WunderKeys Primer Piano Book One Paperback – August 31, 2017

I have been using this for about 2 months now with one of my students and as a supplemental "sight reading" book for another (who had already started a different method before this one was out). It is unlike any other method out there. I'm going to break things down in different categories:-The "Wunderstaff" is brilliant: As another reviewer stated, I too have never found the notes without a staff to be helpful because SO many students have trouble with directionality and I've had to do a "connect the dots" type lines to help them see it. And middle C doesn't have it's ledger line going through it for reference either! My student hasn't progressed to the lesson where the note names are removed from the noteheads yet, but my hypothesis is that the Wunderstaff will make this transition MUCH easier for many students-Pacing: The pacing is MUCH different. With many students in a more traditional primer, I feel that they are given too much too fast, or if they like to move really fast, they are successful....until they're not....so they race through a primer and then get REALLY frustrated when they finally hit their "wall" and actually need to practice. I feel like the pacing eases children into the idea of practice and doesn't make it a huge commitment right at first. With only *one* book (not the lesson, performance, technique, etc. etc), this is much less daunting. If you had a particularly bright student, you *could* combine two lessons at once, although with all of the activities, stories, games, etc. even a bright student is engaged for all 30 minutes of a lesson and again, my hypothesis is that by taking things a tad bit slower than other methods, that this will allow for a deeper understanding of concepts that will set students up for future success.-Parent Friendly: Lots of parents sign their kids up for lessons because they wish they had had them (or stuck with them) when they were kids. They aren't always confident in helping their kids practice at home. The picture guides, helpful dialog, easy activities to practice (in addition to the actual pieces), and games make this SO much less daunting to parents and practicing starts out as a partnered effort from the start. I believe this relationship of the parent/student/teacher team will be valuable as they continue piano.-Theory/Aural Skills: Yes, as the other reviewer stated, there isn't a lot inside the book aside from the Cut and Play games every other lesson. I don't have a problem with this because there are a TON of FREE print and play games that often require no more effort and supplies than a color printer and some cardstock and a few pennies/buttons/or even scrap paper in order to use. Just go to the WunderKeys website and search through the PreSchool and Primer Level free printables (since kids who didn't go through the preschool method could benefit from some of the preschool activities as well). In my 20 years of teaching, the theory books have been the most neglected part of a method series. I'd spend 5 minutes doing theory in every lesson because only 1% of students actually completed it at home. Using games has been more fun and effective.-Cut and Play Games: The cards for the games do need to be laminated for longevity. If you don't have a personal laminator, local office supply or teacher supply stores often can do this service for a nominal charge. Or if you happen to have a friend who homeschools or teaches preschool-I bet you can find someone in that crowd who owns a laminator and would be fine letting you use it and only charge a few cents for a few pouches! I was going to have have my students be in charge of laminating their own card sets, but I've noticed that my student hasn't cut those out to use, so I am thinking I might just do the cards for them and then use sheet protectors for the game boards to make sure they make use of this valuable part. I think a lot of teachers using this method are doing this.-Personal Access to the Composer: Honestly, this is what makes this series the MOST unique on the market! Join the FaceBook group and Andrea Dow will respond personally in almost every case to questions and requests for clarification! She takes insights and requests and will often create a new resource based on feedback on this page.-The One thing I'd Change: If I could change anything, it would be more substantial teacher duets. The method series I used before (and still use with older students) drew me in with harmonically and rhythmically interesting duet parts that I feel offer the student an extra challenge to be independent players and give them a taste for interesting complimentary harmonies. I will most likely still draw from my other method book for a few of my favorites as supplemental pieces.My student using this method is 8, which is on the older side of the target age group of 5-9, and I was worried about it being a little bit too "little kid" for him, but he is REALLY enjoying it. His mom told me a couple weeks ago that on the way home from a lesson he said "I never knew that piano could be so much fun!" He's a kid who really wants to learn guitar, but his mom really wanted him to have a baseline in piano first. And I really haven't pulled a ton of extra things in outside of the book yet, either! And my 6 year old daughter who is in level 2A of a traditional method book LOVES to look through this book and "read" the stories and pretend to be a piano teacher with it. This (and the pre-school books) are loved by her as much as her favorite story books. I'm excited to see how the series progresses, especially because I've been told that in future books there is a conscious effort to help avoid the trap of "position playing" (which has been a struggle and the #1 reason I chose the series I've used for the past 10 years)..

The 2nd edition of Primer 1 keeps a lot of the things I really loved about the first edition, but some very great upgrades make the experience with students even better. Page numbers are a great addition! I also love the white space, which makes things easier to read, and is great for writing notes about things. I also love the additional songs, as students tend to need more time for the information to travel from their brain to their fingers. I love having a challenge song as well, and the whole book seems more adaptable to student needs. Wunderkeys has by far the best pedagogy of any series out there for piano! I highly recommend this series and can't wait to see the upgrade for Primer 2!

I've been using the WunderKeys series for years, and it has been an absolute game-changer! The engaging characters, interactive activities, and focused approach in each unit make every lesson a joy. My students who start with this series develop a strong sense of keyboard geography, particularly with octave placement, and their sight-reading skills flourish.The new 2nd edition takes an already fantastic method to the next level! With a fresh layout, additional songs, activity pages, and—yes—page numbers, it’s even more effective and user-friendly. If you're not using WunderKeys with your elementary students, you're truly missing out! Every lesson is packed with fun, creativity, and meaningful learning, building not just great musicians but a real sense of community among students. We can’t wait to see what each new lesson brings!

I have happily used Wunderkeys with my students for 5 years and am so pleased with the new edition. The Dows have expanded the amount of piano repertoire available in each unit, which is very beneficial for the students who need to spend more time with new skills, and the pre-reading graphic notation has received an update to make it even easier for children to understand! I am so pleased to see that they were able to maintain the playful charm of the original books and the teaching techniques that keep me coming back to Wunderkeys!

Great book, but disappointed I received the First Edition published in 2017 (ordered March 2025). The description does indicate it’s the First Edition here, but six recent reviewers referred to the Second Edition so I was hopeful I’d get that newer one. I do not see any Amazon listing for Second Edition as of this writing.