Music, magic, and a real-life miracle meld in this virtuosic, genre-defying tour de force from storytelling maestro Pam Muñoz Ryan. Lost and alone in the forbidden Black Forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives, binding them by an invisible thread of destiny. All the children face daunting challenges, rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. How their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo will resound in your heart long after the last note has been struck. Richly imagined and structurally innovative, ECHO pushes the boundaries of form and shows us what is possible in how we tell stories. With music by Corky Siegel.
"Each individual story is engaging, but together they harmonize to create a thrilling whole."
Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A grand narrative that examines the power of music to inspire beauty in a world overrun with fear and intolerance."
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"The story of Otto and the cursed sisters honor timeless and traditional folktales (and) Ryan has created three contemporary characters who, through faith and perseverance, write their own happy endings, inspiring readers to believe they can do the same."
