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You are here: Home / Blogging and Networking / giveaways / The Tortoise and the Hare from Maestro Classics

The Tortoise and the Hare from Maestro Classics

March 26, 2012 by Maureen Spell 28 Comments

The Tortoise and the Hare is a classic Aesop’s fable. A very confident hare challenges a tortoise to a race. Halfway through the race, the hare rests and realizes too late that the tortoise has beaten him to the finish line. The Tortoise displays the virtues of diligence, perseverance, and optimism. Slow and steady wins the race is his motto. We’ve read this short story many times before, but we had never heard it the way Maestro Classics told it! The humorous twists and additions to the story along with the music makes this version of the Tortoise and the Hare our favorite.  (Scroll down for a chance to get your own copy!)

The Tortoise and the Hare CD

My 5yr. old daughter picked out Maestro Classics The Tortoise and the Hare for our review. We have a board book of this story so she was familiar with the characters. When our package arrive, she was very excited to listen to the story.

Maestro's Classics The Tortoise and the Hare


We pulled it out right away to listen. Inside the cd case was a little booklet. This little booklet is packed with lots of information! It had a picture chart of the instruments in the orchestra, a little bit of basic music theory, and some activity pages.

The Tortoise and the Hare booklet

She read this while listening to the story. Now don’t think this cd series is just for young children–because it is not! I had all my kids sit and listen  ages 1yr. – 13 yrs. old. Younger children will enjoy listening to the story being told along with the music. Older kids can listen to the story and try to analyze the music too:

What instruments are playing?
Are their certain instruments representing specific characters?
Why would the orchestra play fast at this point in the story?

If you are apprehensive about explaining the instruments and other technical music stuff, no worries because the composer, Stephen Simon, does it for you! I think that was my favorite part— hearing about his thought-process in writing the music to tell the story.

Tortoise and the Hare Coloring Page
You can find additional resources and ideas to go along with each of the CD stories available on the Maestro Classics Website. You could easily turn it into a unit.
  There are 9 different music stories available. They can be purchased as CD’s or downloaded as MP3’s. You can go to the site and hear snippets from each musical story. We also have Peter and the Wolf  in our collection and enjoy it too. I think this is a great way to teach listening skills, literature, and music appreciation! And if I’m honest– I also love it because the cd does the majority of the teaching for me! I get to take off my teaching hat and just sit and enjoy the story along with my children.
Would you like to have your own copy of the Tortoise and the Hare? Enter via Rafflecopter below.
If you are reading this in a reader, you will have to click over to the site to see the widget. There is only one mandatory entry, but lots of additional ways to enter too! (Please read the terms before entering)
  • See my complete giveaway rules
  • No purchase necessary.
  • All giveaways are void where prohibited.
  • Open only to U.S. Residents, age 18 and older.
  • Winners are chosen randomly, by Rafflecopter.
  • Unless otherwise stated, winners have 72 hours from the close of the giveaway to claim their prize. If the prize is not claimed within 72 hours, an alternate winner will be selected.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was provided a CD for review purposes only. Opinions about this product are my own.

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Filed Under: giveaways, Reviews Tagged With: Reviews: Language Arts, Reviews: Music

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Comments

  1. Eszter Gergely says

    March 26, 2012 at 4:05 pm

    I would chose Peter and the Wolf

    Reply
  2. Lindsay says

    March 26, 2012 at 4:15 pm

    These look great I would either pick Peter and the Wolf or Michel Mulligan and the steam shovel.

    Reply
  3. Ed says

    March 26, 2012 at 4:48 pm

    I would also do Peter and the Wolf. The audio sometimes scares my kid, but I think it's because of the music intensity!

    Reply
  4. Ed says

    March 26, 2012 at 4:57 pm

    I think Peter and the Wolf too!

    Reply
  5. Emily says

    March 26, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    I would choose Mike Mulligan…we love that book!

    Reply
  6. Shirley says

    March 26, 2012 at 6:25 pm

    I would love Peter and the Wolf

    Reply
  7. Mandy says

    March 26, 2012 at 7:37 pm

    I think Tortoise and the Hare would be good for my littles. My daughter might also love Swan Lake.

    Reply
  8. Caroline says

    March 26, 2012 at 7:57 pm

    Thanks for this review! We'd be interested in so many of these… perhaps start with "My Name is Handel" or "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."

    Reply
  9. K Coake says

    March 26, 2012 at 9:06 pm

    Looks interesting. My Name is Handel would be my pick.

    Reply
  10. Julie says

    March 26, 2012 at 11:12 pm

    This looks like such a fun and interesting music curriculum!

    Reply
  11. Julie says

    March 26, 2012 at 11:13 pm

    Oh, and we would pick Mike Mulligan because we LOVE the book 🙂

    Reply
  12. Christie says

    March 26, 2012 at 11:38 pm

    If I had to choose another CD to listen to, I would pick The Story of Swan Lake.

    Reply
  13. DonnaJo says

    March 27, 2012 at 6:28 am

    Interestingly, I would probably pick Casey at Bat b/c it's so familiar from my childhood. I remember the short cartoon of it.

    Reply
  14. Ticia says

    March 27, 2012 at 8:51 am

    Peter and teh Wolf. I love that one, and can't wait to introduce it to my kids.

    Reply
  15. Jenny Kurtz says

    March 27, 2012 at 10:22 am

    It's hard to choose! I guess I'd pick Peer & the Wolf. Thanks for the chance to win!

    Reply
  16. Jenny Kurtz says

    March 27, 2012 at 10:23 am

    I mean "Peter & the Wolf." Sometimes my fingers go faster than my brain! =)

    Reply
  17. Kristina says

    March 27, 2012 at 10:49 am

    The Sorcerer's Apprentice

    Reply
  18. Sew_Happily_Ever_After says

    March 27, 2012 at 1:34 pm

    Mike mulligan because my son loves that story!

    Reply
  19. Brandi says

    March 27, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    I think my son would love Casey at the Bat. but I would love Swan Lake 🙂

    Reply
  20. Wendi says

    March 27, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    The all look really interesting. I am really intrigued with "My Name is Handel: The Story of Water Music".

    Reply
  21. The Zookeeper says

    March 27, 2012 at 10:10 pm

    I would love to have:
    Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

    Thanks Kayla – kevinkaylaarrowood123atyahoodotcom

    Reply
  22. Chiana says

    March 27, 2012 at 10:15 pm

    I would choose My name is Handel …

    thesanderson6@gmail.com

    Reply
  23. Stefanie says

    March 28, 2012 at 9:07 pm

    Love Maestro Classics! I think we'd go for The Sorcerer's apprentice.

    Reply
  24. Daniele @ Domestic Serenity says

    March 29, 2012 at 9:53 pm

    The Story of Swan Lake — love that one.

    Reply
  25. Precious says

    March 30, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    We would DIE to have "Peter and the Wolf." We borrowed it from the Library and it's already a favorite.

    Reply
  26. Precious says

    March 30, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    We would DIE to have "Peter and the Wolf." We borrowed it from the Library and it's already a favorite.

    Reply
  27. Kori says

    March 30, 2012 at 6:46 pm

    I have wanted Peter and the Wolf for a long time!

    Reply
  28. Dianna@KennedyAdventures says

    April 12, 2012 at 8:27 am

    I've seen these advertised before, and thought they looked pretty good! Thanks for the review – I'm putting them on my 'need to buy list." Mike Mulligan and his STeam Shovel is in the Memoria Press curriculum for next year, so that will be the first one I look at.

    Looking forward to meeting you at the 2:1 Conference soon!

    Reply

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