Dan Brown pens Puffin picture book and composes classical music album

Dan Brown has penned a Puffin picture book about the adventures of an orchestra-conducting mouse, backed by a classical music album composed by The Da Vinci Code writer.

Francesca Dow, m.d. of Penguin Random House Children’s UK, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Heide Lange at Sanford J Greenburger Associates for Wild Symphony. The book will be published on 1st September with Random House Children’s Books in the US and 26 other territories worldwide.

Brown, who has sold 17.2 million copies of his thrillers through the Nielsen Total Consumer Market, will also mark his first music release since his writing career began. The author has composed a classical music album, that “enhances the read-aloud into a multi-sensory experience for children and adults to listen to and read together”.

Classical music publisher Boosey & Hawkes will distribute the printed music, performed by the Zagreb Festival Orchestra in Croatia, and recorded by PARMA Recordings. The full album will be released simultaneously with the book in September and available via all major digital platforms.

Wild Symphony follows baton-wielding Maestro Mouse as he visits a variety of animal friends, from cheetahs and kangaroos to elephants and blue whales. The synopsis says: “Each beautifully illustrated spread is dedicated to a different animal and offers a piece of mindful wisdom for navigating life. These pieces of wisdom will inspire conversations around themes of compassion, patience, respect and confidence, as well as mindfulness, taking life slowly and community. Susan Batori‚Äôs illustrations add child-friendly humour, and additional clues and puzzles are hidden in the detailed backgrounds for interested readers of all ages.”

Brown, currently also working on a new Robert Langdon thriller, said he was inspired by works like "Peter and the Wolf", along with picture books from his childhood.

He explained: “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."

Dow added: “Dan Brown‚Äôs Wild Symphony is a ground-breaking publication, weaving together and playing upon the power of words, illustration and music to create an immersive experience for the child reader. Simultaneously playful and thought-provoking, this is a book we are incredibly honoured to be publishing, and excited to share with children around the world.”

The world premiere concert of Wild Symphony will be announced in due course and additional concerts with live symphony orchestras will take place in dozens of countries worldwide. Previews of the music, which will also be playable through an app, are being made available at wildsymphony.com.