Completely disagree that it's possibly "childish". Anyone who's used All-In-One to Grade 5 (as opposed to just seeing the sample pages, as JTE has done) will know how useful it is and I'm in my late 30's! Also EPTA (European Piano Teachers Association) say the book is "written in a clear and inviting manner which should appeal to all ages other than the very young" ( see Invalid Link Removed). Rhinegold also emphasize that it's suitable for all ages [ quote] ..."The book is always clear, with concise language so that pupils of any age should be able to work through it with minimum dependence on the teacher." That's one of the things I like about the book- it's clear and concise. There is no unnecessary waffle and the drawings, although humorous at times, serve to help students understand a particular concept (e.g. the men beaming the tails together - two notes in simple time; three in compund time. Also I like the close up picture of the sharp on the stave, showing exactly where it should be placed. There is a sign near the sharp's tip saying "Be careful, sharp!". And there is a picture of a man trying to squash a "flat" into a small space between the staves. Whenever the topic "Transposition" occurs there is a picture of a person (or persons) moving notes (which helps us to understand transposition is about 'moving a series of notes, everyone in the same direction' e.g. Transposition in the Alto clef, Transposition in the Bass clef etc. etc.). There are many other examples e.g. "Intervals" - about the distance between notes, showing a man jumping. Chord Inversions shows an acrobat rearranging/balancing balls and this is a proper/realistic drawing as well- not a mere cartoon. I think all these humorous drawings help students to remember the info and can easily be understood by students of any age, without being patronising for older students.
