Halfway to Harmony by Barbara O'Connor

This book is a bodacious adventure.

Life is simpler when you plow around the stumps.

Walter Tipple lives near the Chattahoochee River in Harmony, Georgia. A new girl called Posey and her mum, Evalina, move into an old house nearby. 

"After he got over his shock, he took a good hard look at Posey and felt his spirits lift a little. Right there in the middle of Posey's left cheek was a large, heart-shaped birthmark. Deep dark brown against her pale, freckled skin. The instant Walter saw that birthmark, he began to think that maybe he and Posey were destined to be kindred spirits, bound together by the misfortune of being an easy target. Walter had a lifetime of experience of being an easy target. He was a quite, timid, pigeon-toed boy with a lazy eye that never seemed to want to look where the other eye was looking."

Things are also extra tough for Walter because his beloved older brother has been killed in a war. His mother has stopped smiling and her cooking now comes out of a box. His father has driven away for work and won't return for weeks. And Walter is just sad - that deep deep sadness from the heavy heart he is carrying. 

Posey, on the other hand, is a force of nature, a girl with "true grit and fortitude".  Walter and Posey are sure to have an amazing summer when they find a man who appears to be dead. This man is Jubilation T. Fairweather otherwise known as Banjo. He has built himself a hot-air balloon because the town is running a competition. It's a key grab. Hot-air balloons race to a very tall pole. On top of the pole are the keys to a a new pick-up truck. Banjo needs to win that truck but now his balloon has crashed. 

I love to share character descriptions here on my blog. Teachers might find these useful as writing exemplars:

The man had "a very bushy moustache that turned up at the ends like a smile. His face was covered with scratches. Over one eye was an angry red lump the size of an egg. His hair was kind of wild looking, full of leaves and hanging down clear to his shoulders. His plaid shirt and denim overalls were ripped and streaked with mud."

Another strength of this book comes with the way Barbara O'Connor uses words to give her characters- Walter, Posey, Banjo and even the three legged dog called Porkchop - strong voices. You can almost hear them speaking:

"Oh, good grief and grits,' Banjo mumbled"

"Color me highly skeptical of those calculations." - Banjo

"You have lifted me from the depths of despair right up to the very pinnacle of everlasting joy ... you have showered me with blessings the likes of which I most definitely do not deserve." - Banjo

"You're out of  your ever-loving mind if you think Walter and me are gonna traipse through those woods for half an hour to find your balloon,' she said. ... 'Have fun at your pity party."  This is Posey speaking.

And as an Australian reading this American book I love the names of the plants: "they had to trudge through prickly holly bushes and weave around chokeberry trees and scraggly dogwoods ... They rounded a bend and there stuck in a cluster of pickerelweed and cattails, was Banjo's hot-air balloon." If you find this book and read it to a group of students you may need to research the Cottonmouth snake - boy oh boy that sure does sound like a scary creature.

I also loved the way Barbara O'Connor lets Walter cry - boys should be allowed to cry any time they need to. I do hope young boys who read this book or who hear this book, take that message to heart. It is a beautiful moment when Walter sits in Tank's truck. His mother has cleared Tank's room. Walter sits in Tanks precious truck that he has been caring for every day. He does not open the letter, the last letter, that Tank sent him. He thinks about his beloved Tank and the way he was so strong. Walter "pretended he was big and strong like Tank and not small and puny like he really was. He pretended the kids at school wanted to be his friend instead of making fun of him, like they really did. ... Then he stopped pretending and had himself a good cry."

I discovered this book when Colby Sharp talked about having read it to his fifth grade class. I was supposed to be travelling by train and bus to visit a friend in South Western NSW so I purchased an ebook of Halfway to Harmony then Covid happened, I didn't travel and this book has been waiting for me. Over the last weekend, some friends and I were able to take a mini break not too far from home - there are still travel restrictions. Books are heavy to pack so I picked up my ipad and dipped into Halfway to Harmony. It is, as Colby says, "such a good book".  I read it very quickly and I enjoyed every minute with Walter and Posey and their eccentric new friend Banjo. 

Heartfelt and accessible. Kirkus

Barbara’s books are perfect for any age, but are especially valuable to emerging middle grade readers who need a book that gets to the excitement quickly, holds your attention, and are shorter in length. The characters are also strong and show great growth in the stories. Mrs Book Dragon

Take a look at other books by Barbara O'Connor - I highly recommend all of them.

How to Steal a Dog - try to find the movie. It is terrific.

Wish

The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis (read this review because Barbara made a comment!)

Wonderland

A Page in the Wind by Jose Sanabria illustrated by Maria Laura Diaz Dominguez Translated by Audrey Hall

As this story opens a newspaper is 'born'. "There were other newborns like me, and we all kept one another warm." Our hero is the last newspaper left on the paper seller's stand. The wind picks up the paper and the journey of these pages begins. One is used to clean a mirror, another lines a bird cage. A small boy folds a page into a ship and an artist fashions a page into a hat. 

"I found love.

And I found pain."

Finally the last page is found by a man. "He read some news that he had waited many years to hear."  "I'll never know what made him so happy. But I knew then why I had come into the world."

Jose Sanabria is originally from Colombia and now lives in Argentina. Maria Laura Diaz Dominguez also lives in Argentina.

I wonder that no one has thought of this deceptively simple idea before?  A blown newspaper sheet travels across the land and is used in so many different ways. And the newspaper itself is our story narrator. This is just so delightful but also quite a profound. This is one of those books that will be enjoyed by younger readers aged 7+ and later you could also use the ideas in this book to generate a deeper discussion with older students especially about the intriguing ending and the way a simple text can reveal powerful emotional content.

The mixed-media illustrations supplement the text perfectly. On each page the Colombian illustrators invite us to consider what exactly happened before the newspaper was blown into the scene. Who are the lovers who use the paper to shield them from the rain? Why does the paper think it recognises its mother in the woman with the perambulator? Readers are invited to pause, look at the images, and wonder about the story behind each situation. My Journal of Books

A thoughtful contemplation on how our lives are affected by our interactions. Kirkus Star review

This book was originally published in Switzerland with the title Ein Blatt im Wind. 

Publisher blurb:  A whimsical and moving story about discovering your purpose by José Sanabria and María Laura Díaz Domínguez. The last little newspaper on a newsstand wonders what its life will be like until a gust of wind sends its individual pages flying. Each page travels to a different place and experiences a vastly different life—from being used to clean a mirror and line the cage of a pet to being formed into a boat by a child and sheltering a homeless person from the cold—until, at last, the final page finds it’s true calling. Sanabria’s expressive art and thoughtful story reflect many ways our lives can be touched.

I have explored other books by Jose Sanabria

As Time Went by

Refugees

Escape by Ming and Wah illustrated by Carmen Vela

ESCAPE - es-cape (verb) - To avoid a threatening evil.

Syria to Greece; Mexico to the United States; Austria to China; Kirabati to New Zealand; Paris to Portugal; Eritrea to Sudan; East to West Germany.

The topic of refugees has been widely explored in picture books in recent years. I have a Pinterest on this topic. The books we share with our students usually focus on more recent events but Escape gives this topic a wider historical and international focus. 

Blurb- "Throughout history, ordinary people have been forced to leave their families and homes because of war, famine, slavery, intolerance, economic and political upheaval or climate change. These remarkable true stories  of escape show how courageous people all around the world have overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their fight to freedom."

The sections in this book are defined with synonyms for the word escape: cling, dart, defy, disguise, flee, fly, pedal, raft, sprint, stowaway, swim and tunnel. The experiences that are described come from 1745 right up to 2015.

Here are a few text quotes:

Syria 2011 - meet Yusra who competed in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games - "The sisters clung on for hours, shivering with cold, helping direct the dinghy. A larger boat filled with refugees sped past but ignored their cries for help, as did coast guard patrols."

Czechoslovakia 1984 - meet Ivo Zdarsky who built a successful propeller company in America - "At 3am one summer night, Ivo took his handmade motor-powered hang glider to a field near the Austrian border. He started the engine and took off in the direction of Vienna ... (on landing) he raised his arms, handed a mechanic his expired passport, and requested political asylum."

Cuba 1960-1990 - meet Fidel Albelo (a balseros or rafter) who later became a wrestling coach and referee - "Fidel Albelo spent years hoarding materials to build a raft. Bringing only food, water, and run, and giving the impression they were going fishing, he and his two cousins crept out early on morning, telling no one." 

The escapes I found most moving were the people who tunnelled under the Berlin Wall in 1964. It took five months and over two days 57 people escaped to the West. And this one - during the 1960s and 1970s 700,000 people escaped from China to Hong Kong - many of them swimming for over six hours in shark-infested waters and even during a typhoon.

If you use my blog as a way to source books for your school library - Primary or High School - I highly recommend you add this book to your purchasing list. This is a book that needs to be shared in schools. Here is an interview with the creators of this book. Ming and Wah are twin sisters and Carmen Vela was born in Spain. 

An arresting collection of deep, accessible stories of people on the move. Kirkus Star review

For centuries, people have left their homes for such reasons as famine, slavery, war, intolerance, political turmoil and more recently, climate change. They had two things in common, their determination to search for a better life elsewhere, and their bravery. Red Reading Hub

The Key from Spain by Debbie Levy illustrated by Sonja Wimmer

"Long ago, in a place called Al-Andalus in the land of Spain, there was a time of dazzling music and science, art and poetry, map-making and mathematics, and harmony among neigbors - Muslims, Jews and Christians."

In 1492 Jews were expelled from Spain. The Altarases moved to Turkey and then to Bosnia. They took two precious things with them - a key and their language - Ladino - a blend of many languages from Spanish, Hebrew and Arabic. Living in a small mountain village in Bosnia, the Altaras family grew. Flory's family loved to sing especially Sephardic (songs in Ladino) and Bosnian melodies. Eventually her family moved to Zagreb and her father bought Flory a harmoniku (Piano accordion). When the war came the family moved to Split where they lived as refugees.  After the war Flory married and moved to America. Perhaps you are wondering about the key - you need to read this book to discover that part of the story. 

This is the story of Flory Jagoda (nee Altaras) and her music. Flora was born in Bosnia in 1923. As a young woman, after World War II, Flory went to work in Italy. She married a US Solider and moved to America. Just before she moved, Flory received the news that forty-two members of her family had been killed in the holocaust. Every part of this story was new to me - that is the wonderful thing about Picture Book biographies - you always meet such interesting people who are perhaps not famous. 

The writing is poetic and lyrical, effortlessly weaving centuries of history into the story while maintaining a strikingly intimate tone. Wimmer’s illustrations are nuanced, and readers will enjoy discovering new details upon each rereading of the book. School Library Journal

Fortunately for me, Flory has a fascinating story, and one that I think readers can relate to — in her love of her family, friends, music, and fun. And in dealing with challenge and loss. Debbie Levy talking with Jules at Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast.

You can hear Flory and her Eight Little Candles song - Ocho Kandelikas - a Ladino Hanukkah song here. 

Here is the website for Debbie Levy. I sought out this book because I loved a previous book illustrated by Sonja Wimmer - The day Saida Arrived. 

Medusa by Jessie Burton illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill

"My name was Medusa and I was a girl. Perseus had made me sound like a mythical beast. 

I didn't want to be a myth. I wanted to be me. ... I thought I was safe, 

because Perseus still didn't know about my snakes"

Publisher Blurb Bloomsbury: A dazzling, feminist retelling of Greek myth from the internationally bestselling author of The Miniaturist, stunningly illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill. Exiled to a far-flung island by the whims of the gods, Medusa has little company except the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. But when a charmed, beautiful boy called Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is disrupted with the force of a supernova, unleashing desire, love and betrayal… 

Reading this version of the Medusa became by obsession last week. I will confess that in some books I do skip to the end either to check everyone lives happily ever after or just because I am impatient to find out how everything turns out but in Medusa I did not let myself "cheat".

Of course I should already know the Greek mythology of Medusa but apart from the snakes on her head and the curse of turning people to stone I really did not have a good grasp of the story. Since reading this retelling of the Medusa story I have now read several versions closer to the original story, I can see Jessie Burton has altered the plot quite drastically but really I do not think this matters at all. I am not going to elaborate on this because it will spoil your enjoyment of this book. I will say I loved the way Jessie Burton crafted the relationship between Perseus and Medusa. If you are not familiar with Medusa you could read this book and then read this entry from the World History Encyclopedia. High School students might use this book to discuss the 'Me Too' movement alongside the important message that 'no means no'. 

Medusa is due for publication November 2021. Older teens, who were perhaps fans of Percy Jackson in their Primary years, will enjoy this Medusa story.  The art you will see in this book by Olivia Lomenech Gill  is wonderful. 

This is most certainly a Young Adult title - I would suggest readers aged 16+. While the sexual assault is not described explicitly there are mature themes in this book.

The writing - cleverly, and compellingly - feels both timeless and modern. Medusa’s narrative, and the dialogue, is laced with wit, and infused with tremendous detail. LoveReading4Kids

Read this review for more plot details and some deeper criticism:

Burton's story is a very feminist retelling. She has written the story in a way that makes it very related to the world we live in today; a world of impossible beauty standards, where a lot of a woman's worth is dependent on how attractive she is, a world where being too beautiful can lead to jealousy and abuse. It also shines a light on rape culture and victim blaming. Once Upon a Bookcase

My Brother Ben by Peter Carnavas

It is the summer holidays. Luke is in Grade 6 so he will return to his old school in late January but his brother Ben is moving on to High School. These months are a time of change for Luke. His father has left the family and moved far away to the other side of the country. Ben, who has always been his best friend, is changing in ways Luke finds confusing. Luke needs to hold onto the things that keep him steady. He loves birds, he knows all the birds around Cabbage Tree Creek. He can identify their songs and his favourite book is the battered-up guide book given to him by his Aunty Gem. They regularly go on bird finding expeditions - and these days are filled with joy.

The prologue to My Brother Ben is so dramatic. Luke sees a bird in the middle of a busy road. It is a magpie that has been hit by a car. Just as Luke reaches to touch it, his brother swoops in and rescues him from a speeding car. In a beautiful moment they discover the precious bird is not dead and from then on Maggie becomes Luke's best bird friend.

Someone has abandoned a small white rowing boat in a yard near their house.  The brothers have shared dream:

"I got it all worked out. We'd take off from our jetty, head straight across to the other side. You can find that bird you saw today and all its friends. Then we'd go south, away from the Jumping Tree, all the way past the old windmill ... Follow that bend to The Pocket. We'd fish all day, catch flathead and bream ... a whole bucketful. We'd camp on the bank and cook fish and fall asleep under the stars."

But this is the summer of change. Luke has his birds and Ben seems to be distracted by a new girl who has moved into their town. Then a competition is announced

"The competition was being run by the local council, just for kids under fifteen. You had to make something that celebrated Cabbage Tree Creek. ... but the most important detail was the prize: a three metre fishing canoe, with paddles, life jackets and the chance to name the boat. They'd paint the name on the side for you."

Luke and Ben are desperate to win. 

"When you open your eyes to birds, the world opens itself in return."

When you read this book you will want to also grab any version of an Australian bird guide book. Here are a couple I found:

Or you could use this poster from The Guardian which shows the Australian Bird of the Year 2021:

The writing of Peter Carnavas just gets better and better. He has created such an authentic relationship between Luke and his older brother Ben. Oddly, I kept hoping nothing terrible would happen in this summer time story. At nearly every turn of the river I thought Ben or Luke would have a life changing or even fatal accident. I guess I have read too many books like this marred by tragedy. Instead I discovered a warm, realistic story about two boys who live near a river, share their dreams, and jokes and who deeply care for each other. I guarantee you will fall in love with this place, with the lives of these boys and with this quiet, careful exploration of Luke and Ben and their summer by Cabbage Tree Creek. 

This is a quintessential Australian story set in a small country town with bush nearby to explore and the creek where the boys swim and dream but it is also a book with universal themes of growing up, facing fear, self discovery, change, sibling relationships, and the importance of the natural world. 

‘How I love this book. Peter Carnavas is a wizard with words and a master of character, and his affection for Luke and Ben and the simple, complicated stuff of brotherhood shines through on every page. If you’ve ever had – or been, or known! – a brother, the ebbs and flows of their relationship will ring absolutely true and linger long past their story’s end. My Brother Ben is absolutely bursting with heart, and with the kind of quiet power of the very best books, the ones that leave an indelible mark. I didn’t know I needed a book about brothers, birds and boats; now I wonder how I was ever without it. What a glorious exploration of boyhood and brotherliness, of trust and truth and strength and steadfastness; please give My Brother Ben to all the boys in your life, and all the girls too.’ Meg McKinlay

I have never made this comment about a book before but I do wish UQP had considered producing this book as a hardcover. My Brother Ben has all the qualities of a classic children's book and while the paperback edition is, of course, very affordable for families and keen readers I would love to see a longer lasting edition of this book which could become a treasured one to keep. Paperbacks usually have paper that gradually yellows over time and aged paperbacks loose their appeal. This book is sure to be one on the CBCA 2022 notable list. 

Companion reads:

Twitch 

Half a Chance

Henry Hoey Hobson

The small Adventures of Popeye and Elvis

The Grand Genius Summer of Henry Hoobler

Scarlet Ibis

One last thing.  Years ago I read another book involving a bird guide book. It was an Australian book. It was for Upper Primary readers. The boy in the story loved his bird guide book and he longed to meet the author - a university academic. In my memory, the boy travels from a country town into the city, he arrives at night and he does eventually meet the author of his favourite book.  I am continuing my search for this book. If anyone can help please let me know in the comments. I know this sounds like The Someday Birds but it is a much older book and it is Australian.

Picture book themes - letting go, accepting change

 

I recently read these two books about letting go; about courage; about change; and about risk taking both of which are told through as a parable or fable. At first glance you might think these are books about trees, leaves, seeds and autumn but really they have much deeper themes and they have such contrasting illustration styles.

Little Tree lives in the forest with the other trees. When Autumn begins all of his companions shed their leaves but "he just hugged his leaves tight." Seasons come and go but Little Tree just won't let those leaves go. The forest trees around him grow taller and taller until "one summer, Little Tree could no longer feel the sunlight." Finally he does let go and something miraculous happens. Read more about Little Tree in these review comments:

A strong picture book with an important message that is cleverly told, this book encourages young readers to embrace change and the uncertainties of life. Waking Brain Cells

In Little Tree, Loren so perfectly captures what it means to move on with courage and bravery. ... I believe that everyone, children and adults alike, will bring their own experiences to this book and come away with renewed hope and encouragement that it’s OK to move on and let go. Reading with Mr Teut

In this video Loren Long talks about his book and the deeper themes he wanted to share. 

My second book, Stay Little Seed, was originally published in Italy with the title Chissadove. When the wind blows all the seeds fly away - north, south and "even who knows where." But one tiny seed stayed. The tree and the seed form a relationship with the tree protecting the little seed until one morning a magpie plucks the seed off the tree. Luckily the magpie drops the seed. The tiny seed is not "who knows where" it is very close and over time it grows into a new sapling. Read more about Stay, Little Seed in these review comments:

Stay, Little Seed celebrates the rhythms of the natural world and shares a gentle message for all of us, no matter our age: Sometimes, by letting go and being brave, we begin life’s greatest adventures. A Book and a Hug

Careful nurturing begets the launch into the unknown: Valentini celebrates both as natural and fitting. Kirkus

Cristiana Valentini comes from Italy and Philip Giordano lives in Japan. You can see the whole book here.

Little Wise Wolf by Gijs van der Hammen and Hanneke Siemensma translated by Laura Watkinson

Little Wolf (perhaps he needs to learn about wisdom so I have abbreviated his name) lives on the other side of the mountains. He likes to read big books, experiment with herbs and study the stars. The animals of the forest are in awe of his intelligence and they are sure Little Wolf will be the one to answer their questions but he grumbles at them and tells them all to go away. Then a messenger crow arrives from the king. He has a letter from the king.  Little Wolf would like to say no but after all this is the king and the king is ill so Little Wolf sets off on the long journey to the castle. The road is rough, the mountains are high, his bicycle is useless and then it begins to rain. 

Image Source: Hanneke Siemensma

"Then in the distance he saw a light. And there, deep in the forest, Little Wise Wolf found a tent with a campfire and a pan of soup."

His friends from the forest have been following him. They help Little Wolf continue with his journey but when he does arrive his confidence is gone (and so has his pride). 

"I don't think I can do it. Someone else will have to make the king better."

But he does know what to do. In all that reading he learned about a lot about useful herbs. Little Wolf makes the king some medicine and after a few days the king recovers. Little Wolf knows he only reached the king because his friends helped him. This is the true wisdom he needs to learn and, while he will go on reading those big books, he now knows "I still have a lot to learn ... "

Little Wise wolf is one of those perfect picture books which you can easily share with a young child and also with a group of older students. I would like to say this is a book to add to your library collection but sadly here in Australia it is only available as a very expensive hardcover.

Little Wolf’s journey really feels epic and there are some impressive techniques used by the illustrator to set this scene. Liquid light shines out from the pages that are covered in a rich purple black. You can almost taste the ink on the pages. Association of Illustrators

The original Dutch title of this book is Kleine wijze wolf. 

You can see art by Dutch illustrator Hanneke Siemensma here. Hanneke and Gijs have two children and live in Haarlem in Holland. This is their first book. I love the way the back end paper includes a map of the full journey - there and back - to the castle of the king.

Truly wonderful in all aspects. Kirkus Star review

In this big story disguised as a small one, Gijs van der Hammen deftly explores the value of relationships and the interconnectedness of us all. It highlights for young children the important life lesson that everyone has unique skills and knowledge, so everyone in a community matters --- and we all need the help of others sometimes. Beautifully told and richly illustrated by Hanneke Siemensma, this engaging read-aloud has the timeless appeal of a folktale. It would be an excellent choice to begin conversations about the social studies concept of community and the character education topics of kindness and empathy. Kids Can Press

I would pair this book with Shelter by Celine Claire illustrated by Qin Leng.

The man with the Violin by Kathy Stinson illustrated by Dušan Petričić

Young Dylan and his mother are walking through the subway. A man is playing the violin and Dylan is swept away by the beauty of the music but his mother is rushing and will not stop to listen. Later at home Dylan hears the same music on the radio. It is the man from the subway - Joshua Bell and he was "playing some of the most elegant music ever written, on one of the most valuable violins ever made." 

Imaginatively illustrated and beautifully written, this offbeat ode to the power of music is a winner. Kirkus Star review

Stinson’s text, brimming with life, is filled with onomatopoeia that places the reader in the subway station with the bustling crowds. The text centres on sounds Dylan hears throughout the day, as interpreted by Petricic's watercolour illustrations. The violinist’s music, the noise of the crowd, the roar of a train, the buzz of the radio – all are represented as sweeping lines, squiggles, zigzags, and ribbons. Quill and Quire

This book is based on a true story. Musician Joshua Bell played his violin in a Washington DC metro station on 12 January, 2007. Not just any violin a Stradivarius. It was part of an experiment to see what would happen if one of the best violinists in the world performed dressed like an ordinary street musician. He played for 43 minutes, 1000 people walked past and by the end $32.17 had been placed in his violin case. Most adults just hurried past but children tried to stop and listen. All of this gave rise to this gentle, bitter sweet story.

Just look at all the prizes this book has won:

• Winner, Digital Book Award 2014
• Joint winner, Best Books for Kids & Teens, Canadian Children’s Book Centre 2014
• Joint winner, Independent Publisher Book Award, Gold 2014
• Winner, TD Children’s Literature Award 2014
• Runner-up, Nautilus Award, Silver 2014
• Joint winner, Next Generation Indie Book Award 2014
• Joint winner, White Ravens Collection, International Youth Library, Munich 2014
• Joint winner, 100 Best Canadian Kids’ Books, Today’s Parent Magazine 2014
• Joint winner, National Parenting Publications Award 2014
• Commended, Best Bets List, Honourable Mention, Ontario Library Association 2014
• Joint winner, Best Book List, Kirkus Reviews 2014
• Joint winner, Storytelling World Honor Book 2014
• Commended, Foreword Indies Book of the Year Award, Honorable Mention 2014
• Joint winner, Notable Book for a Global Society 2014

Listen to Joshua Bell while you read this book which was published in 2013 - I hope you can find it in a well stocked library. Be sure to check the library catalogue because it might be shelved with the music books at 813. 

Ave Maria

Estrellita

Song to the Moon

The Man with the Violin is published by Annick Press from Canada. They always produce fabulous books. Dušan Petričić, from Serbia, is the illustrator of Mud Puddle. Here is an interview with Kathy Stinson where she talks about this book and you can hear the illustrator Dušan Petričić too. 

Here is the sequel which tells the story of Joshua Bell's early musical experiences.

Kathy Stinson is the author of The Lady with the Books which is based on the work of Jella Yepman founder of IBBY.

The Man with the Violin reminded me of these books where young children also notice things which are missed by their adult companions:

What I like Most by Mary Murphy illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang

The little girl in this book is appreciative of so many things in her world - her window, apricot jam, the river, pencils, chips, books, her teddy, and of course her mum!

Apricot jam is what I like most in the world. Except for these shoes ... right now they are what I like most in the world. Except for the river ... The river changes but it is always the river. That is why I like it most in the world.

Image Source Mary Murphy - click to see more images from this precious book

Here is the website for Mary Murphy author of over thirty books. 

Publisher blurb Walker Books: What I like most is this pencil. It is red outside and red inside. Its colour comes out like a red ribbon. It’s what I like most in the world. Except for...  A little girl tells us about all her favourite things, from her light-up shoes, to hot, steamy chips, to her red pencil. But the girl knows that, even as her feet grow, her plate empties, and her pencil shortens, there’s someone she’ll always love … and that is what she likes the very, very most. An intimate ode to the unwavering love a child has for their mother, this tender, lyrical story is brought exquisitely to life by Zhu Cheng-Liang.

Make sure you linger over the end papers when you pick up this book - images of Spring and Autumn - reflecting time and change which are the themes of this book.

Have you seen the book The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown?  The format for What I like Most feels very similar. I would use all of these books in a writing class.

Zhu Cheng-Liang is from China. He has illustrated over fifty books. His work was chosen for the book All in a Day by Anno.