Guest Author: Eliana Joy Barnett

The Making of the Platypus Philharmonic Orchestra
by Eliana Joy Barnett for ages 5-10


Music and magic join together in a furry friendly children’s book, written and illustrated by award winning young author


Haven’t we all wished we could harness a bit of a child’s vivid imagination? There is no doubt that a younger generation can often be the best storytellers, and now we can all experience the art and imaginative story of The Making of the Platypus Philharmonic Orchestra by Eliana Joy Barnett. The teenage author takes us through a brightly colored world of magic and music in her 32-page storybook based on one very special animal – the platypus.


As 12-year old Penelope discovers, the platypuses on King Island, Australia are not your average furry friends. In fact, this particular breed is so intelligent that they speak English and can even play instruments. On her first visit to the island, Penelope found out the secret and was welcomed into their “family”. Knowing the musical talents of the animals, Penelope decides to conduct the platypuses in an orchestra.

The group is a likable crew of characters with silly personalities and nicknames like “Pl’Einstein” and “Suction Cup”. The young leader hopes to bring success to her musical friends while still keeping their secret under wraps. Eliana’s writing is creative and fits perfectly in the target age group of kids five to ten years old. Although the text is accessible and relatable to children, the amount of learned information throughout is quite extraordinary. From drawing a map of Australia, to naming the instruments that make up an orchestra, to listing famous musical pieces like “Kanon in D”, the young author drives information straight to the minds of the reader while simultaneously keeping their attention. For instance, she gives a fact about the beloved animal by saying, “Platypuses are nocturnal creatures, but they decided to wake up early each afternoon so rehearsal would end before evening.”

Scattered throughout the story are full pages of colorful illustrations, creating a playful and inviting read for children. Those who open The Making of the Philharmonic Orchestra will be inspired to pick up an instrument and join the fun that Miss Eliana has vividly painted.


# # #


Author: Once Eliana Joy Barnett had the ability to hold a pencil she was drawing. That love turned into a passion and as a young child, she spent her time making up stories and pairing them with illustrations.


Eliana has been writing books since second grade and she has won many literary awards in school and in regional writing competition. She also enjoys writing poetry, and one of her poems was published in the Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans, 2006 edition.


$18.95 USD, ISBN: 978-0-9820678-0-2, hard cover, 34 pages with foldout, color illustrated by the author. 


Available at www.marstenpublishing.com, www.amazon.com, and www.barnesandnoble.com. Kindle available on Amazon