NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� The latest picture book collaboration between Julie Andrews and daughter Emma Walton Hamilton was inspired by an unusual musical performance in Spain.
Abrams Children's Books announced Monday that 鈥淭he Enchanted Symphony鈥� will be published Sept. 12. Andrews and Walton Hamilton thought of the book during the first year of the pandemic, when they learned of 鈥淐oncert for the Biocene,鈥� in which a string quartet played in front of thousands 鈥� of plants, one for each seat at Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu.
鈥淭he Enchanted Symphony鈥� is a 鈥渉opeful fairy tale,鈥� according to Abrams. It's set in a village 鈥渂eset by a mysterious fog,鈥� but revived by a 鈥渂oy's simple melody.鈥�
鈥淲hile the fog in our book evokes our pandemic experience, it also symbolizes something larger: the creeping and countless distractions that prevent us from appreciating what truly matters most in life," Andrews and Walton Hamilton said in a statement.
鈥淔or us, it鈥檚 family, community, nature, and the arts that provide true beauty and meaning,鈥� they said.
Andrews and her daughter have worked together on numerous other books, including the 鈥淭he Very Fairy Princess鈥� series and 鈥淭he First Notes: The Story of Do, Re, Mi,鈥� based on the famous song from 鈥淭he Sound of Music.鈥� They also plan a followup to 鈥淭he Enchanted Symphony.鈥�
The Associated Press
