Valentine and His Violin
Philip Hopman
32 pages
A humorous cacophonous picture book by the illustrator of Tom the Tamer. Valentine believes he has a special knack with his violin and he is entirely right–just not in the way he expects. He practices and practices, but he only succeeds in making more noise than music.
Audiences at home don’t appreciate him and Valentine takes his violin to seek his fortune. As it happens, there are times when Valentine’s peculiar talent can solve particularly pesky problems.
A perfect story for sharing and creating your own sound effects!
Valentine is a particularly appealing hero whose hidden talent will resonate with kids and parents alike.
Rights sold to:
China
Italy
United States
Valentine and His Violin
Picture books
Quotes from the press
“The author of this quirky book must have lived around a beginning violin student. . .
The illustrations are watercolor and pen-and-ink done with a sunny color palette, making the castles, city streets and interiors look Italian. Fun read aloud especially for library or music class, proceeding with caution, of course, because of the poop. A demonstration or a recording of a beginning violin player could be in order and if coupled with recordings of the musical selections that are named, could make for an interesting compare and contrast. The reading level is suitable for a second grader so it could be a center activity especially if recordings are made. It would lend itself to a second-grade-produced audiobook as a reading activity if a “bad” enough violin player would be willing to provide the sound effect.”
– 2nd Grade Reading
About the author
Philip Hopman (1961) graduated from the Rietveld Academy of Art in Amsterdam. Since 1988 he illustrated over 120 children’s books for Dutch and foreign publishers. His pictures are crammed with hilarious details; his dashing style shows great professional skill. Watercolour and pen-and-ink illustrations capitalize on the text in comic detail.
About the illustrator
Philip Hopman (1961) graduated from the Rietveld Academy of Art in Amsterdam. Since 1988 he illustrated over 120 children’s books for Dutch and foreign publishers. His pictures are crammed with hilarious details; his dashing style shows great professional skill. Watercolour and pen-and-ink illustrations capitalize on the text in comic detail.
