Q: What didn’t you like about “Peter and the Wolf”?

Handler: The story is boring: A boy goes out for a walk and watches the cruelty of nature and then decides to participate in the cruelty of nature. In terms of this teaching young people about the orchestra — it doesn’t do its job. You hear the story and you hear beautiful music, but if you don’t already know anything about the French horn then you don’t really know anything more about it after (the performance).

Q: How is “The Composer Is Dead” different?

Handler: The composer is dead and his death is suspicious, and the authorities come in and question all the members of the orchestra so you learn about all the different instruments.

I read it here.

(Handler is the writer of the happy-go-lucky Lemony Snicket books.)