(2) 4-6 At twelve years old, Rosie is a violin prodigy who can hear whole works of music in her head and has played Carnegie Hall twice. She also has synesthesia and can see music in colors, textures, temperature, and taste, but she keeps it to herself, because her mother already finds her prodigy brain "weird" and "dangerous." Their relationship is strained, as Mom is overly involved in managing Rosie's musical career. Tired of being known as "the girl with the violin," Rosie decides to quit playing in order to find herself and spends the summer at her grandparents' home in Connecticut, where her grandmother is dying. Wandering the property, she enters an abandoned shed, where she discovers a girl who turns out to be her mother when she was Rosie's age. Through repeated encounters, Rosie learns more about her family's history, including her great-grandparents' experience in Auschwitz and in a displaced persons camp after WWII. Suddenly, her mother's obsession with the violin is put into a larger family context that intersects with a hidden history of musical talent, neurodivergence, and a Jewish identity that was kept secret. An emotionally moving story about the ways that generational trauma can affect parent-child relationships and how the past persists into the present.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) YA Nelson (Printz Award winner for I'll Give You the Sun, rev. 11/14) begins with definitions of a fantasia -- one of which is "a literary work composed of a mixture of different forms or styles." This fantasia features the author's use of magical realism, along with lyrical prose, an epic plot, and the kind of flawed characters who are essential in stories of dysfunctional family relationships and the resultant themes of loss, betrayal, and redemption. The novel opens with the rotating third-person viewpoints of a trio of siblings: twelve-year-old Dizzy, a supernaturally gifted girl muddling through prepubescent friendship issues; seemingly perfect seventeen-year-old Miles, who struggles with depression and coming out as gay; and nineteen-year-old Wynton, the violin virtuoso who is still haunted by their father's abandonment. Each has an early encounter with a mysterious rainbow-haired girl named Cassidy, newly arrived in Paradise, California, who eventually largely takes over the narration. Her first-person perspective provides the backstory, alongside the plethora of letters, emails, transcripts, and newspaper articles interspersed throughout. It's a lot to take in, but patient readers will eventually feel the pull of Nelson's carefully woven storytelling and succumb to her special kind of magic. Not every subplot is resolved, and not all that are resolved have happy endings, but there's catharsis in the realization that "when the world tips over," there is still joy to be experienced.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(2) 4-6 Now happily settled after the drama of 7Pine Island Home (rev. 9/20), orphaned sisters Fiona, Marlin, Natasha, and Charlie face new challenges when their former guardian, Mrs. Weatherspoon, announces that she is arriving from Australia for a prolonged visit--and unexpectedly shows up with a companion. Fiona, now fifteen, is furious that the nasty, intrusive, and demanding Jo seems to be ruining her family; she finds some solace in her journal, which becomes a friend, along with the teacher who responds to her entries. Meanwhile, Marlin is struggling with her outcast status at school and the lack of publisher interest in her cookbook, Thirty Meals a Twelve-Year-Old Could Make and [cf4]Did[cf3]!; Natasha turns out to be a prodigy on the violin but just wants to commune with the natural world; and youngest sibling Charlie desperately wants a dog. True to form, Horvath packs this sequel (which takes readers from the beginning of the school year through Christmas) with relatable incident, vivid dialogue, humor, and moments of profound reflection on the human condition.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) YA In this compelling verse novel set in Boston, African American tweens Zee and April are best friends. Each lives with their single parent in apartments across the hall from each other--narrator April with Chantelle, her army-veteran mom who works nights for UPS; and Zee with his dad, Papa Zee, a postal carrier. The four function like a family. A virtuoso violinist, Zee now attends an arts school, leaving April to face sixth grade without him. Though passionate about drumming, April lacks Zee's confidence and tenacity. After Zee faints at school, he refuses to rest, wanting desperately to perform the orchestra solo. When April finds out that Zee is secretly practicing, she agrees not to tell his dad. Meanwhile, April's mother has fallen in love with a female coworker, who is becoming more a part of their lives, despite April's resistance. A tragedy changes everything, and April feels responsible. Her grief interferes with her drumming, but music also helps her recover. Langley takes readers on an emotionally turbulent ride while highlighting characters' strengths and flaws. The protagonists' love of music breathes life into the plot and propels the action forward. An honest and poignant portrayal of loss and grief that affirms that time and a supportive community contribute to healing.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) K-3 Hannah loves playing the violin, but she dreads performing in an upcoming recital. Mixed-media illustrations (charcoal, acrylic paint, pastel, and digital media) deftly swing between the girl's reality and her fantasies as the time of the recital looms closer. "She secretly wished something wild would happen," and after the page-turn, a bird outside her window (highlighted with a visual spotlight) becomes an entire flock whisking her recital outfit out the door "so she wouldn't have to go." The next page reveals the truth and a narrative refrain: "But nothing wild happened." The rabbits she conjures up from under the kitchen floor do not run away with her violin, nor do the outdoor fountain dolphins carry her away on their backs. Pastel shades become vivid swirling colors in Hannah's imagination but always dull again to recall her real-life plight. Soon she finds herself heading onstage, where art and text work together to manifest her nervousness, and the spotlight that has signaled magic throughout the story now centers on her. When Hannah starts to play, the art turns bold and fantastical again as she loses her self-consciousness in the joy of playing her violin. Small visual details throughout, including Hannah's lively siblings and her father's quick stop to buy flowers, make the book especially warm. It closes with a family celebration; however, some of the swirling lines and bold color remain, leaving Hannah and readers awash in the heady glow of a memorable and inspiring performance.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) K-3 In Zhang's (The Big Bath House, rev. 11/21) latest picture book, a young child finds freedom in creating music his own way. Enamored of his village's youth orchestra, Rubin asks to join. As soon as he sets bow to violin strings, though, the unseemly screeching sets the rest of the children to laughter. Embarrassed, Rubin goes to the forest to find "somewhere away, where he could practice alone." The sounds draw an unlikely audience: a herd of curious cats who chime in with their own miiaaoooooos. Rubin's feline accompanists give him new confidence in the unusual noises that his violin can produce. During the day, Rubin practices with his peers and quietly plays along. In the evenings, however, he returns to the forest, where "his heart beat forte forte forte" and he plays with abandon among his choir of cats. Finally, on the day of the big orchestra concert, Rubin must decide whether to fully express himself. Throughout the book, Zhang's bold brushstrokes remain distinct, filling each illustration with a sense of movement emanating from the natural world and the music at the story's core. As outlined in the author's note, the story is set in the town of Santa Ana de Velasco in Bolivia, giving the book a strong sense of place. A beautifully executed tale about the power of music to lift the soul and the importance of finding joy in one's own unique voice.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) YA June Chu, a Taiwanese American high school senior living in Iowa, struggles to understand her identity as she tries to reconcile the conflicting influences of her strict and traditional family, her at-times clueless friends, and the boys she dates. She bounces from emotionally unavailable Rhys to affectionate but culturally incompetent Brad (who calls her "China") to devious Gang, all while experiencing difficulty truly loving and believing in herself. Her similarly fraught on-again, off-again commitment to playing the violin, especially as a means for getting into college, mirrors her unsuccessful attempts to separate from her mom's influence and control. In a believable, immersive teen voice, June narrates her complicated feelings about representation and visibility as well as independence and coming of age. Pressured to call out her friends' microaggressions, June is reluctant to do so, demonstrating the burden of emotional labor too often placed on BIPOC folks to correct others' behavior. Most notably, Gracia's sophisticated rendering of June's sexual experiences normalizes sexually active and thoughtful teens, and models behavior that prioritizes consent, choice (including the decision to obtain the morning-after pill from Planned Parenthood), and self-care.

Reviewer: J. Elizabeth Mills | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Katie Hickey. This picture-book biography tells the story of virtuoso violinist Isaac Stern, with an emphasis on his commitment to preserving the crown jewel of American concert venues. Stern's parents were Jewish immigrants who fled war-torn Ukraine in the 1920s. Isaac's mother recognized her son's talents at a young age and worked hard to get him the best teachers; by his teenage years he was "concertizing" all across the country. His love of New York City's Carnegie Hall began with a recital in 1943, and he ­performed there more than fifty times over his career. ("'This is my room,' he said. And it was.") In 1960, when the magnificent hall was slated for demolition, Stern shifted gears to become a community organizer, fundraiser, and political power broker, working to save the building and ultimately making it a National Historic Landmark. As Hoyt explains in clear, engaging text, this was no easy feat. Hickey's finely detailed digital cartoons place Stern in the spotlight, capturing his ceaseless energy and stalwart efforts. His message--"When you believe in something, you can move ­mountains!"--is a good one for children to hear, and this story is a great way to ­introduce the famous violin player and his favorite performance venue to the next generation of music ­lovers. Back matter includes a timeline, notes on Carnegie Hall and Isaac Stern, source notes, and the text of the petition to save Carnegie Hall.

Reviewer: Luann Toth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) 4-6 White South African writer and apartheid fighter ­Naidoo (Journey to Jo'burg, 1985) sets her novel in the fictional Stone City, where the population is divided into "Permitteds" and "Nons." It's a dangerous place for Nons: Permitteds can confiscate their homes, and it is easy for Nons to land in jail. Adam, almost thirteen, and his younger sister, Leila, are the musically talented children of Nons. After their father suddenly dies with their mother's required annual paperwork not yet approved (without it she will be deported), Adam decides to take advantage of an upcoming concert to draw attention to their situation. But his energetic and mischievous neighbor Zak tangles with some Permitteds, landing both boys in detention--a terrifying experience that puts them and their families at risk. A precious violin and diaries in which Adam writes poetry and Leila writes letters play important roles in the outcome. Well-developed characters, weighty themes, and a quick pace, along with evocative use of metaphor (e.g., Adam's mother's "arms hung down at her sides. For a moment he thought of broken wings"), distinguish this substantial novel.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) 4-6 Seventh grader Lotus Bloom marches to the beat of her own drum. She rocks a unique vintage style and a huge afro, and she is a gifted violinist who has been invited to attend a new performing arts school. Not everyone is happy about it, though. Not her best friend, appropriately named Rebel, who resents the new school for taking resources--and Lotus--away from the neighborhood middle school. Certainly not her classmate/nemesis Adolpho, whom she bumps from his position as concertmaster. Not even her mom, who feels Lotus should be thinking about a future outside of music, unlike her musician father who recently relocated to Paris. Worst of all, Lotus finds herself being discriminated against due to her hair, which threatens all of her hard work and her normally peaceful outlook. This captivating novel raises issues of racial discrimination, educational equity, and classism in an approachable way, inviting readers to consider multiple perspectives through the lively cast of diverse, multifaceted characters. Through the drama at school and in her family, as well as ups and downs in her friendships (with Rebel and new frenemy Mercedes), Lotus finds her voice as she learns to release herself from trying to manage the emotions and expectations of others.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) PS Ghost Gustavo is terribly shy, a problem compounded by the fact that the other monster kids can't see him. His attempts to appear/appeal to the others--disguising himself as a lampshade, a surfboard, a sheet--are funny but hopeless; it's only when he throws a Day of the Dead party at the cemetery and reveals his passion for the violin that the other monsters come to see him as he really is. While the logic of the story won't stand up to much scrutiny, Gustavo is a sympathetic protagonist, and the illustrations are filled with appealing monsters and witty details.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2020

(3) K-3 In this sequel to The Bear and the Piano, Hugo, a fiddle-playing dog, leaves his best human friend, retired fiddle player Hector, to join the famous bear on a concert tour. The story of ambition, friendship, hurt, and reconciliation is illustrated with appropriately dramatic, emotion-filled paintings.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 4-6 A middle-school project prompts violin prodigy Charlotte (known as Charlie) to research the great-aunt for whom she was named and who disappeared during the Holocaust; her persistent detective work leads to unexpected discoveries about her family. Sweet twelve-year-old Charlie's story provides an accessible entry point into the Holocaust and its connections to people living today, with a dash of hopefulness amid the difficult history.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(1) K-3 In Bliss's nearly wordless book, told mainly through panel illustrations, ordinary-looking Grace sneaks out of her dads' NYC apartment at night to creatively raise money to buy a companion for class guinea pig Gus. Deadpan Grace remains hilariously impassive, her little Mona Lisa–esque smile the only hint of her extraordinary measures. Cameo appearances and visual jokes fly fast and furious throughout Bliss's giddily gleeful tale.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(3) YA Dominique (Dom) has always wanted to be a modern dancer, but her mother's struggling laundry business doesn't provide a lot of options after high school. Ben studies violin at the prestigious Brighton Academy and is obsessed with perfection. Their worlds collide against the backdrop of NYC in a sweeping, classic-feeling romance that deals with privilege and the lies we instinctually tell ourselves and others.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) YA High-school senior Yvonne realizes that she has lost her passion for the violin and isn't good enough to attend a music conservatory after graduation. She struggles to forge a new path, finding an ally in street musician Omar and risking her relationship with current love interest Warren. It takes an unplanned pregnancy for Yvonne to decide who she wants to be. Colbert's characters are complex: equal parts endearing and infuriating.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku

(3) YA In Wintersong, Elisabeth (Liesl) miraculously escaped the Goblin King's underground realm alive. Now Liesl travels with her violinist brother to Vienna as his composer. Yet as a painful new distance opens between the siblings, so too does the veil between the Underground and the nineteenth-century world. Fluctuating between mania and melancholy (Liesl, per the author's note, has bipolar disorder), this historical fantasy overflows with beautiful and terrifying emotions.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) 1-3 Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream series. Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. In these chapter books, pint-sized fourth grader Zayd Saleem chases his dream of playing basketball: making the team (Forward), winning a game (Point), and coping after an injury (Back). In upbeat, humorous, and engaging first-person narration, Zayd confronts challenges on the court and with his friends and Pakistani American family. Well-developed secondary characters, rich cultural content, and occasional black-and-white drawings round out the series. Review covers these Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream titles: Bounce Back, On Point, and Power Forward.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jo Weaver. This slim, profusely illustrated book (first published in the UK) introduces a small group of Middle Eastern refugees adrift at sea in a small broken-down boat. Rami, a young man clutching a violin case, plays his instrument and shares a legend about its creation. Weaver's haunting art in a monochromatic palette of greenish-black perfectly complements the sad yet sometimes hopeful tale.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) YA Etta (a modern-day violin prodigy) and Nicholas (a former eighteenth-century slave), on separate, dangerous journeys through time, try to find a powerful astrolabe and each other. Meanwhile, a revelation about Etta's own backstory makes her question her loyalties. This duology conclusion should satisfy Passenger fans' curiosities, but the effort of keeping track of the many threads outweighs the excitement of the (long-deferred) romance.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax