The John Thompson's Easiest Piano Course is designed to present the easiest possible approach to piano playing, complete with an amusing family of characters and illustrations to help emphasise the information being taught. Part one is devoted to developing fluency in reading by note, the biggest hurdle for most young children. The range is purposely limited. Only five notes up and five notes down from middle C are presented and time values do not go beyond crotchets. Each book of the course contains its own writing exercises, sight-reading drills, review work and later, technical studies. Accompaniments for teacher or parent are supplied with most of the examples.