Henry the Steinway: A Star Is Born

I bought this book as a Christmas present for my 7-year old granddaughter who starting taking piano lessons a few months ago. The book is easy to read and the pictures are wonderful. We read the book together and she was excited to learn how pianos are made. She takes her book to piano lessons to share with other students.

This book takes us on an educational tour of the Steinway factory in New York and shows us, step by step, how a piano is made (a condensed, kid-friendly version of 88 keys). The tour of the Steinway factory is tucked inside a larger story about Ana, a little girl who likes to play the piano, and Henry, her piano, a friendly old fellow retired to quiet home life after a career at Carnegie Hall. Ana and Henry are friends -- when Ana is sick, there's no trip to the doctor. She simply sits down & has a little chat with Henry and plays Henry for a while -- and soon feels so much better. Henry, apparently, warrants medical attention -- as when Henry is sick, the piano tuner comes to visit. For some reason, Henry's speaking abilities disappear when the piano tuner is present -- the piano turner, rather than Henry, explains what all of Henry's parts are named and how they work together. Soon after the visit from the tuner, Ana and her classmates tour the Steinway factory in New York and learn how a piano is made. Then it's back to Henry -- Henry tells Ana the story of how he was created at the Steinway factory, tested by many pianists, and finally found his way to Carnegie Hall. The book has a not-too-surprising surprise ending. At the end, we learn from Henry, that Ana's father was once a concert pianist who played Carnegie Hall many times. He was one of Henry's favorites. Imagine. Ana's father apparently shares her curious habit of chatting with pianos, as Henry confides to Ana that after a very special concert, Ana's father whispered to Henry, "Henry the Steinway, you are my best friend. Someday you will come to live with me, and we will always play together." Guess if you're talented enough to play Carnegie Hall, such eccentricities as piano-whispering are forgiveable. (Perhaps that passion explains why Ana's mom is nowhere to be found in this little book.) Henry confesses that the day he came to live at Ana's house was the happiest day of his life. Ana beams. Henry beams. The two basset hounds sitting under the piano look perplexed. As Ana goes to sleep that night, she dreams that she & Henry are playing together at Carnegie Hall, and after the applause, she whispers to Henry the words her father had previously spoken, "Henry the Steinway, you are my best friend." And she gives him a little kiss "right above middle C." This is a cute book, well-illustrated, appealing to kids, albeit a tad hokey, which no doubt makes it appealing to kids. It also provides an opportunity for parents who secretly hope their kid will someday go to Julliard to start touting the merits of a Steinway, the apparent panacea effect of piano-playing, and the prestige of Carnegie Hall.

This is a fabulous book! Henry the Steinway is sooooooooooo handsome! He takes my breath away! How often have I wished to have a piano like Henry! From his peachy complexion to his silver, curly locks of hair, Henry is one hot cookie! But he's more than that to his friend Ana, who's practicing madly for a piano recital. With gentle words and moving hammers Henry helps Ana play her piece to perfection. Read this book, it's wonderful! And don't miss the next two books about Henry, HENRY THE STEINWAY: A STAR IS BORN and HENRY THE STEINWAY TOURS THE WORLD