The Happiness Box
  • Home
  • The extraordinary story of the book's creation David Griffin Leslie Greener
  • Bryony Marks Approach to scoring
  • Practical Information for Orchestras Performance notes Percussion setup
  • Children's participation MSO's Activity Sheet
  • News and Reviews
  • Contact
  • Purchase CD

The Happiness Box

  • Home/
  • The Book/
    • The extraordinary story of the book's creation
    • David Griffin
    • Leslie Greener
  • The Music/
    • Bryony Marks
    • Approach to scoring
  • For Orchestras/
    • Practical Information for Orchestras
    • Performance notes
    • Percussion setup
  • For Educators/
    • Children's participation
    • MSO's Activity Sheet
  • News and Reviews/
  • Contact/
  • Purchase CD/
Happiness Box 064.jpg

The Happiness Box

performance by narrator and orchestra for children

Children's participation

orchestra for children.

The Happiness Box

  • Home/
  • The Book/
    • The extraordinary story of the book's creation
    • David Griffin
    • Leslie Greener
  • The Music/
    • Bryony Marks
    • Approach to scoring
  • For Orchestras/
    • Practical Information for Orchestras
    • Performance notes
    • Percussion setup
  • For Educators/
    • Children's participation
    • MSO's Activity Sheet
  • News and Reviews/
  • Contact/
  • Purchase CD/

For Educators

The Happiness Box has been created specifically for preschool to lower primary school children, aged between three and seven years.

The themes of The Happiness Box are simple, inspiring and universal, and can provide a starting point for discussions with children. Even if we have nothing else, if we have friends, if we are kind, if we are resilient and work hard, and if we use our brains, we can be happier than someone living in 'a king's palace'. 

The fact that this tale was written at Changi, by men who had nothing, for children who had nothing, is humbling. The story is as relevant for children today as it was then. 

 


Children's participation

 

Hover the mouse over the bottom of each image to see how audiences can join in.

  Old Wobbley the frog  loves 'dig dig digging in the garden' and the children love digging with him.  It's Wobbley who finds the magic box. Of course, everyone knows it's magic when they hear the harp.

Old Wobbley the frog loves 'dig dig digging in the garden' and the children love digging with him.

It's Wobbley who finds the magic box. Of course, everyone knows it's magic when they hear the harp.

  Cheeky monkey Martin  cooks and keeps house.  He's also the strongest, and very good at swinging through the trees - can the children swing along with the double bass?

Cheeky monkey Martin cooks and keeps house.

He's also the strongest, and very good at swinging through the trees - can the children swing along with the double bass?

  Winston the "chi-chak" lizard  is the cleverest of the three friends... in fact, he's so clever, he's made a trap to catch wind!  The children love making the sound of the wind with the wind instruments.

Winston the "chi-chak" lizard is the cleverest of the three friends... in fact, he's so clever, he's made a trap to catch wind!

The children love making the sound of the wind with the wind instruments.

 But    oh,oh . Here comes  Slinky , the most wicked snake in the jungle!  The children hiss along with the orchestra, especially the rattling percussion, every time they see the sneaky snake.

But oh,oh. Here comes Slinky, the most wicked snake in the jungle!

The children hiss along with the orchestra, especially the rattling percussion, every time they see the sneaky snake.

  Dreamy Bill , the oldest tortoise in the world, is impossible to wake up. But cheeky Monkey Martin gives it a good try, by rapping on his shell.  Tap  , tap, tapitty tap!    The tortoise's shell is a solo cello, and the children watc

Dreamy Bill, the oldest tortoise in the world, is impossible to wake up. But cheeky Monkey Martin gives it a good try, by rapping on his shell. Tap, tap, tapitty tap! 

The tortoise's shell is a solo cello, and the children watch and listen to it yawn and snore.

 

  King Flappy  is the king of all the birds, and he's a little fierce. Winston, Martin and Wobbley are just the tiniest bit scared of him. When they visit his cave, they are greeted by a loud brass fanfare, befitting a regal king.    

King Flappy is the king of all the birds, and he's a little fierce. Winston, Martin and Wobbley are just the tiniest bit scared of him. When they visit his cave, they are greeted by a loud brass fanfare, befitting a regal king. 

 

 Flappy's flock of guard birds sound exactly like squawking seagulls. The string instruments make this seagull sound by softly gliding their fingers up and down the strings.  The children find this amazing!   

Flappy's flock of guard birds sound exactly like squawking seagulls. The string instruments make this seagull sound by softly gliding their fingers up and down the strings.

The children find this amazing!

 

  Bumble, the Bee  who knows everything, is very wise. The children buzz along with him as he helps Winston, Martin and Wobbley with a very important decision that leads them to discover the secret of happiness.

Bumble, the Bee who knows everything, is very wise. The children buzz along with him as he helps Winston, Martin and Wobbley with a very important decision that leads them to discover the secret of happiness.

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  Old Wobbley the frog  loves 'dig dig digging in the garden' and the children love digging with him.  It's Wobbley who finds the magic box. Of course, everyone knows it's magic when they hear the harp.
  Cheeky monkey Martin  cooks and keeps house.  He's also the strongest, and very good at swinging through the trees - can the children swing along with the double bass?
  Winston the "chi-chak" lizard  is the cleverest of the three friends... in fact, he's so clever, he's made a trap to catch wind!  The children love making the sound of the wind with the wind instruments.
 But    oh,oh . Here comes  Slinky , the most wicked snake in the jungle!  The children hiss along with the orchestra, especially the rattling percussion, every time they see the sneaky snake.
  Dreamy Bill , the oldest tortoise in the world, is impossible to wake up. But cheeky Monkey Martin gives it a good try, by rapping on his shell.  Tap  , tap, tapitty tap!    The tortoise's shell is a solo cello, and the children watc
  King Flappy  is the king of all the birds, and he's a little fierce. Winston, Martin and Wobbley are just the tiniest bit scared of him. When they visit his cave, they are greeted by a loud brass fanfare, befitting a regal king.    
 Flappy's flock of guard birds sound exactly like squawking seagulls. The string instruments make this seagull sound by softly gliding their fingers up and down the strings.  The children find this amazing!   
  Bumble, the Bee  who knows everything, is very wise. The children buzz along with him as he helps Winston, Martin and Wobbley with a very important decision that leads them to discover the secret of happiness.

Illustrations by Leslie Greener, 'The Happiness Box', The Australasian Publishing Company, Sydney 1947. Reproduced with permission from the Greener Estate. The front and back cover illustrations, and the middle insert entitled 'In the middle of the flower sat Bumble, the bee who knew everything', appear in colour in the book. The other black and white illustrations have been colourised for performance by Neale Mar.

Photos of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra performing The Happiness Box, conducted by Brett Kelly with Stephen Curry as narrator, reproduced with permission from the MSO.

The Happiness Box was commissioned by Symphony Services Australia, the Robert Salzer Foundation and Father Arthur E. Bridge AM for Ars Musica.