Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons : A Children's Novel

Product Description

"Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons" is a novel about a ten year old boy and his friends who take advantage of the arrival in their town of a piper from Scotland to learn how to play the Great Highland Bagpipes. In addition to following the boys to their lessons, the story tells about their adventures in a small town in Nova Scotia in 1958. Read along as the boys experience the thrill of learning to play this ancient instrument, and face heavy snow, dangerous spring floods, bullies, and childhood pranks as they progress through their lessons and prepare to take part in the world famous Antigonish Highland Games, North America's oldest continuous Scottish Braemar.

Review

Not Just For Children, Eh? By Marjorie MacHattie .... This is no children's book. Rather, it is a beautifully illustrated book about children, written in a style that can be universally enjoyed. ... In his book, Williams takes us into a vivid and fertile boyhood fantasy world where the lines between East (the good) and West (the bad) are clearly drawn.... Those of us past our 45th birthday can see in our mind's eyes, a terrified young Sandy, face pale under his freckles, red curls streaming as he flees Andy Gillis's wrath.... "Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons" is a charming story, written by one whose affection for children touches the child in all of us. This book, with Kate Brown's illustrations, is also a valuable historical novel and will makea treasured Christmas gift. -- Celtic Heritage, Dec 98/Jan 99 issueReview by Dr. Ray MacLean, retired Professor of History at St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia: "Set in Antigonish, this story of a young boy who is yearning to play the bagpipes is one that warms the heart.... The countless hours spent in learning to play the chanter and the bagpipes, and the many sacrifices made by parents in helping their children, are quite evident in this well-crafted book.... Sandy's escapades on rafting the river are rivetting; the reader feels the sense of adventure and also feels for the safety of Sandy and his friends.... The author has a remarkable ability to see and describe events through the eyes of a youngster....Adding to the quality of this entertaining book are the superb illustrations of Kate Brown. -- The Casket, a weekly newspaper published in Antigonish, Nova ScotiaThis review is from Mark Wygent, of Wygent Reeds, Ltd. Christiana, PA. It was published on the Bagpipe Mailing List on the Internet. Scott - Thanks for your book! Visit any children's book store and you see inspirational books about young soccer, hockey, or basketball players. What has been written for the young piper? Nothing - until "Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons". Scott Williams has written a charming book to inspire beginning piping students. It's an old-fashioned story of bullies and birls, D-gracenotes and dreams. This novel should be read by or to all young chanter students. -- Wygent Reeds, Ltd., 46 Saddler Drive, Christiana, PA 17509-9703

About the Author

Scott Williams is a school teacher with twenty-seven years experience working with elementary school children. In 1991, he received the Special Merit William C. McMaster Award from Scholastic Canada in recognition for outstanding achievement in using children's literature in creative and imaginative ways to promote the love of reading. Scott is a piper with more than thirty years experience teaching children, adults and pipe bands in Nova Scotia. He has led some of his groups to national and international honours, including North American Championships in 1989 and 1995. Scott is a composer of bagpipe music, and has had four volumes published in a series called "New Bagpipe Music From Nova Scotia". He enjoys writing, and has written for a number of piping magazines, including The Piping Times, The Piper Press and The Piping World. He is a regular contributor to Celtic Heritage, with more than two dozen articles in print in a series called North