Piece by Piece: How Stephen Sondheim Made Musical Puzzles Come Alive
Apr 2026 · Astra Publishing House
Ebook
48
Pages
About this ebook
★ “This is an inspiring biography that not only teaches kids who Stephen Sondheim is but also emphasizes the importance of their own curiosity.”—School Library Journal, starred review
★ The Horn Book
★ Kirkus Reviews
★ Publishers Weekly
Stephen Sondheim learns to assemble musicals like the pieces of a puzzle on his way to becoming an American theater icon in this inspiring nonfiction picture book on the creative process for kids ages 7–10.
Before he became a noted 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, Sondheim 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 Sondheim 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!
★ The Horn Book
★ Kirkus Reviews
★ Publishers Weekly
Stephen Sondheim learns to assemble musicals like the pieces of a puzzle on his way to becoming an American theater icon in this inspiring nonfiction picture book on the creative process for kids ages 7–10.
Before he became a noted 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, Sondheim 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 Sondheim 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!
★ “This is an inspiring biography that not only teaches kids who Stephen Sondheim is but also emphasizes the importance of their own curiosity.”—School Library Journal, starred review
★ The Horn Book
★ Kirkus Reviews
★ Publishers Weekly
Stephen Sondheim learns to assemble musicals like the pi...
Discover more
About the author
Erin Frankel is a children’s book author who loves telling stories of empathy and wonder. Her picture books include Mary Oliver, Holding on to Wonder, A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen, the Weird! series, Remembering Barkley and the forthcoming Piece by Piece: How Stephen Sondheim Made Musical Puzzles Come Alive. She enjoys visiting schools to talk to students about stories and kindness. She lives with her family in Pittsburgh, where she writes, teaches, and hopes.
Painter and educator Stacy Innerst is the illustrator of The Book Rescuer, winner of the Sydney Taylor Award; Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of RBG vs. Inequality, which received the New York Times/NYPL Best Illustrated Children's Books Award; and The Music in George’s Head, which received the SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration. His most recent books include The Painter and the President, and Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony.
Painter and educator Stacy Innerst is the illustrator of The Book Rescuer, winner of the Sydney Taylor Award; Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of RBG vs. Inequality, which received the New York Times/NYPL Best Illustrated Children's Books Award; and The Music in George’s Head, which received the SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration. His most recent books include The Painter and the President, and Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony.
Erin Frankel is a children’s book author who loves telling stories of empathy and wonder. Her picture books include Mary Oliver, Holding on to Wonder, A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen, the Weird! series, Remembering Barkley and the forthcoming Pie...
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
