Spherical Improvisations

I n a r i's    P u p s

A n d    t h e

S i n g i n g    R a i n b o w 

Text, Narration and Musical Compositions by Marianne Green

Illustrations by Brenda Ferrimani 

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Do Rainbows Sing?

The narrated, orchestrated and illustrated adventure, intended for children ages 3 - 9, is about a fox vixen, Inari, initiating her small cubs into the wonder of life in a forest in the hills of the Jura Mountains of Switzerland. The beautiful illustrations of Brenda Ferrimani bring the seen and unseen, the heard and imagined to life, sparking not only the fantasy of our young ones, but also that of their parents and grandparents. 

Is it possible that a rainbow can sing? What is slumbering in us adults that perhaps has been lying dormant, just waiting to be enlivened? How does reading a story about underground streams and songs of fairies help us connect to our young ones, who are closer to the unseen which used to be part of our normal perceptions. And what possibilities await children who have never ever even experienced in a forest?

The vixen is named Inari after a Japanese God. which has the larger sense of ‘Soul Guide’. It is my hope that in reading this book with our little ones we are all guided a step closer to that deep essence within, which some call our 'soul'.

Interwoven, in expansion and contraction, are ‘healing sounds’ with rich overtones (the monochord, tuning forks, chimes, crystal and Tibetan bowls, cowbells, church bells,) as well as the koto, piano, cello, alpine horns and sounds of nature, all of which nourish the bodies and souls of the children and families listening to this new kind of ‘music’.

My greatest testimonial on the CD comes from my 4 year old granddaughter:

“I don’t want it to end!” 

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About the book and CD

In 1990– teaching Suzuki piano and cello in Switzerland –

I wrote this story to introduce notation through color to my students 

– AND -  just in general have a broader story 

to use in my very holistic approach to music education.

Now I have I brought this story back to life 

in the form of an illustrated storybook and accompanying CD.

This book, and especially the CD, 

are created to be a counter-balance to hectic, 

stressful lives in many families - 

and the not so healthy media such as TV,videos, video games….

Composed for children 3-9 – for the older sisters and brothers,

 babysitters, parents, grandparents, caregivers, 

all who might watch and participate with them,

 the CD and book could used before dinner or at bedtime, 

or any other occasions when ‘time out’ from stress calls. 

To the children:

Don’t be afraid to close your eyes!

You will hear from the music or the story 

when it is time to open them for the next picture.

I leave you with one question

that you can talk to each other about when the story is finished:

 Why is the book called the Singing Rainbow?