This is one in a wonderful series of books intended to introduce young readers to the lives of famous composers. Tchaikovsky was an interesting character, to say the least, and Venezia does a nice job of expressing that in an amusing way without losing respect for the composer. Venezia picks out events in Tchaikovsky's life that children can relate to and at the same time, see his unique way of dealing with life. As with all the books in this series, the best part are the illustrations. Cartoonlike and colorful; they are full of details and wonderfully amusing.