Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin

Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin, written by  Chieri Uegaki,  illustrated by Qin Leng, published by Kids Can Press in 2014.

Themes/Topics: Violin, music, courage, perseverance

Opening: When Hana Hashimoto announced that she had signed up for the talent show and that she would be playing the violin, her brothers nearly fell out of a tree.

Brief Synopsis (from Amazon): In this beautifully written picture book, Hana Hashimoto has signed up to play her violin at her school's talent show. The trouble is, she's only a beginner, and she's had only three lessons. Her brothers insist she isn't good enough. "It's a talent show, Hana," they tell her. "You'll be a disaster!" Hana remembers how wonderfully her talented grandfather, or Ojiichan, played his violin when she was visiting him in Japan. So, just like Ojiichan, Hana practices every day. She is determined to play her best. When Hana's confidence wavers on the night of the show, however, she begins to wonder if her brothers were right. But then Hana surprises everyone once it's her turn to perform -- even herself! The Asian American female protagonist in this story offers a unique perspective, and bestselling author Chieri Uegaki has woven in lyrical scenes from Japan that add depth and resonance. The details in the artwork by Qin Leng connect the two places and contain a feeling of melody throughout. In the classroom, this book could serve as a celebration of music and performing arts, multicultural studies or the importance of intergenerational relationships. It is also a fabulous character education tie-in for discussing courage and perseverance. This terrifically inspiring book offers hope and confidence to all children who are yearning to master something difficult. Perhaps even more important, it allows children to see that there is more than one way to be successful at a task.

Why I Like This Book: I loved the illustrations, Hana’s persistence and how she used the skill she had rather than being disappointed that she wasn’t further along in the violin playing.  What a great mindset!

Links To Resources:

—Video Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset by John Spencer

—Resources for Teaching Growth Mindset

—Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck