My First Piano Book [Includes 2 Audio CDs & Website] [Genevieve Helsby; Jason Chapman] [Naxos Books: 9781781980293]

Granddaughter loved it.

If only books like this were around when I was young.... it is so wonderfully informative and fun! So many children are introduced to piano lessons without knowing anything about the instruments and its glorious heritage. This book begins with a hugely fascinating section on the piano itself, accompanied by the first of two CDs, which is an anthology of wonderful music for the piano in its many guises. This CD alone is worth the cost of the entire book. The other CD works so well with the second half of the book which is an excellent starter for those children who want to learn how to play. In the 21st century, it can seem a little old-fashioned to encourage young children to take up the piano but this book is a brilliant antidote to this misguided development. The text is witty, clear and so well constructed - all supported by stunning illustrations with little details on every page - which make you laugh out loud each time you see them. Music education these days is so 'hit and miss' but this new addition is nothing but a palpable hit! Obviously this is intended for children - but like all top quality children's books, it works well with grown ups too.

I got this book for my piano-obsessed 7-yr old. She loves the characters and has already been teaching herself how to play the pieces. We are both musicians and would highly recommend this book! Excellent idea for the long summer holidays...

This book is a fabulous resource for young piano students. Beautifully presented with colourful images and clear diagrams, as well as a wealth of information about composers and the piano itself. There are interactive question and answers along with the CD, adding another dimension to the learning experience. I am a teacher and will use the book and CD with my youngest pianists. Absolutely love it.

My daughter loves this book. She is just 5 and it's already accessible: she has spotted the bees on each page and has chosen her favourite pieces of music to listen to whilst thinking about their meaning and looking at the pictures. This is an excellent introduction to learning the piano and it's a great idea to combine the early lessons with examples of how versatile the piano is and information about how it works. It has also been a lovely activity to do together. I would buy this again for friends and family who are just starting out.