Our Small World: Piano Book

Olson's sequencing of hand positions gives students concrete, achievable landmarks rather than scattered note reading across the staff. The inclusion of teacher duets transforms practice into genuine collaboration, and the deliberate restraint with rests keeps students focused on shaping phrases rather than counting silence.

Bright and accessible, with titles that spark imagination and melodies that stick. The pieces have genuine character without being cutesy; a song about popping corn feels playful and energetic, while Butterfly and Summer Nights invite more lyrical playing.

Early elementary pianists building fluency in note recognition and hand position control. This book works equally well in private studio lessons and group piano classes where reinforcing hand positions is the instructional priority.

• Play the teacher duet at a steady tempo even when the student hesitates; this anchors the student's sense of pulse and prevents note-by-note creeping.
• Ask your student to sing or hum the melody before playing, especially on pieces like Butterfly and Danny Dolphin, to internalize the melodic shape before wrestling with hand position shifts.
• Because rests are minimal, emphasize the moments where they do occur as natural breathing points; they signal the end of a musical thought, not just a gap in sound.

Ideal for end-of-year recitals where you want variety without overwhelming your young performers. Select complementary pieces from the collection to create a cohesive program that shows growth in hand position and melodic awareness over the course of a level.

• Reading notes in different hand positions on the grand staff
• Recognizing and maintaining consistent hand posture while moving between positions
• Shaping melodies with awareness of phrase contour
• Playing with a steady pulse while reading melodic material
• Collaborating with a teacher accompanist and responding to ensemble timing