Dan Brown – the best-selling author known for the Angles & Demons and the Da Vinci Code – will release his first children’s books in September.
The picture book – called Wild Symphony – is inspired by classic children’s books like Peter and the Wolf.
The story follows character Maestro Mouse, as he visits various friends including cheetahs, kangaroos, elephants and blue whales.
The book was illustrated by Hungarian artist Susan Batori and dedicates two pages to every animal. Along the way, the mouse learns about compassion, patience, respect, mindfulness and community.
Batori has also hidden puzzles within the book, meant to entertain “readers of all ages”.
Wild Symphony will also come with a musical album, composed by Dan Brown and played by the Zagreb Festival Orchestra in Croatia.
Readers will be able to enjoy Brown’s music via free interactive smartphone app, which uses augmented reality to play the right song when pointed at the book.
“I love storytelling, and my novels always attempt to weave together varied themes. With ‘Wild Symphony,’ I was excited to build on this idea and create a truly layered experience by using three different languages simultaneously — art, music, and words. In the same way that an opera captivates its audience by presenting beautiful sets, dramatic music, and lyrical drama,” Brown said in a statement.
