A wonderful score for a charming story

There are very few children's videos that can bring tears to my eyes, but this afternoon we checked out of the local public library one that does just that. It's The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories, with five stories by Eric Carle. We have been reading the board book version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar to Theresa since she was quite small.

But one story on the video I find particularly touching. It's called Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me. It's about a little girl, Monica, who asks her father to bring the moon down from the sky so she can play with it. In response he brings out a very tall ladder, climbs into the sky and does precisely that. As the father of a daughter myself, this plot has obvious appeal -- for both me and Theresa, in fact.

But the haunting musical score written by British composer Julian Nott is what really tugs at the heartstrings. It's amazing to think of someone putting such consumate skill and emotional energy into music for a children's video. I'd love to hear more of his work.