A boy’s passion for music unlocks a painful secret — and draws his family together — in a multilayered tale by an outstanding author-illustrator pair. Like any young boy, Paolo becomes obsessed with what he can’t have — in his case, a violin. Hidden away in his parents’ room, it beckons the boy to release the music inside it. The music leads Paolo to a family secret, a story of World War II that changed the course of his parents’ lives. But once the truth is told, the family is reunited in a way no one had thought possible. From Michael Morpurgo and Michael Foreman comes a story about sharing the joy of music from one generation to the next and about music’s power to transform and heal.

2010 Caudill Award Nominee. Fictionalized story about musicians in WWII era. Very interesting. Nice drawings that support the story. Would be very appropriate for 4th graders on up. Doesn't go into huge detail about the concentration camps, but enough to get the idea. Quick read that is enjoyable. ( )

Great book to explore the strategies of comprehension, especially prediction. ( )

I love Morpurgo (War Horse and Private Peaceful were cornerstones of my undergrad thesis and Kensuke's Kingdom was a tearjerker), but this one felt a little all over the place. It's a story in a story in a story, and only the most embedded story (regarding the Holocaust) was at all interesting - but it took up the least amount of the book. The frame story method for this just really fell flat for me. Emotion was minimal, details were sporadic, and it was hard to feel invested in any of the characters. ( )

A poignant narrative about the life of Violinist Paolo Levi--it begins with the author, Morpurgo, recounting the time he was given a lucky break--the chance to interview this world-renowned musician. The humanity and kindness in Morpurgo's eyes elicits the never-before-told story of how Levi became what he is today. Themes include secrets, guilt, passion, music, and the holocaust. Morpurgo illustrates Levi's memories with words and beautiful watercolors. A short read that stirred my emotions in a positive way--portrays the beauty and horror that is the world in which we live.

I knew little about Paolo Levi, but I have to say that he is now my hero. ( )