Part of the extensive Little People, Big Dreams series of picture-book biographies, this volume tells the story of musician and composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky. As a child, young Pyotr found that music helped him let his feelings out. Sent to law school by his family, he continued writing music, including for “a schoolmate he cared deeply about. The music said all the things he felt but couldn’t say out loud.” The illustration shows him singing to the other boy. That may feel vague, but seems appropriate given his own closeted life; the book also doesn’t mention his disastrous marriage (and quick separation) to a woman, so it’s pretty clear where his romantic orientation was.
Pyotr finally entered the music world, but faced an uphill battle to gain acceptance for the new style of feeling-laden music that he preferred. Author Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara paints an evocative picture of how Pyotr found inspiration in stories and filled his music with emotion. His fame grew, and he found a wealthy patron. The book mentions some of his most famous pieces: Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker Suite, and the Pathétique, but the value of this recommended biography is less in the facts about his life and more in the inspiration he provides. Sánchez Vegara urges young readers who can’t find words for how they feel to remember young Pyotr and how he expressed himself through music.
Backmatter includes a short timeline with photos and some further details about his life.
