Well, I’ve finally taken the shrink-wrap off of Peanuts: Play Along Piano Songs, the musical item with the integrated 9-key musical keyboard and 9 built-in songs. Press one of the song buttons, the music plays, then the book coaches you through playing the song by lighting up each key you’re supposed to play in turn. And the results of you playing… sounds only vaguely like the version that played just a few seconds ago, but hey!

The book has ultra-simplified sheet music (everything’s a whole note!) for eight of the nine songs – the eight that are in the public domain. Some of them have Peanutsified lyrics. There is no sheet music for “Linus and Lucy”.

The tech on these has improved somewhat over the years. The light-up keys (just a red LED shining through) is a nice touch. I’m not quite sure who I would recommend this for, but it’s a reasonably example of what it is.

I haven’t found a good source selling it online. Bought mine at Costco. This title isn’t even listed on the publisher’s website. Maybe I just dreamed it!

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