Piece by Piece
How Stephen Sondheim Made Musical Puzzles Come Alive
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected 21 Apr 2026
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- £8.49
Publisher Description
Stephen Sondheim learns to assemble musicals like the pieces of a puzzle on his way to becoming an American theater icon.
An inspiring nonfiction picture book on the creative process that will spark an interest in music for kids ages 7–10.
Before he became a greatest lyricist and composer, Stephen Sondheim was a boy filled with curiosity—a boy who loved figuring out how things worked. After his parents’ divorce scattered the pieces of his life, he found comfort in music.
Guided by his mentor, Oscar Hammerstein II, Stephen learned that the best way to get better was to practice: choosing notes, choosing words, and putting it all together, piece by piece. Writing musicals wasn’t easy, and not everyone loved Stephen’s new and unusual shows. But Stephen loved figuring it out, and loved the way the people in every show became like a family.
Author Erin Frankel’s prose and illustrator Stacy Innerst’s art combine in beautiful harmony. Together, they bring to life Stephen Sondheim as he solves musical puzzles, writing hit shows like West Side Story, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, and many more!
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Frankel's starry-eyed portrait of composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim (1930–2021) places curiosity at the heart of the musical theater virtuoso's success. Staccato introductory lines establish Sondheim as an expert puzzle solver ("Choosing notes/ Choosing words/ Putting it all together"), and inquisitive text proceeds to spotlight the protagonist's effort, passion, and empathy. As probing storytelling gradually pieces together the incremental steps the subject takes toward his craft: mentorship by Oscar Hammerstein II, the chance to collaborate on West Side Story, and lots of time puzzling out how music can convey emotion and more. Innerst incorporates puzzle piece shapes (some overlaid with question-driven notes—"What is the sound for loneliness?") throughout emotive, limited-palette acrylic paint, colored pencil, and ink spreads. Emphasizing process over life-writing, this incisive biography focuses firmly on Sondheim's gift for assembling the pieces. Back matter includes an author's note and timeline. Ages 7–10.
