Do you love a good book? Our Children’s Librarians do! And we’re excited to share some great recommendations with you. This page gets updated regularly with reviews of the latest books we’ve been reading.
Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner
What interested me most to start with was the books title and the bold colours used in the illustrations. This is a great short graphic novel that has a dramatic end. It’s a spooky coming-of-age story. Margot and her friends find an abandoned electric keyboard, it has a sign on it saying it’s not haunted, does that mean it definitely is? Margots friends want to destroy it but Margot wants to keep it.
The story is not scary at all, instead the haunted piano has a ghost (or two?) haunting it, is that a good or a bad thing? You’ll have to read the book to find out! Margot decides that she wants to become a songwriter and tries to get some fans online using social media. She also wants to impress her dad, who seems to be ignoring her at the moment. Margot gets a bit caught up in gaining fame and starts to forget why she loves music. Can the pianos ghost help her find herself again?
The story is told with lots of bold colours and it’s highly entertaining. I think visually it is very strong, although the story doesn’t resolve all the characters issues with one another and that might be an issue for some readers. I was also hoping for a bit more insight into the characters use of social media and its impact. In the end the story is all about Margots emotional growth, not music or fame.
Grab your copy here.
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Kids Reading Lists
Not sure what to read next? We’ve got all the book suggestions you need! Check out our themed book lists, they are updated every month. From physical books to e-books and e-audiobooks that you can download to your phone, computer or tablet, we’ve selected some fantastic titles for you to choose from.
Book Awards
What books, authors, and illustrators have won top honours? Take a look at the nationally and internationally recognised awards below to find out!
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UK Awards
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