 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Piano Starts Here
- By Robert Andrew Parker
- Genre: Biography
Common Sense Media says
Masterful illustrations and an inspirational bio.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this book may be too long-winded for the youngest listeners, but its inspirational message makes it worth a shot.
What's the story?
Art Tatum is born blind in Toledo, Ohio, and eventually becomes world-famous as a leading jazz pianist.
Is it any good?
Art Tatum was born in Toledo, Ohio, legally blind but well-loved. He grew up at the piano eventually becoming world-famous and revered. This book traces his beginnings, letting kids glimpse the childhood of one of jazz's most inspirational talents.
Parker is a Caldecott honor-winning illustrator and his pictures here do much to bring the story to life with old-fashioned details that effectively convey the time period. The story itself may be too long for some of the littlest kids, but parents can start with the pictures and then move to the text as their child's attention span lengthens. For those kids caught up in Tatum's story, Parker supplies a more thorough biography in back along with resources families can explore.
What families can talk about
Families can listen to some of Art Tatum's music to understand how truly talented he was. Kids who like his music can explore other artists of the same era and the musicians who went on to interpret Tatum's work.
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
| Author: | Robert Andrew Parker |
| Illustrator: | Robert Andrew Parker |
| Book type: | Non-Fiction |
| Genre: | Biography |
| Publisher: | Schwartz & Wade |
| Publication date: | January 8, 2008 |
| Number of pages: | 40 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 4 - 7 |
| Read aloud: | 4 |
| Read alone: | 8 |
Review It
Register now to save reviews and advice articles to your personal lists!
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already read it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
