Of the many candid photographs of Dmitri Shostakovich, arguably the most charming are those taken with his young children, Galya (b. 1936) and Maxim (b. 1938); his joy and pride is obvious in his smile. A more tangible proof of his love is the music he wrote for his children to play, including the Children's Notebook, Op. 69, from 1944. Composed for Galya (who gave them their first performance in December 1944), this set of six piano miniatures is indeed easy enough for a child to play. Clearly, given their self-limited musical scope, they cannot plumb the musical or emotional depths of Shostakovich's orchestral or chamber music, but they are lovely little works nonetheless. Shostakovich later composed a seventh piece, "Happy Birthday," for Galya's ninth birthday in 1945. He later took the fanfare which opens it to start his Festive Overture, Op. 96. The six pieces published as Opus 69 are: "March," "Waltz," "The Bear," "Merry Story," "Sad Story," and "Clockwork Doll."

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