Echo

This is a book I normally wouldn’t have picked up. It was chosen as my book club read and what a wonderful choice it was. A moving tale set in tough times with children put in rough situations. Three stories that take place during the pre-holocaust Germany, an orphanage, and post-Pearl Harbor California. While it deals with dire situations it projects a hopeful and “we can get through this” attitude. The three children are connected by a magical harmonica and their stories are skillfully woven together at the end of the book.

This is a beautifully layered and lyrically told historical fiction novel that spans decades and multiple countries to tell three distinct stories woven together by the power of music. I first read this via Audible because I’d heard music was an integral part of the story and that the audiobook includes performances and a full cast of actors. It’s become one of my favorites of all time, and I can’t wait to pass it on to my nephew when he’s older.

Got this book for my son. He’s been excited to read it! Fast shipping

Good quality and fast service.

great book

She loved everything about it she read it in 2 weeks

My 10 year old and I fell in love with this book! We were captivated from the very beginning. It’s magical, powerful, historical, and inspiring. My daughter loves books that switch perspectives, so she was excited that this is broken into sections told from the perspectives of four different children.At the beginning, we meet Otto, who is lost in an enchanted forest and meets three mysterious sisters who tell their story of enchantment, share a prophecy, and help him when they give him a special harmonica. Decades later, the harmonica finds its way into the hands of Friedrich, a Jewish child living in the beginnings of Nazi Germany. From there, it travels to two orphaned brothers in Pennsylvania two years later before moving on to a little girl whose parents are migrant farm workers in California seven years later.Ryan masterfully weaves the fates of the children and their families together, leaving us caught up in these tender, powerful stories of family and friendship. We see how each family and the worldwide community at large is affected by World War II and the lengths good people will go to in order to combat prejudice with kindness, loyalty, and generosity of spirit.I love the diversity represented in the characters, who are all marginalized in some way. They are windows into different experiences but are all relatable. While this book is quick-paced and entertaining, leaving us on the edge of our seats, it is also a deeply moving portrayal of how sometimes the best of us shines through during the most difficult circumstances. The emphasis on music and the importance of beauty throughout is so powerful. We loved this one!

I love this book! I "read" it on the audio version (CD), which had the added benefit of music played within the story. When a particular song was mentioned in the book, we hear it played on the harmonica with the narrator singing the lyrics and in the case of a classical piece, we hear it played by an orchestra. This live performance enhances the adventure as well as emotions elicited by the story line.The prose is rich and lyrical in carefully chosen vocabulary that paint a picture and let us see into the characters' minds and hearts, as well as the state of the world and courageous individuals during times of war. The author, Pam Munoz Ryan, who is one of my favorites, weaves a century long story, which begins in a magical forest in a faraway kingdom and follows the journey of a harmonica through the lives of different children who own it over the years,from Germany to various locations across the USA. The story finally culminates in a triumphant and joyful conclusion of camaraderie through music in the 1960s.