I try to avoid princesses like the plague with my two young daughters. I'm particularly weary of stories where girls are rescued by the apparently more able bodied, intelligent and astute princes.
When I received a review copy of Green Golly and Her Golden Flute, I wondered if it was the right match for our family. I knew it was based on the story of Rapunzel, and that in the end she is saved by a handsome prince. Blah.
One day when I threw it in the CD player, I was doing something else, and actually stopped and came in to listen with my girls. Keith Torgan, the story teller, draws people in and is quite engaging. His expressions are absolutely amazing and children love it. Barbara Siesel is equally charming as Green Golly-- especially when she pines, "lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely."
And the music!
Oh, the sweet flute music shares with children the wonderful concepts of classical (and all) music, such as showing your emotions through art. Flutist Barbara Siesel plays how Green Golly is feeling, trapped in the tower. Or how she uses music to describe the seasons, or the flight of a bumblebee.
I could see my children's faces imagining these things, in a way they hadn't before.
And as far as stereotyping girls and women, well, there is a handsome prince, but he misses out. And Green Golly does NOT need to be saved. She has music, after all, because "once the music is in your soul, you can think of little else."
For an audience of 4-10 year olds, the CD runs 57 lovely minutes. I've seen my girls entranced for the whole thing. We laugh and say to each other often, "Green Golly, Green Golly, let down your hair to me!"
Green Golly and Her Golden Flute exposes children to several of the world's greatest composers: Mozart, Mendelssohn, Korsakov, Schubert, Gossec, Elgar, Bizet, Chopin, and Copland. It doesn't do this in a preachy or weird way, it is just part of the story (which I have a feeling is clearly by design).
If you are heading on a long car ride, or would like to infuse more classical music in your child's life in a fun and creative way, you might want to pick up Green Golly and Her Golden Flute!
