Gus and Grandpa and the Piano Lesson

by Mills, Claudia; Stock, Catherine

• ISBN13: 9780374328146
• ISBN10: 0374328145
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-09-13
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Summary

The tenth book in the beloved series For Gus, the longest half hour of the day is spent practicing the piano. Why can't he be outside, shooting hoops with Ryan Mason? Even more painful are the lessons: Mrs. Moore complains about Gus's squishy fingers. But most painful of all is the piano recital. Gus has to play a piece called "The Horse Race," and he's not sure he will remember it. As a child, Grandpa played the violin, so he knows exactly how Gus feels. Grandpa also knows about something Gus will love -- making music with others -- and once again he shows Gus the way in a story with pictures that "reflect the sunny warmth of loving connections passed across generations" (Booklist).

Author Biography

Claudia Mills and Catherine Stock have collaborated on the entire Gus and Grandpa series, including the ALA Notable Book Gus and Grandpa at Basketball. The author lives in Boulder, Colorado, and the artist lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

"Stock's lovely, expressive, watercolored pencil sketches perfectly complement this story about the joy of playing music...especially relevant to children who are familiar with the agony and the ecstasy of music lessons." -- Booklist

"The loving bond between Gus and his grandfather is apparent through their words and actions, and also through the soft, comforting illustrations. Mills uses amusing metaphors and clever wordplay throughout the text. An engaging easy-reader." -- School Library Journal