The Dance of the Violin

by Kathy Stinson, Dusan Petricic (Illustrator)

Overview

As a young student of the violin, Joshua Bell learns about an international competition to be held in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He chooses a piece of music, which his teacher suggests may be too difficult, but Joshua is determined. It’s a piece of music he loves. At the competition, Joshua experiences the usual jitters. Once his name is called, he strides to the stage and begins to play, but almost immediately, he makes a mistake. As he is about to walk off the stage, he asks the judges if could try again. They agree, and this time, the playing is impeccable. Dušan Petricic’s brilliant illustrations, full of movement and color, capture the sounds made by Joshua’s violin, from the missed notes to the swirling, uplifting strains of the perfectly executed piece. Children will readily empathize with Joshua’s misstep, but they will also learn that there is always a second chance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554518999
Publisher:	Annick Press, Limited
Publication date:	09/10/2019
Edition description:	First Trade Paper Edition
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kathy Stinson is the author of over 25 books for young people, including the beloved, bestselling Red is Best and The Man with the Violin.

Dusan Petricic is an editorial cartoonist as well as the award-winning illustrator of such children’s books at Mattland, Bone Button Borscht and The Man with the Violin.

Editorial Reviews

Petričić once again uses bright swoops and streaks of color to visualize the sensory joy that music can elicit as Stinson’s direct writing underscores the rewards of dedication to one’s art.”—Publishers Weekly, 02/20/17

“Magical realism is at its best in this delightful picture book … An excellent addition to most collections.” —School Library Journal, 04/17

“Delightful illustrations, and a story with a great message about perseverance.” —Violinist.com, 12/01/17

From the Publisher

02/20/2017
In The Man with a Violin, Stinson and Petricic wove a fictional story around the real-life event of violinist Joshua Bell performing in a Washington, D.C., subway station. Now, they turn to Bell’s youth, detailing how he fell in love with music and once, at a music competition, requested a “do-over” when his performance got off to a shaky start. Petricic once again uses bright swoops and streaks of color to visualize the sensory joy that music can elicit as Stinson’s direct writing underscores the rewards of dedication to one’s art—and not being afraid to start fresh when things go south. Ages 5–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

04/01/2017
PreS-Gr 3—With music in his heart, a little boy named Joshua turns pots into drums, cardboard tubes into a trumpet, and rubber bands into a guitar. His parents buy him a violin, and when he first plays it, a twinkling star appears above his head; when he finally learns other songs, whole stories pour from his violin. Soon, Joshua is begging to learn a difficult piece of music for a competition where the winner performs with "an orchestra!" Magical realism is at its best in this delightful picture book about a boy, his violin, and his love of music. The pencil and watercolor illustrations dance across the page whenever Joshua thinks about or plays music. Colors swirl, loop, and squiggle. When Joshua plays very fast, or prestissimo, the music spills out of the violin in sharp overlaid lines, hiding him behind a cloud of color. The crescendo of the narrative comes when the boy makes an error during the competition and must decide if his mistakes will stop him from playing. This is a fictionalized account of how world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell got his start in music and how he lost and found his confidence. VERDICT An excellent addition to most collections and a great read-aloud for storytimes with a music theme.—Karen Ginman, BookOps: The New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library

School Library Journal

2016-12-26
The early life of renowned violinist Joshua Bell is portrayed in a lively fashion.It's apparent that the violin is the perfect instrument for the small white boy, as his first tentative attempts at familiar tunes turn into a joyful immersion in the music. Colorful mixed-media illustrations dance and swirl across the pages as Joshua envisions stories emanating from the music he plays. At the age of 12, Joshua enters a tough competition for a chance to perform with an orchestra, choosing one of the most difficult pieces for a violinist to master. Apprehension turns into personal triumph as he soldiers on after a major mistake in his performance. Petricic's light touch, fluid lines, and watercolors are reminiscent of Quentin Blake's work, and they bring to life the exuberance with which Joshua approaches his art. Expansive double-page spreads, plenty of white space, and unusual perspectives give just the right amount of room for Stinson's descriptive text, which captures a range of emotions, from music that "tickled every hair on Joshua's head" to notes that "hung limp in the air like wet laundry on a clothesline." The final page of the book provides the basis for the story in question-and-answer format. A joyful reminder that perseverance pays off, especially when you let out the artist within. (Picture book/biography. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews