The Piano Recital by Akiko Miyakoshi
Published by Kids Can Press on September 3, 2019
ISBN: 1525302574
Pages: 32
Genres: Animals, Fantasy
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads

“The Piano Recital” is an imaginative picture book for children ages 4 through 8. Momo, a young girl, is about  to perform her  first piano recital.  However, she is experiencing a great deal of anxiety.   Momo  keep repeating the phrase, “I’ll be okay, I’ll be okay”  to reassure herself before the performance.  Soon, Momo’s imagination kicks in and she believes she is beckoned by a mouseling  (who  has anxiety herself about performing) to come  backstage with her  where there is already a performance in progress.  When it is the mouseling’s turn to perform.   Momo offers to go with her  on stage, telling  the mouseling  “you’ll be okay. ”  And when it’s   mouseling’s turn to perform, Momo  accompanies  her by playing the piano –  thus causing   Momo to   forget her own worries.  When the piece ends,  Momo stands to take a bow and finds that she isn’t at the mouseling’s recital after all, but at her very own piano recital.

A cleverly executed  picture book, whereupon the award winning author/illustrator , Akiko Miyakoshi,  utilizes the power of imagination to help allay Momo’s anxiety.

A wonderful resource to use when children feel anxiety  or nervousness regarding performing in front of an audience. This story speaks to how a child might put his own  imagination to work when feeling discomfort.

 

Reviewed by Connie M. Smith, Breakwater School, Portland, ME