Piper Chen sings / Phillipa Soo & Maris Doran ; illustrated by Qin Leng.

Title :

Piper Chen sings

Author:

Format:

Books

Summary:

When Piper is offered a solo at her school's Spring Sing, she must overcome her stage fright to put on an unforgettable performance.

Language:

English

Audience:

Ages 3-7. Random House Studio.

ISBN - ISSN:

9780593564691

0593564693

9780593564707

0593564707

Physical Description:

pages cm

Subject:

Singing -- Fiction.

Stage fright -- Fiction.

Schools -- Fiction.

Chinese Americans -- Fiction.

Picture books.

First Title value, for Searching:

Piper Chen sings / Phillipa Soo & Maris Doran ; illustrated by Qin Leng.

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Library	Audience	Home Location	Material Type	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Central	Kid/Juvenile	Picture books	New juvenile books	E SOO	Searching... Unknown
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER . An empowering story about a girl who turns her performance jitters into confidence when faced with singing a solo at her school concert. Inspired by the childhood experience of award-winning actress Phillipa Soo who originated the role of Eliza in Hamilton .

Piper Chen loves nothing more than to sing. She sings to the sun, and she sings to the moon. She sings to her stuffed animals and with the birds outside her window. So, when her music teacher asks if Piper would like to sing a solo in her school's Spring Sing, all she can say is "yes!" But as practice continues, doubt and worry creep in and Piper's confidence wavers. She feels like butterflies are having a dance party in her belly. At home, Piper finds Nai Nai, her grandmother, at the piano. They've always shared a love of music, and Piper knows if anyone can help her through the unsettling feeling in her stomach and to shine her brightest at the Spring Concert, it's Nai Nai.

First time picture book writers and sisters-in-law, Phillipa Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran along with acclaimed illustrator Qin Leng have created a cheerful intergenerational and stunning story that inspires confidence in the face of nervousness

Author Notes

Phillipa Soo is an actor and singer, best known for originating the role of "Eliza" in Broadway's critically acclaimed HAMILTON, earning her a Tony nomination, a Grammy win, and an Emmy nomination for the award-winning film on Disney+.She has also appeared as "Cinderella" in INTO THE WOODS on Broadway, and "Guinevere" in Aaron Sorkin's Broadway revival of CAMELOT, among many other plays and musicals. She stars inthe film adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid's bestselling novel, ONE TRUE LOVES, and voices the moon goddess, "Chang'e," in Netflix's animated feature, OVER THE MOON. On television, Soo can be seen in Hulu's DOPESICK and in AppleTV+'s SHINING GIRLS. She resides in Brooklyn with her husband and fellow actor, Steven Pasquale.

Maris Pasquale Doran ,LCSW has always loved listening to and learning from people's personal narratives and has evolved her career in social work to include writing and creating her own characters and stories. Piper Chen Sings is her first publication. She continues to work as a private psychotherapist and is an adjunct lecturer at Columbia University's School of Social Work. She lives in Maplewood, NJ with her husband and two young children. Reading to them is always her favorite part of the day.

Qin Leng is a visual development artist as well as an illustrator and author of children's books. Recent books include A Day for Sandcastles written by Jon Arno Lawson, Clover, which was the winner of the prestigious Governor General Literary Award, written by Nadine Robert, and her author-illustrator debut I am Small . She lives in Toronto with her husband and her son.

Reviews (4)

School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 2--Piper Chen is a Chinese American girl who sings all day, everyday (which may be a nod to Soo, Hamilton star, Broadway actress, and singer). But when she is offered a solo in her school chorus concert, her voice is suddenly stopped by a swarm of butterflies. After speaking to her grandmother and learning to reframe these butterflies, Piper's story ends on a high note. While Soo and Pasquale Doran do not tread much new ground in the "feeling butterflies" territory, the language is both poetic and accessible, providing a useful framework for working through jitters. The illustrations are expressive and whimsical, showing a wonderfully creative use of perspective and movement. Children will be enraptured by the visuals, whether or not they identify with the story. VERDICT SEL at Broadway levels, this is recommended for collections needing a boost in stories about processing difficult emotions.--Maria Bohan

Publisher's Weekly Review

Sisters-in-law Soo and Doran team up in an energetic debut that centers mindfulness and intergenerational wisdom. Twirling, bouncing, and hopping through her day, Piper Chen is "always singing out a tune." When her music teacher offers her a concert solo, enthusiastic Piper "lets her excitement answer, 'Yes!' " Soon after, however, butterflies start "having a dance party in my belly" and she no longer feels like singing. Fortunately, Piper's empathetic Naˇi Nai has a strategy to help, reframing the butterflies as visitors noting "when something exciting was ahead." Feeling the butterflies on performance day, Piper refocuses on the "love... fluttering through her, her family and friends, and her loving Naˇi Nai." Leng's vivacious artwork captures the drama and intensity of childhood experiences, from Piper's wide-mouthed, splayed-fingered singing in music class to a dejected face-plant on her bed. Piper's Chinese American heritage threads through text and illustration, and a glossary and pronunciation guide translates Standard Mandarin Chinese words used in the text. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. (Apr.)

Horn Book Review

Piper Chen loves to sing, from offering a morning song to the sun, to joining the chorus of frogs in the pond, to singing goodnight to the moon. Whether she's "practicing her whistle" or "listening to Nai Nai's homemade jiaozi pop," Piper finds music all around her. When she's offered the chance to sing a solo in her school's spring concert, Piper is initially excited and then gripped by stage fright, feeling as if "butterflies were having a dance party in my belly!" This isn't like singing to a stuffed animal audience. With compassionate guidance from Nai Nai, Piper learns to transform the fluttering butterflies into sources of strength and excitement. Leng's lively ink, watercolor, and oil pastel illustrations render scenes of Piper's interactions with Nai Nai and her classmates with tender detail, enhancing the story's emotional depth. While the outcome isn't in doubt, Piper's sincerity and the themes of courage and self-expression make this book an uplifting choice, inspiring readers to embrace their passions and face their fears with courage. Weileen WangMay/June 2024 p.129 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Review

Hamilton star Soo's debut picture book centers on a young girl confronting stage fright. Piper Chen twirls through her days with her mouth wide open. When Mr. Harris, her music teacher, asks Piper if she'd like to sing a solo in the Spring Sing, she immediately answers, "Yes!" But later, she finds herself frozen during practice. Later, Piper's grandmother Nǎi Nai notices that Piper isn't singing, and Piper explains about the solo and the butterflies in her stomach. Nǎi Nai understands and explains that she experienced "húdié" (Chinese for butterflies) at her first piano recital. They also visited whenever something exciting was ahead, like when she left China for America, when she graduated from music school, and when she became a U.S. citizen. "Now, when they greet me, I greet them back. 'Hello, húdié. Nǐ hǎo.'" The night of the show, Piper feels the butterflies flapping their wings. She hums to herself, "Hello, húdié" and sings. Soo and Doran sensitively capture the anxiety of performing and draw parallels with other life changes while giving readers a concrete tool for addressing those butterflies. Leng's delicate, expressive ink, watercolor, and oil pastel illustrations capture Piper's enthusiasm and uncertainty as well as Nǎi Nai's loving warmth, working seamlessly with the text in vignettes and full spreads. Piper Chen and Nǎi Nai are Chinese American; Mr. Harris is brown-skinned. This book sings. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.