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Hana Hashimoto Sixth Violin By Chieri Uegaki (2000)

by Chieri Uegaki(Favorite Author)

4.22 of 5 Votes: 1

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English

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review 1: As a former student of Oriental Studies and an avid defender of variety in books, particularly children's I couldn't miss the opportunity to read Chieri Uegaki's Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin.Hana is a brave girl, who after three violin lessons feels ready to sign up for the talent show even though her brothers mock her. Hana's parents seem more confident and Hana let's her grandfather's words and music inspire her as she shows the reader the value of practice and dedication.When I was little I wanted to learn to play the violin, unfortunately I couldn't but that didn't stop me from pretending I could. Unlike Hana I didn't have a relative that played the violin but I let all the great musicians fill my house with their music and the strings have always been my favourite. H... moreowever when Hana went to Japan to see her Ojiichan, he filed the house with music of his own making and she decided to learn to play like him.I think Hana's little adventure is a fantastic example of picking up something widely known and making it yours. It's about finding that thing that makes what you do yours and not just a copy of someone else's work. Even musicians need to find their tune and the same piece played by two different people doesn't sound quite the same and Hana shows us that she can make the strings in her violin hers and not just a copy of her Ojiichan.Also I think this was the first time I encountered a book who had both a musical theme and a foreigner character in the title. As I said at the begin of this review I support diversity in book and this means that I like to support authors that write about diverse characters. Chieri Uegaki's Hana Hashimoto is a fantastic example because we can see different cultures and have an Asian, more specifically a Japanese main character. It may sound like it isn't too much but in 2012 only 2% of children books had a main Asian Pacific American character. This puts Hana in a very select group and makes her even more special.If Hana wasn't special enough Qin Leng's illustrations would have helped her be. The pictures that fill this book are delicate and beautiful and a fantastic addiction to the story.The drawings of Ojiichan's house takes us to Japan while the ones of Hana's house reflect the western world. I loved the soft colours and the magical tone of the drawings. My favourite illustration was the one of Hana playing when she was in the stage of the talent show and we can see all the sounds leaving her violin. I also enjoyed seeing Ojiichan's house and Hana sleeping in a futon.I am now waiting patiently for August to get my hands on a hardcover edition of this book. This is a book that can't be missing from my shelves. - Catarina
review 2: "In this beautifully written picture book, Hana Hashimoto has signed up to play her violin at her school's talent show. The trouble is, she's only a beginner, and she's had only three lessons. Her brothers insist she isn't good enough. "It's a talent show, Hana," they tell her. "You'll be a disaster!" Hana remembers how wonderfully her talented grandfather, or Ojiichan, played his violin when she was visiting him in Japan. So, just like Ojiichan, Hana practices every day. She is determined to play her best. When Hana's confidence wavers on the night of the show, however, she begins to wonder if her brothers were right. But then Hana surprises everyone once it's her turn to perform -- even herself! The Asian American female protagonist in this story offers a unique perspective, and bestselling author Chieri Uegaki has woven in lyrical scenes from Japan that add depth and resonance. The details in the artwork by Qin Leng connect the two places and contain a feeling of melody throughout. In the classroom, this book could serve as a celebration of music and performing arts, multicultural studies or the importance of intergenerational relationships. It is also a fabulous character education tie-in for discussing courage and perseverance. This terrifically inspiring book offers hope and confidence to all children who are yearning to master something difficult. Perhaps even more important, it allows children to see that there is more than one way to be successful at a task" -- Provided by publisher. - less

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