This book was beautiful. This book may end up being the best book I read all year. I don't know if anything can top the greatness that is this book. It's equal parts fantasy and historical fiction and it didn't read too young for me, more like one of the later Harry Potter books.
The story of a magical harmonica and three sisters tasked with finding someone to save is gorgeous and haunting and I can't even come up with enough words to describe it. The harmonica in question goes from person to person. First it shows up in the hands of a boy living in Germany in the early 1930s, as Hitler is rising in power and those who don't agree with Nazism are carted away to work in prison camps. Second, it finds its way to an orphan boy living in Philadelphia just a couple of years later. Lastly, it finds its way to a Hispanic girl living in California in 1942, after the U.S. has entered World War II. The way the story ties up in the end is perfect.
I can't recommend this book enough. I read it to fulfill the 2019 Read Harder Challenge category "A children’s or middle grade book (not YA) that has won a diversity award since 2009." If you're doing the Read Harder challenge, you should definitely read the book.
I both read and listened to the book. The parts of the audio book I listened to were wonderful because the harmonica music is incorporated into the story. It was really neat to hear the harmonica played so beautifully and emotionally.
The story of a magical harmonica and three sisters tasked with finding someone to save is gorgeous and haunting and I can't even come up with enough words to describe it. The harmonica in question goes from person to person. First it shows up in the hands of a boy living in Germany in the early 1930s, as Hitler is rising in power and those who don't agree with Nazism are carted away to work in prison camps. Second, it finds its way to an orphan boy living in Philadelphia just a couple of years later. Lastly, it finds its way to a Hispanic girl living in California in 1942, after the U.S. has entered World War II. The way the story ties up in the end is perfect.
I can't recommend this book enough. I read it to fulfill the 2019 Read Harder Challenge category "A children’s or middle grade book (not YA) that has won a diversity award since 2009." If you're doing the Read Harder challenge, you should definitely read the book.
I both read and listened to the book. The parts of the audio book I listened to were wonderful because the harmonica music is incorporated into the story. It was really neat to hear the harmonica played so beautifully and emotionally.
