The Harmonica
by Tony Johnston
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Book Summary Information
Author: Tony JohnstonIllustrator: Ron Mazellan
Edition: School & Library Binding
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-02
ISBN: 1570915474
Number of pages: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge Pub Inc
Book Reviews of The Harmonica
Book Review: Music in the Darkest Hours
Summary: 5 Stars
Sometimes a book falls into your hands that you know will carve a road through your heart before you open it. In this case, from the cover illustration and title, I knew that Tony Johnston's picture book; THE HARMONICA would be such a read. Inspired by the true story of Henryk Rosmaryn, this picture book takes readers on a journey through the nightmare of the Holocaust.
The story itself is poignant, painful and full of the hope that human beings find in the worst of times. Our narrator is a young boy with the gift of music who lives in Poland. Despite their poverty, his father acquires a harmonica for him. But this joyous time is short lived when the Nazi's arrive, tearing his parents away and sending him off to live in a concentration camp. A commandant hears him playing Schubert on the harmonica one night and demands the boy to play for him every night in exchange for bread. Ultimately, the boy finds strength through his playing and realizes it is a way to give his fellow prisoners hope in the darkness. There are, of course, many books on this subject-many good books. I think I can safely say this joins their ranks. Ms. Johnston's simple, lyrical text is both poetic and harsh in its narration. That is evident from the opening lines "I cannot remember my father's face, or my mother's, but I remember their love, warm and enfolding as a song." The text never falters, and never becomes overwrought. With a large font, and only a few lines per page, the story unfolds more like a poem than a straight narrative.
This is illustrator Ron Mazellan's first children's book, and it is a stunning achievement. With a mixture of art mediums, the images come to life in rich color and texture. Characters are drawn in high detail while the backgrounds are more sparse and indistinct giving the entire story a slightly dream-like quality, which goes well with Johnston's lyrical text. In the earlier, happier pictures, the images are a wash of warm golds and browns. As the Nazi's encroach up on the picture, the washes turn to grays, and purples and blues. And then the warmth begins the come back in as he remembers his family and embraces the music. So much of the story is conveyed by the emotion in these pictures, that a reader can take a long time studying a single image before turning the page. At the very back of the book, there is a note that this book was inspired by the true story of Henryk Rosmaryn who survived the hardships of the concentration camps and made his way to the United States, where he continued to play his harmonica to inspire others.
This is not a story for a young child. Picture books are not always for beginning readers or toddlers, this story is not happy, and while there is a positive message within the music, there is no satisfactory conclusion for a youngster. There is no happy reunion for the boy and his family; there is no come-uppence for the violent commandant. The book does not offer resolutions or reassurance. For a child who is learning about the Holocaust, however, this may be one of the books to introduce them to. It has a young narrator for them to identify with and some powerful messages to share. And while it is dark and grim, the book is not grisly. Everything is shown through the eyes of the main narrator. Be prepared to spend some time discussing this book and the events that inspired it. This is a beautiful and powerful book, but it does have an appropriate time and place for a child to discover it.
For those who love THE HARMONICA, I would recommend the picture books ONE YELLOW DAFFODIL by David A. Adler and THE SECRET SEDER by Doreen Rappaport.
Good Reading! Shanshad ^_^
Summary of The Harmonica
When a family is torn apart by the brutal Nazi regime, a father's gift of a simple harmonica brings his son comfort-and ensures his survival. Based on the life of a Holocaust survivor.Holocaust Books
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