Piper Chen Sings review

 

An empowering story about a girl who turns her performance jitters into confidence when faced with singing a solo at her school concert.(goodreads summary) 

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Piper loves to sing!  She sings to the birds, frogs in the nearby pond and her stuffed animals who make a wonderful audience.  She excitedly jumps at the chance when her music teacher asks her to sing a solo for the Spring concert.  But after thinking about performing alone, she finds the butterflies she feels inside are taking over and giving her second thoughts.

 

This is a wonderful story to share with kids who may feel just like Piper during any situation giving them the butterflies in the stomach feeling.  When she shares her worries with her grandmother, she lovingly explains to Piper her own experiences with the butterflies and how they meant something exciting was to come.  She tells her to embrace the feeling and welcome them as a part of her during the moment instead of shying away.  Her music teacher was also encouraging and not pushy, letting Piper be the one to decide if she wanted to do a solo or sing with her class.  This book is gentle and heartwarming letting kids know that having these big feelings are normal and how to understand and channel them so they are not consumed by them.  The lovely illustrations are calming and it has a sweet ending. I was also a kid who had butterflies a lot growing up and didn't know how to conquer the feeling.  I would have loved a book like this to help me through those awful feelings I experienced many times.  I think this is a "just right book" for ages 3-7.~

 

Title: Piper Chen Sings

Author: Phillipa Soo, illustrated by Maris Pasquale Doran

Pub. date: April 2024, Random House

Genre: picture book

Hardcover, 40 pgs.