Publisher blurb: When Grandfather comes to take his grandson to a concert, Ronan is quiet as they leave the house, quiet in the car, and quiet at the concert hall. But when the performance is over and the beautiful music fades out at last, Ronan opens his mouth…and lets out a great big WOW! Not any old WOW, but Ronan’s very first WOW! That one word fills up the hearts of Ronan’s family, the musicians, the audience, and—when the recording goes viral—the world.
What was the music I hear you ask - 'Masonic Funeral music' by Mozart.
Spending time in a public library last month I spied this book which I had heard of but not read. I enjoy attending classical music concerts in special venues so it made me smile to hear the true story of this little boy who was so moved by the music he heard that in the silence after the final note from the orchestra he said 'wow'!
This wow is huge partly because it is a beautiful and natural reaction to a special experience but more importantly because this boy was almost nonverbal and yet he used his voice to express his delight.
I love that he took his dog to the concert, but I can imagine some adults might think this was an odd inclusion in a story that is based on real events. Add this book to your list of stories to share when you talk about the 2026 CBCA slogan 'A Symphony of Stories'. After or even before sharing this book, I would grab your own favourite piece of classical music and ask your library group to close their eyes and just listen - perhaps one or two of the younger children might have a reaction like Ronan in this story. This is not a video of the actual book it has different illustrations, but it is worth a look because you can hear the music as the story is told.
The Boy who Said Wow was published in 2024. As I write this post you can buy this book for a really good price here in Australia but I also sure it will be found in many public libraries.
A heartwarming testament to music’s emotional power. Kirkus
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