Mark Rubin, Alan Daniel

The Orchestra, a non-fiction book for children, introduces musical instruments, basic musical concepts and the symphonic orchestra. The very straight-forward text is accompanied by playful, but accurate, drawings. A number of musical concepts are explored, among them harmony, tempo and dynamics. The role of the composer and conductor are explored and each musical instrument described. A subplot, apparent only through the illustrations, shows two children who wend their way through the orchestra's rehearsal, visiting the instrument families, and culminates in a full-dress concert.

Comprehensive, but simple in its approach, the book combines solid information with an enjoyable format.