The Piano at the Station

I loved it so much
I don't know how to say it u from how good it is
I'm speackless!

The Piano at the Station is an ideal book for empathy reading. It is published by Barrington Stoke in a dyslexia-friendly format designed for reluctant readers.

If Nathanael Lessore, the author of King of Nothing, is good at writing teenage stories from a young boy's point of view, Helen Rutter is good at narrating a story about growing up from a young girl's perspective.

The writer uses vivid language to portray Lacey Layton's character and her struggles to fit in in school. Her destructive behaviour, emotional turmoil can all be explained, if we look into her turbulent family life more closely. Her constant argument with the teachers, violent temper, and rebellious character come from her troubled family background - sharing a room with her sisters, not having a personal space, and breakup between her father and mother.

With the leaving of Mr Day and the council's decision to take away the piano at the station, Lacey loses her emotional support and hope when she has just started to enter the whole new world of music. The second turning point of her life emerges when she takes the courage to fight for what she desires by asking her sister to help livestreaming a short video of her playing the piano at the station.

The novella is not just about the power of music, but the courage to pursue positive changes. The writer uses the black notes on the piano to represent the talent that Lacey has, while the white keys represent the part of life and talent that Lacey hasn't explored yet. If she plays the white keys too, this will bring more joy to life.

The book is a lovely read and I am sure teenagers can resonate with the theme of self-discovery and be more understanding to their peers who may face similar challenges in their family. Frontline teachers and school workers will also find the book enjoyable, as the portrayal of Lacey is so close to reality.

It a good book I love at it was about lacy she was bulled at school

It was a bit to long I didn’t really like it . It was a fiction I think I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone but people who do piano .

I liked it because it tells you about the piano

I liked it because it tells you about the piano

Was not that good, I thought it was a bit boring.

Awsome

I like how this book shows that some people have hidden talents like lacey and are not just a random person.

I don't like it because the girl is rude

Thought the story was going to be more than this… Liked the character of the music teacher and the description of everything clearing from Lacey’s head when she plays the piano… but, apart from that, I found it quite disappointing…

It is kind of interesting but dislike the part where the girl was really nasty.

This book was good to read, I liked the words that they used.

Lacey is always in trouble at school spending more time in isolation than she does in her own class and she just doesn’t care. In a last attempt to help, Lacey’s head teacher, Mrs Hukin sends her to lunchtime music therapy class where she can “stay out of trouble… be safe and stay away from the kids she struggles with.” Lacey soon discovers that she has an amazing musical gift, a gift that allows her to escape the thoughts in her head and finally feel calm and filled with peace.
Lacey is a wonderful character, although she clearly has own difficulties through a love of music she learns to express herself in a very powerful way. I found it heart-warming to read of Mrs Hukin too, a head teacher who doesn’t want to give up and get rid of what is obviously a very disruptive student.
My only criticism of The Piano at the Station, published by Barrington Stoke in their unique and ultra-accessible way, is how short it is. The characters and storyline are so strong leaving you wanting more, it would make a wonderful full length chapter book.