Mahani Teave grew up on Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island. And book report time: she was curious and precocious. She would learn to play piano, would amaze people with her talents, would learn in and travel Europe in her concerts, and eventually come home to help her people and beloved home. All of this is wrapped up in a poetic and romantic setting. Teave and Marni Fogelson create a story that is interesting and educational, but has a few small gaps in the flow. The story is mostly solid, but you can see some “light coming in” where information is missing. I was hoping for less poetry and more information. Yes, they talk about things chronologically, but it is disjointed and a bit stiff, “She did X, then Y, and when Z happened she then did this.” And “Oh we have trash. And BOOM we have a school.” I wanted things to be more “fleshed out.”
That is not to say The Girl Who Heard the Music: How One Pianist and 85,000 Bottles and Cans Brought New Hope to an Island is bad. In fact, far from it. It is a great book about learning about a place you might not know a lot of. Or even, perhaps heard of. Or, as in my case, I knew of Easter Island, but did not realize it was called Rapa Nui. I am not interested in learning more about the culture and the island itself. This is one of the holes for me in the story, while it is mentioned, it could have been given more space.
And of course, the environmental issue is important. And the fact they built the school out of trash, and made it environmentally friendly, and all the wonderful things added to it are exciting. Maybe the story itself is a bit “pushy” but at least you know what the point is. I cannot forget to mention Marta Álvarez Miguéns and their illustrations. Even if the story was a flop (which it is not) the book is worth it by the lush, creative, busy artwork. Things are equally poetic and romantic. They are flowery but not abstract. Currently out, I want to find a finished copy, as I read via a physical reader copy.