Stories for Growing
Cover of Hana Hashimoto, Sixth ViolinAges 5 to 8
PersistenceCourageBeing a beginner

Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin

Chieri Uegaki, illustrated by Qin Leng

Ages 5 to 8
About this age guidance

Kirkus: 5–8; Publishers Weekly: 4–8; Children’s Lit Love: 4–8

The age tag follows Kirkus review. Other sources may suggest different ages. This is audience guidance, not an independent reading level.

A former classroom teacher and mother includes it in her picture books to foster growth mindsets. She says Hana practices even when her brothers laugh and walks onto the stage bravely.

After hearing her grandfather play violin in Japan, Hana takes a few lessons and signs up for the school talent show. Her brothers laugh, but she practices every day. On show day she is nervous on the big stage, finds friendly faces and remembers her grandfather’s advice to do her best.

Good forBeing braveWorry and new places

Recommended by Children’s Lit Love

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What children see in the story

Hana practices every day for the talent show even though her playing is rough, and she keeps her sights on a bigger violin goal afterward. Hana is nervous on a huge stage but walks on after five other violinists and does her best. After three lessons Hana signs up and practices in front of whoever will listen, even a row of empty chairs.

Why it’s on these shelves

Persistence
Hana signs up for the school talent show after only three violin lessons. She practices every day for her family, her dog and a row of empty chairs, even when her brothers laugh at her.
Courage
Hana walks onto a big stage with a pounding heart after five other violinists have played. She remembers her grandfather telling her to do her best, and she plays.
Being a beginner
Hana has had only three violin lessons, and her practice sounds strange enough that her dog growls. She keeps playing anyway and sets herself a bigger violin goal for after the show.

Why pick it up?

Hana gets through her performance and aims at a bigger violin goal.

A note for parents

The old hold on this title cited fear. On the pages opened, the stage fright is processed on the page (friendly faces in the audience, her grandfather’s encouragement), so I did not flag fear-without-processing. Publishers Weekly calls her performance a “clever triumph”; Children’s Lit Love withholds the ending. What she plays and how it lands is not on an opened page, so no moment claims it.

Where this recommendation comes from

Children’s Lit Love

A former classroom teacher and mother includes it in her picture books to foster growth mindsets. She says Hana practices even when her brothers laugh and walks onto the stage bravely.

Read Mary Costello’s recommendation
Sources and review status

We have checked source descriptions and drafted the value mapping. We have not personally reviewed the full book. The value labels, situation assignments, and parent notes remain provisional.

Publisher or literacy resource · Original recommendation

Our explanation of the value fit is separate from the original reviewer’s judgment. Their inclusion here does not imply an endorsement of Stories for Growing.

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