Echo

By: Pam Munoz Ryan

Newbery Honor

Bluebonnet Award Winner

            This book is about a boy named Otto. He is wandering in the forest until he finds himself lost. When he is lost he meets three princesses who tell Otto about how their father has always wanted a boy, and that the king wanted it so bad he left the three princesses abandoned to a wicked witch. They see a book that he was reading earlier (a book with a character named Otto), and they ask him to read the ending so that they can know what happens. Only he can’t. There were no words on the pages after they met.  

            The princesses give him a magical harmonica, and tell him to pass it on when the time comes. Otto leaves the forest and makes his way home, but no one ever believes his story. He grows up, marries, and ends up having a daughter. His daughter ends up needing medical attention, so Otto gets a job making harmonicas. His dog chews up one of the harmonicas Otto was making, so Otto passed along the magical harmonica instead.

            The harmonica ends up in a factory where a young man named Frederich works. He is a musician, also a Jew. He can make money and pay his father’s way out of prison with his sister. This is during the time of Hitler, so eventually they must leave behind all their valuables and escape, so Frederich mails the harmonica to America.

            The harmonica ends up in a music store. A woman who has lost her child is adopting two brothers. One of the woman’s family members buys the two boys harmonicas. One of them being the magical harmonica given to Otto by the princesses. Playing the harmonica gets them in a harmonica band, and they are able to flourish in their adoptive home because of it.

            Next the harmonica gets into the hands of a little girl named Ivy. Ivy loves to play the harmonica, and she earns her way into the school band. She eventually gives her harmonica to Kenny. They get into a dangerous situation and the harmonica saves Kenny’s life! Once this happens the princesses curse is lifted, and they are reunited with their loving mother.

            Frederich becomes a conductor, Ivy becomes a flute player, and Mike becomes a pianist. They all appear together on stage at Carnegie Hall, the harmonica tied them all together.

This book is amazing. I read it when it first came out, and it rocked my world. I loved the individual stories of the different people, and how they all intertwined in music. I personally love music, and can relate to a lot of this book. I am a worship leader at church, and I remember reading this when I first started singing in front of a crowd. This book reminds me how important it is for my students to have books that relate to things that they enjoy and love. I think this book would be great for students who love music, and for ages 4^th grade and up.