children in developing their language skills and musical appreciation. Follow the Child - following the child, this educational philosophy is expressed in the work through the proactive guidance of the character "Baby" throughout the entire story, along with the timely and reliable presence of support from the surrounding adults.

The beauty of Vietnamese life, from the modern urban areas in Kittens in the Carton , to the rustic countryside of Grandma's Piglets , are all fully expressed by Tran Tan Sam, along with a natural and discreet way of conveying the method of nurturing the soul, nurturing love and emotions in children. That is to let freedom and respect be the thing that opens up the maximum potential of independence, initiative, self-discovery, self-correction to acquire knowledge and practice skills, and self-responsibility without anyone forcing children.