Description: A picture book by John Burningham featuring vivid contrasts of primary colors. Dominated by reds and blacks, the lively brushwork and expressive characters bring the story to life with energy. The hero of this picture book is a music-loving mouse who dreams of playing the balalaika, a Ukrainian folk instrument. Trubloff, who lives in a small inn in a European village, loves music in a way quite unusual for a mouse. Every night, he becomes enchanted by the music played by gypsies visiting the tavern, often losing track of time and forgetting to sleep. Seeing this, Trubloff's grandfather gives him a balalaika of his own. Determined to play it more beautifully than anyone in the world, Trubloff sneaks out of the house to learn music from the gypsies. This early masterpiece by John Burningham captures children's perspectives and feelings with remarkable authenticity. Through simple text and illustrations, it tells the captivating story of a mouse enchanted by music. The rough, scratchy illustration style lends an exotic atmosphere, while the yellow, orange, and red tones evoke a sense of hope for life. Author: John Burningham Recent Works: Tug of War, Where's Julius?, The Picnic, and 181 titles in total. About the Author: Born in England in 1936, John Burningham won the Kate Greenaway Medal—Britain's top honor for picture books—in 1963 for his debut work, Borka: The Adventures of a Goose with No Feathers. In 1970, he won the Kate Greenaway Medal again for Mr. Gumpy's Outing, along with the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and an honorable mention at the Bratislava Biennial of Illustration. He went on to publish many acclaimed picture books, earning the German Children's Literature Award and the Kurt Maschler Award, among others. Renowned for capturing children's inner psychology and dreamlike subconscious worlds, John Burningham is considered one of the most beloved picture book creators among children and parents worldwide, and one of the greatest picture book artists of our time. His other works include Grandpa, John Patrick Norman McHennessy: The Boy Who Was Always Late, Would You Rather..., The Secret Party (Cannonball), and The Picnic. Translator: Jang Mi-ran Recent Works: The Lion's Spokesperson 2, and 120 titles in total. About the Translator: Born in Mokpo, she studied English Education at Korea University. She currently works translating and introducing lively, delightful picture books. Her translated works include Willy's Pictures, My Ears Are Odd, and The Cowardly Baby Bear, among many others.