Reviewed on 11/30/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Pamela Leffler

 Amy Plays the Violin 

Reviewed on 10/26/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Debbie Berry

Amy Plays The Violin is a beautifully told story about self-confidence that children will love.  Julie Labossiere has brought us her second book in the Amy’s Adventure series.  Performing in front of an audience can be a frightening experience but Amy shows us that with a lot of practice you can gain the self-confidence that you need.

Amy is a charming young girl that is feeling a bit of anxiety and nervousness about her upcoming music recital.  She asks her brother and sister if she should change instruments for the recital.  She tries some new instruments but finds out that she will have to practice to become good.  Amy realizes that the violin is the best instrument for her because of all the time she has spent practicing. Amy finds that with just a little more practice her self-confidence will rise and she will be ready to perform on stage. When the big night finally arrives, Amy’s performance on stage is flawless. 

Amy Plays The Violin is illustrated with a contemporary flare and intriguing characters.  Every child is faced with some type performance in front of an audience in their lives, and Amy teaches us that with los of practice it is easy all you need is to build up your self-confidence by practicing. I especially liked the positive role models portrayed in the brother and sister.  I highly recommend his book for children between the ages of 5 and 8 to help them learn that confidence comes with practice.

Reviewed on 06/01/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Michelle Poe

Amy is nervous about her upcoming recital, where she will play her new instrument - the violin. She tries not to worry about it by watching TV, but she just can’t.  She thinks that she isn’t good enough to play the violin. Amy talks to her brother, Aaron, who plays the drums. She tries the drums out, but they are too loud for her tastes. Then, she hops over to her sister’s, Amy, room, who is playing on her keyboard. She tries out the keyboard, and realizes that she can play music better on the violin.  She returns to her own room, where she practices her violin. Will she be ready for her recital in one week?

 Amy Plays the Violin is a charming tale of a young girl who doubts her talent of playing the violin. I played the snare drum when I was in middle school and I recall being really nervous with ‘butterflies in my stomach’ right before a school concert, so I know exactly how Amy feels. I like that the brother and sister are good remodels and give great advice to Amy. The artwork is superb and flows well with the story. Young readers will easily connect with Amy. It is a great read for all ages.

Reviewed on 05/15/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Billy Burgess