The Joy of Ocarina

I have taught hundreds of children and adults to play the recorder. My third graders up in Eureka, Utah always sounded "pretty dang good." However, I have been searching for an instrument that was similarly inexpensive and had a more pleasant (rounder) sound with a range more comparable to a comfortable singing range (C to C). The plastic tenor ocarina (I thought it was an alto, but was informed it is a tenor) from St. Louis ocarina meets my expectations.The price is $10 which is about twice the amount I used to shell out for high quality Yamaha recorders. Anyway, I'm happy to have arrived at this instrument and I enjoy playing it at the bus stop when it's not too cold out.