Description: Ari is an ordinary boy with an extraordinary gift for and love of music. But since moving with his mother from Germany to Australia he feels adrift-cut off from his familiar world, the people he loves most, even his music. For Ari, playing the violin was always the key to his memories of people and places and his connection to the world around him. But even the music cannot help him now. How is he to find his footing in this new country, accept his new stepfather, and most difficult of all, leave behind his beloved grandfather? Ari faces disappointment, confusion, even the death of someone he loves before he realizes that music does have the power to heal himand might even be the key to his future.
Review Quotes: "A quietly told story about relationships between a boy and his grandfather (Opa) and between music and memories. . . A slow voice weaving between past and present characterizes this thoughtful piece about music, family, and memories."--Kirkus Reviews
★ "An unusual and gripping coming-of-age story. . . This well-constructed novel challenges readers to think about their own families, talents, and 'where in the world' they might be."--School Library Journal, Starred Review "This is one of the few novels for the age group that handles the topic of music with a musician's sensibility. . . The lyrical writing style suits the theme of musical improvisation in a story that's poignant without being overly sentimental."--Booklist "Australian author French's sensitively observed novel offers up quiet notes of joy while conveying the pain of a fatherless child. . . The understated prose sets off the thunderousness of the emotions, and French, who avoids tearjerking, wins readers fair and square with a tender approach-as well as a protagonist who grows immensely."--Publishers Weekly