When first approaching any art, not

When first approaching any art, nothing enhances the experience like encouragement from a friend in love with the work, and that’s the role played by concert pianist Rhodes in this vibrant introduction to classical music. His love is palpable, sure to infect anyone who gives classical music (and this book) a chance. Great lengths have gone into presenting the stereotypically unappealing subject through terms that will appeal to modern teens, from the book’s design—including dynamic typography and O’Neill’s lively punk-psychedelic collage work, all set in the dimensions of a record jacket—to Rhodes’ conversational text that often utilizes pop-culture references to make the material more relatable. Seven of the most notable classical composers are presented—Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, and Ravel. Each section begins with “The Facts of Life,” two pages covering all the pertinent and colorful details of the artist’s life. From there, readers are encouraged to listen along (via a free Spotify playlist) as Rhodes spotlights two of the composers’ works, contextualizing each piece and describing the music in terms both metaphorical and technical. Challenging vocab is set in bold and defined in a glossary, while supplemental sections educate further. More than just a gift book, this provides an easy and entertaining launchpad for music lovers curious about classical but unsure where to start