Description: This picture book playfully and wittily portrays a boy who's tired of practicing piano and the mother who insists he become a wonderful pianist. Winner of the 2006 Bologna Ragazzi Award in the 'New Art' category, it vividly captures the characters' emotions using simple lines and colors. The main character, Marcolino, dreams of becoming a great race car driver, a great magician, a great taekwondo champion, and so much more—but the one thing he doesn't want to be is a pianist. Still, every day at 3 o'clock, Marcolino has to practice piano, because becoming the pianist his mother wants requires diligent practice. Within ten minutes, bored out of his mind, Marcolino sneaks the television on. The familiar scene that follows—his mother rushing into the room shouting at the sound of the TV, and Marcolino trudging to the piano with his head hung low as if being led to his doom—is something every parent and child can relate to. Marcolino, with his perfectly round face and quirky hairstyle that juts forward like a hat, and his mother, towering and slender with glasses that seem to spin in circles, are sure to bring a smile to your face. Every exaggerated, mischievous expression and gesture is packed with humor. Though the illustrations use simple lines and colors, they bring the characters' inner feelings vividly to life, and the speech bubbles and small illustrations scattered throughout make reading feel just like flipping through a comic book. It's also great fun to follow the ever-present cat by Marcolino's side and watch its expressions and antics change throughout the story.