Books with author Houston

The year is 1943. Rachel is an imaginative eight-year-old girl who lives on a dairy farm with her parents. Though her home in the green hills of Vermont is far from the daily tragedies of World War II, Rachel still feels the pain of loss. Her older sister, Emily, has recently died of pneumonia, leaving Rachel without her guiding light. Though Emily’s death makes Rachel feel as if the world has stopped spinning, she is called on to find reserves of imagination and grit—even channel her sister. As Rachel struggles to cope, she grapples with suspicions that her teacher is somehow to blame for Emily’s fatal illness. She also hones her story-writing skills, survives a night lost in the woods, and plays the queen in the school play. By the time the war is ending, Rachel is ten and beginning to understand that she has the ability and will to live outside her more extroverted sister’s shadow. Filled with bittersweet moments, The Quiet One is not just a heart-wrenching story about coping with loss and finding the strength to go on. It is also an inspirational tale for young readers who are ready to step up and take the lead in their own lives.

Getting a child to play piano has never been easier! As seen on public television nationwide, Scott "The Piano Guy" Houston is the leading authority on fast and fun piano instruction. In Play Piano in a Flash for Kids! he simplifies his unique and effective method of learning to play piano, making it accessible to even the youngest want-to-be pianists. Highlighting popular, not classical, music, this book fosters and nourishes an early love for music by giving children the tools to play their favorite popular songs. Your child will be able to: -Learn the basics of piano playing using a simple technique that pros use, which focuses on becoming a good player versus becoming a good notation reader -Use easy-to-follow step-by-step illustrations that demonstrate each stage of learning -Play popular music on the piano without having to learn how to read complicated sheet music It is a great book for kids who may have taken lessons previously but became frustrated by the long and complicated process. And all at a fraction of the cost of piano lessons! Both parents and children can have fun learning the piano or keyboard together, or children can work through the book on their own, with parents providing support only when needed. Play Piano in a Flash for Kids! is the perfect tool for parents or teachers to help their kids learn to play the piano quickly and easily.