The Piano Recital - by Akiko Miyakoshi (Hardcover)

About the Book

"It's the day of Momo's very first piano recital, and she is terribly nervous. Today is the day of a little mouseling's very first performance, too, and she's just as nervous as Momo. The mouseling invites Mom to watch her performance. Momo follows the mouseling through a small door backstage, where she's met with an amazing sight: an elaborate miniature theatre, and an audience of finely dressed mice! When the Grand Mouse-ter takes the stage, a hush falls over the crowd and a magical show unfolds - a circus, a magic act, acrobats! Momo is delighted. And when it's the mouseling's turn to take the stage, Momo soothes her little friend's nerves - her own now long forgotten - and accompanies her on piano. As Momo finishes her piece and gives a bow, she's surprised to see that her audience isn't furry and miniature, but human! And they're all clapping - for her! A proud Momo is quite sure she can hear mouse paw-clapping, too..."--

Book Synopsis

It's the day of Momo's first piano recital. As she nervously waits for her turn to play, she tells herself, "I'll be okay ... I'll be okay ..." Then she hears a voice nearby, also saying, "I'll be okay ... I'll be okay ..." It's a mouseling! And the little mouse is nervous about her first performance, too. The mouseling invites Momo through a small door backstage, where Momo is amazed to find a miniature theater filled with an audience of finely dressed mice there to watch singers, dancers and circus performers! When it's the mouseling's turn, Momo agrees to accompany her on piano. The mouse audience is so appreciative! But then, as she rises to take her bow, Momo is surprised to discover -- it isn't a mouse audience at all!

Here's another magical, dreamlike picture book from Akiko Miyakoshi, the multi-award-winning and internationally bestselling author-illustrator. The imaginative narrative is woven around the common childhood experience of anxiety, felt by performers but also by every child who faces a new life challenge. Momo serves as a wonderful example to children, using the power of her imagination to understand and work through her feelings. Even the youngest readers will be able to follow this story through the beautiful and fantastically detailed illustrations, which perfectly capture Momo's emotions as she transitions from the real to the imagined and back again.

Review Quotes

... Miyakoshi artfully introduces small sparks of wonder in both the illustrations and story, building up to a whimsical journey.--Internal Examinar

... a feast for eyes and ears that children will enjoy.--CM Magazine

... among the best bedtime books ever written.--Chicago Tribune

A soothing, fanciful adventure ...--Kirkus Reviews

Honoring imagination, this enchanting fantasy offers alternatives and antidotes to anxiety.--School Library Journal, starred review

Miyakoshi conjures an edgy magic ...--Booklist

This lovely little story can be used as a great tool for a child with performance anxiety.--ABQLA

This story ... fulfills the wish of reluctant recital players (and some nonrecitalists as well) to find themselves in another world entirely.--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Akiko Miyakoshi was born in Saitama, on the island of Honshu in Japan. She began creating picture books while studying visual communication design at Musashino Art University. Her first picture book, The Storm, won the Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix.

Akiko Miyakoshi was born in Saitama, on the island of Honshu in Japan. She began creating picture books while studying visual communication design at Musashino Art University. Her first picture book, The Storm, won the Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix.