"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.
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Editorial Reviews
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 issue
Review 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 Scotia
This 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 American Pipers. "Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons" is his first children's novel and a sequel is already in progress. In addition, he is about to release a history of pipers and pipe bands of Nova Scotia.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
On being Sandy,
By Donald B. Willis (Lyndhurst, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons (Paperback)
I'm 57 years old and a long-time piper. I've just completed reading "Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons" by Scott Williams for the fourth time and being perfectly honest, I must say I enjoy the story more each time I read it through. Having grown up in the late 40's and early 50's in a small, rural town I was able to identify with Sandy, his friends, (and enemies), and the town itself. Then, kids were kids, and not subjected to pre-adolescent grooming by "concerned" parents who strive to boost their offspring's GPA and "self-esteem" by forcing them into so many extracurricular activities, appointments must be made in advance just to play with friends. Sandy and his friends enjoy the reality of being kids. Their entertainments are active, created by themselves (e.g. the car top rafts, stomach surfing through the snow banks) and their imaginations are nurtured by King Robert's Men constantly on the outlook protecting the disembarking train passengers from the clutches of the evil Black Prince. No passive sitting in front of the TV or mindless video games for Sandy and his friends. Their playground is the great outdoors and all the wonders it holds. Sandy's parents both have to work but everybody makes do with what they have (there's no whining or cronic complaining or need for professional counseling). Affection between parents and children is quite obvious. Sandy's fears are real (in the guise of the evil Andy Gillis) but revenge is sweet (who hasn't longed to dance a victory dance following a successful mudball fight)? Add to all of the above the challange of learning to play the Great Highland Bagpipe and you have a recipe for an entertaining and heartwarming story. I highly recommend "Sandy" and am anticipating, perhaps, a "Sandy II". "Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons" is definitely worth the read and you don't have to be a kid to enjoy it - just a kid at heart. In fact, I enjoyed the book so much, it inspired me to write and publish a book of my own.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great and nostalgic little novel of Nova Scotian life,
By
This review is from: Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons (Paperback)
I found this book to be very entertaining and a great read for any youngster who has any interest in piping and/or Nova Scotian culture, as well as just a good children's novel. Not many people know where/what Nova Scotia is, and this book brings an accurate description of what life and her people were like back 50 years ago and also much what it is like today. Seems like I've heard alot of the tales before - perhaps from my mother who grew up in the next county over, played in a pipe band, and endured many a snowstorm, walking both directions uphill, to school, during the same time frame. I especially liked the indirect mention of Fraser Holmes and my mom's pipe band - very nostalgic! A great and very entertaining read! I enjoyed it very much!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons,
By Arnie MacAskill (Lacombe, AB, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons (Paperback)
"Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lesson" is at the top of our novel study list in my classroom. Several years ago I was looking for a new novel study for my Grade Five class and came across the book, "Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons." It stirred my interest immediately for two reasons, I'm from Nova Scotia and I play in a Pipe Band. So I bought the book, read it and when I finished, I knew this would be a great read for my students.It tells a story of Sandy Chisholm and the many adventures that he and his friends have. Students can relate to Sandy and his friends and get involved in the story right away. As well, my students learn some interesting facts about bagpipes and the dedication it takes to learn how to play the Great Highland Pipes. Not only does Scott Williams take the reader on many childhood adventures, but he also describes nicely what it takes to be a great piper. Anyone who is interested in learning to play the pipes and the hard work that you must go though, will have an idea having read this novel. This to me is worth the read in itself. This is the second year that we have used "Sandy Chisholm's Chanter Lessons" as our novel study. It just keeps getting better and better for me because my students are so into it. Last year two of my students actually took up chanter lessons. The worksheets and activities certainly relate to our Grade Five curriculum by introducing students to Nova Scotia and the regions around Antigonish. It also gives the students some insight into Scotland. The ideas that your class can come up with for other projects, is only limited by what you want to do yourself. The story shows students how if you are determined to do something, you can achieve anything, even how to play the Great Highland Bagpipes. We have a Character Education Program at our school and this story relates to many of our "Word of the Month" themes that we have put into practice here. Each year as soon as we complete this novel study, the question is asked, " When does Sandy's next adventure come out?" I would like to see this novel included in the Scholastic Book Club series so that every student out there has the opportunity to experience an adventure with Sandy Chisholm.
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