Based on the true story of Henryk Rosmaryn who grew up in Czeladz, Poland. 1939 was a difficult year when the Germans invaded Henryk's home. Taken to Dyhenfurth concentration camp, he managed to survive because of a harmonica his father gave him as a gift.

Tragically, both parents were killed in concentration camps. Henryk managed to smuggle his harmonica into the concentration camp where a brutal commandant spat at him every night and demanded that he play Schubert. He worked and was beaten by the commandant without mercy, and for no reason. Yet that same brutal commandant knew and appreciated to beauty of the works of Shubert. Each night after Henryk played his harmonica, a piece of bread was thrown at him. He felt guilty and sick because he survived by the bread given to him while others tragically died by starvation.

When he was given the gift of the harmonica by his father, he was also told the story of Schubert and the fact that he lived in a bare room with no fire, yet though his hands ached from the cold, he continued to play beautiful music from his heart.

Just as Schubert played through the cold, Henryk did the same. As he stood before the brutal commandant, with numb fingers he was terribly afraid he would make a sudden error which would equate, without a doubt, death. Just as Schubert played through the freezing cold, Henryk's ability to play the harmonica as the beautiful notes of Schubert filled the space between he and the commandant.

Miraculously, Henryk survived . After the war, he came to the United States, changing his name to Henry Rosmarin. Once again, his ability to play Schubert enabled him to share his concentration camp experience with others, especially teenaged children.

Passing away in 2001, his story lives on to reinforce the beauty of music and the magic of life through the will to survive.

Highly Recommended. Five Stars

This powerful story, inspired by the life of a Holocaust survivor, is a testament to the human spirit and the transcendent power of music.When the Nazis invaded Poland, a family is split apart. The parents are sent to one concentration camp, their son to another. Only his father's gift, a harmonica, keeps the boy's hopes alive and, miraculously, ensures his survival. When an officer discovers his talent, he makes the boy play each night. Through music the boy invokes his parents and brings comfort to the other prisoners, lifting their spirits if only for a moment at time.Ron Mazellan's luminous artwork depicts the bleakness of the time, while letting the beauty that hope can bring through the darkness shine.

Goodreads Review:
When the Nazis invade Poland, a family is split apart. A harmonica keeps a boy's hope alive. The story is inspired by the life of a Holocaust survivor.

Tony Johnston tells a story of the power of music. A young Jewish boy learns to play the harmonica specifically his favorite tune Schubert. Shortly after his mother and father are taken from him, and he is sent to a concentration camp. The dark and somber illustrations tell the story of hardship and depression that occurred here. To his benefit, the commanding officer loved Schubert and the little boy was asked to play for him and given bread. His guilt diminished when another prisoner thanked him; as he played, the prisoners could hear in the other room and were given comfort. The harmonica that offered him comfort and joy while he was with his parents did the same for the prisoners living with fear, little food, and miserable conditions. ( )

This book was absolutely heart wrenching, and yet I loved it for a few reasons. The illustrations were done masterfully, and mirrored the text perfectly. While all the illustrations were somewhat gloomy and drab, the drawings were more colorful at the happy times of the story, like the boy's memories of his family, and got significantly darker when the Nazis came. When the boy thought of music and his family, the colors popped up again. As much as I liked the book, I think this book might be too much for young readers. When the narrator said “I was sent to a concentration camp, swallowed, dreams and all, down the dark Nazi throat," I thought about how a young reader would react to that and was unsure. On one hand, this book could be a excellent introduction to the Holocaust and the hardships the Jewish community went through. On the other, some kids might not be ready for how dark and cruel this story was at some points, and they may take nothing away from the book which would be a shame. All in all, this book was a quick, easy, and meaningful read. ( )