The Piano. - Review - book review

The Piano

by William Miller illustration by Susan Keeter Lee & Low Books, Inc., April 2000 $15.95, ISBN 1-88000-098-9, Ages 4-8

Set in the deep South of the early 1900s, The Piano is a warm story of an African American girl named Tia. Tia loves music, and is free to roam the summer streets while her mother and brother work at the cotton mill. Music is an escape from everything for Tia. She often forgets where she is when listening to it. Whenever she hears a blues guitar or even a child singing, she feels good inside.

One day Tia became hungry for new sounds and crossed the railroad tracks for the first time in search of different music. As music from a stately house captured Tia's thoughts, she was interrupted by a boy who asked her, "You come about the job?" Tia didn't want a job, but led by the music, she entered the house. Still captivated by the music, Tia agreed to become Miss Hartwell's maid. Music took Tia's mind off of the work of cleaning floors.

After taking a peek into the parlor of the house, Tia discovered a record player and a big piano. She could not resist tapping the piano's keys. She played until Miss Hartwell entered, telling Tia to hold her fingers above the keys and play softly. Tia continued to return to the house. Each day, as soon as Miss Hartwell took her nap, Tia would go to the piano, but knew that she would never play very well without a teacher. Soon a friendship developed between Tia and the elderly Miss Hartwell, and resulted in piano lessons for Tia, and for Miss Hartwell, the caring of a young girl. The oil paintings of Susan Keeter illustrate the growing relationship of this unlikely pair and capture the mood of the time. The Piano is a very sweet story about a mutual love that crosses age and race and is a must-have for when grandma comes over.

COPYRIGHT 2000 Cox, Matthews & Associates
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group