The Harmonica

by Tony Johnston, Ron Mazellan (Illustrator)

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.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Picture Books, Holocaust, World War II, Music, Childrens, War

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2004

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Tony Johnston has written many acclaimed books for young people. She and her husband lived in Mexico for fifteen years, where they raised their children. She now lives in San Marino, California.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. When Poland is invaded a boy is seperated from his family.

Like a length of kindling in one stroke, they split

He feels he knows his parents are dead. Happy memories keep him going, and his harmonica, a gift from his father he miraculously kept concealed. One night a guard hears him play Schumann and from then on requests he plays for him each night. The boy has feelings of guilt about playing for a Nazi and gaining some extra bread so he closes his eyes and plays for his parents.

The book tells the story well, but I think more suited to older children. There is small piece of writing about the real life events that inspired this book. I would loved to have had some more information on this story. A photo of him, which pieces he played, did he find his parents? An inspiring read of some on getting through great hardship.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a chillingly effective and hauntingly beautiful historical fiction book about a Polish Jewish boy during the Nazi era Holocaust.

The boy and his mother and father are poor, but they all love music, and his father manages to give him a harmonica. This grim, uplifting (and at one point even funny) story brilliantly shows how a poor but intact and loving family, go from everyday life to the horrors that await them when they are caught by the Nazis.

All the mixed emotions, and the horror and terror and joy this story and its illustrations manage to show, when the boy’s harmonica helps him in a concentration camp, well it’s rather amazing. It feels so honest.

The author’s note at the back of the book tells a little about the real boy this story was based on. This is one of those Holocaust books that shows both the worst and best of human beings.

I would not recommend this as an introduction to the Holocaust (too disturbing) or for extremely sensitive children or very young children, but for older children, this is a marvelous book. I’m very impressed with how the story evolved and what it communicated, and the illustrations are superb. I’ve read quite a few Holocaust books, for children, young adults, and adults, and this is one of the special ones.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story begins in Poland where a boy is family are enjoying each others company and the beauty of music even though they are poor. It is illustrated with beautiful warm colors and the happiness radiates off the page. Then the colors of the illustrations turn cold and dark as the boy and his parents are split apart and sent to separate concentration camps in Nazi Germany. The only thing that helps the boy survive is his small silver harmonica and the music of Schubert.
Author Tony Johnston creates authentic characters with only a small amount of words. He does not romanticize the life of the Polish family before or after they are split apart by Nazi's. the reader never finds out what has happened to the parents although the boy has come to terms with the fact that they are most likely dead. Because of the serious and honest nature of this book, I would recommend it for 5th grade above and for students who are already familiar with the history of Nazi Germany.
One part of this book that I think will resonate with students today is the healing power of music. Even though the boy was facing unspeakable hardships, the music of his harmonica helped him (and many other prisoners) survive from day to day.

[Marquise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant, and very sad, story about a young boy in a concentration camp who finds hope and a way to lighten others up with the harmonica gifted by his father.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been checking out whatever I can find in WWII picture books. It's an interesting genre, because one usually thinks of picture books as being for the smallest children. However, these have such difficult stories that I don't think I will share most of them with my children until they are much older. It would be interesting to have had many of these picture books included in my middle school years and even up into college. They are a poignant way to briefly tell so many stories, and there are many to tell. I'm not sure that there are many upper grade teachers and professors out there who consider adding picture books to their curriculum.

This one is especially haunting, and I believe it would be over most youngsters' heads to try to imagine the way that a child in a concentration camp could have such conflicting emotions over playing music for the commandant who orders him to perform for him regularly. He really has no choice in the matter, and doesn't want to do anything special or nice for this man. However, he gets to play his harmonica, he gets to sink into the music that he loves, he gets to remember his parents who taught and enjoyed the music with him before they died, but he also grieves for them. His performances earn him extra rations, which save his life but which also burden him with guilt that he gets more than others. He feels better about playing when the other prisoners tell him how much it means to them.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't imagine what Schubert would sound like played on a harmonica. I wish I could hear it. Johnston has written a moving story of a young Jewish boy in a Nazi concentration camp who survives because of his music. Ron Mazellan's illustrations have a muted, far-off quality, appropriate for a memory of something that happened long ago. I particularly like the way he has captured people's expressions, whether of happiness singing or sad obedience while appearing before the commandant. A note from the author at the back of the book indicates that this is based on a true story. Nicely done and recommended!

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sincere picture book tells the same type of story as Arthur Miller's screenplay "Playing for Time" in which a person is in the compromising position of playing music for their persecutor (a moral dilemma). It kept them alive but full of guilt. This one has poignant illustrations and beautifully descriptive images in words. This is one of the better picture books about the holocaust--it doesn't hold back or trivialize feelings or events. I recommend it middle school teachers, for sure.

[Richard Davison]

good book about Germany in world war 2 and the struggles someone would go throught

[Sam Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great picture book about the Holocaust, but I did not like the ending

[Kenzie Keough · Rating 4 out of 5]

strong point in the story. yet sad when he felt bad for taking more food.

[Andrew Bott · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a good short story about the Holocaust,but I did not like the ending.

[Andrew H · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was awesome and had a great meaning.

[Gavin Moughan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Harmonica was an interesting story set around a boy who was able to survive the holocuast due to his ability to play the harmonica.

[Loren Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t have sufficient words to adequately describe my love for this book. Few children’s books have the lasting effect this book had on me. I cried so much that it took me time to get through this short narrative, based on an incredible true story of survival. Beautiful, simply beautiful. The illustrations accompanying the story made it just that much more special. A must read for anyone wishing to have a glimpse into the atrocity of the Holocaust, painfully experienced through the eyes of a child. I’ll be rereading it many times, I just know it. I’ve bought a copy, knowing this is something I must treasure and share.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henryk doesn’t remember his parents faces, but he does remember “their love, warm and enfolding as a song.” Thus begins the story of a boy remembering the joy of being with his parents and singing “so off-key we could crack crockery.” The family was poor and loved to listen to Schubert. One day Henryk’s father came home with a harmonica and taught him to play it. Then the Nazi’s came and “like a length of kindling in one stroke, they split our family.” Ironically, the commandant at the concentration camp loves Schubert and Henryk plays for him. Henryk muses, “He worked us, beat us for no reason, without mercy. Yet he recognized beauty. I could not imagine how that could be.” When the other prisoners whisper “Bless you,” Henryk realizes that in this inhumane place his harmonica gives everyone, good and evil, hope; and so, he chooses to play his harmonica with all his heart.

The illustrations, by Ron Mazellan, are gorgeous. In the beginning of the story when Henryk remembers his family the color is warm and glowing. On pages 5 and 6, the lace curtain is blowing in the room while his mother hugs him and his dad looks on with joy. The movement and happiness is captured quite beautifully. It is one of my favorite pages along with the next one that shows a close up of the father and son’s hands as Henryk’s father gives him the harmonica.

While at the camp the colors shift to cool and are grim and dark, portraying the bleak surroundings. The commandant has a hat on one page with a skull on the brim. Another page shows Henryk playing the harmonica and surrounded in light while the commandant in front of a red backdrop listens to him with his hand over is heart and a blissful expression on his face, a bullwhip in his hand, and dogs at his feet. The white blackdrop bleeds into the red suggesting the music touching the evil and reminding the commandant of what was once good in life. On the page where Henryk wonders how the commandant can love Schubert there is a skull lightly painted in the background above the commandant. The boy is in the front and his striped pajamas look like prison bars but in front of the commandant as well as on Henryk. The picture suggests that while Henryk is in prison, so is the commandant whose life is hollow and bankrupt of all beauty. It is a powerful painting.

While this book is written at a grade 3 level the content is for grade 5 and up. It is a picture book that requires discussion and is not really appropriate for young kids. It would be a great mentor text for teachers

[Q_Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the true story of a young boy who survived the Nazi concentration camp in Poland during the Holocaust by playing Schubert on his harmonica every night for the commandant of the camp. Before the Nazis arrested he and his parents, who were sent to a different concentration camp, the three spent their time together singing together in their home, everyone off-key, until they heard Schubert being playing on a neighbor's gramophone and fell in love with the music. The father, a coal miner, finds the money to buy his son a harmonica - not the piano that he wanted - and the boy learns to play Schubert on the instrument while his parents waltzed. In the concentration camp, he played the harmonica at night to give himself hope and the commandment finds out and commands him to play - his reward a piece of bread. As he is despising himself for playing for the man and taking the bread, a fellow prisoner whispers to him in the dark thanking him for playing Schubert. He then continues to play, with the love of his parents in his heart and as a missive to his fellow prisoners. I didn't expect to find such beauty in this book, given the time period and setting, but it is beautiful, the poetry of the language with descriptions, metaphors and similes throughout bring the setting to life, the behavior of the characters and the conflict. It is an inspiring tribute to the strength of the human spirit. The illustrations, created by Ron Mazellan, in a realistic style, compliment the text so well and add so much to the strength of this book. You can see the authenticity of the expression on the characters faces, hands, clothing. In the early part of the text, there are golden yellows and oranges that give way to dark shades of blue and green and gray for the life in the concentration camp. This would be an excellent addition to any unit on the Holocaust, just for the way the story is presented in the language - words that place the images eloquently and simply in the readers' mind, such as "I was sent to a concentration camp, swallowed dreams and all, down the dark Nazi throat. Barefoot, I labored alongside others, all of us dull-eyed bags of bones..." and "I felt sick, black inside, playing music for the commandant, who wore ugliness and death up his shoulders like epaulets." The eloquence of the metaphors also would make it wonderful mentor text for writers in the upper grades.

[Lacey Ellison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annotation:

The Harmonica is a children’s picture book inspired by a Holocaust survivor. A boy’s family finds hope during World War II by the music he plays with his harmonica until the Nazis invade Poland. The family is separated, and the boy learns to understand how his music gives him and the other prisoners hope. The illustrations are a mix of realism and expressionism. The realism helps bring the reader to the historic time period, and the expressionism helps the reader connect with the boy’s emotions and the values instilled in the story.

Response:

What I noticed about the book was how it was inspired by a Holocaust survivor. On the last page of the book, there is an excerpt describing the story the book was based off of. Just like the boy in the story, the harmonica his father gave him helped him survive the Dyhernfurth concentration camp. I like how the book was inspired by his story, because it helps bring authenticity to the story and shows the quality of the book. I also like how the true story is described in the back of the book, because it could help students better understand the story.

I gave this book five stars for a couple reasons. First, the themes in the story are important and easy to connect to. Second, the illustrations show the realistic aspect to the story it was inspired by as well as the emotions and themes in the story. Third, the story teaches the reader about an event in history while instilling important values and morals. The story can be used to teach students about the Holocaust by connecting to the emotions and story of the main character.

Classroom Connection:

One classroom connection would be to have the students discuss how they would feel if they were going through what the boy in the story had to go through. Then they could discuss something they would bring with them to give them hope. The students could then create pictures displaying how their item would bring them hope. I think that this activity would naturally link to the book and allow the students to develop a deeper understanding of the themes in the story. It would allow them to make connections to how the main character feels in the story.


Text Complexity:

The Harmonica has a Lexile of 620 and has a Guided Reading Level of Y. It would be interesting as a read aloud for students in grades 3-6, and a student would be able to read it independently in the seventh month of fourth grade.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Text Set: Social Tragedy
Subject Matter: The Holicast
Published:2002
Book 2

The Harmonica is a powerful picture books that follows a boy, Henryk, through a Nazi concentration camp.

The story starts with Henryk and his family at the beginning of the war. Henryk and his family use music to keep up spirits in a dark time. Through this he has developed a love for music and his father gives him a harmonica because that is all they could afford. Henryk practices and practices, especially Schubert, and eventually becomes quite skilled. Sadly the Nazis arrive and take Henryk and his family to separate concentration camps. At the camp Henryk is asked by a Nazi commander to play for him each evening and in return he gets a small bit of bread. Alone in his bead he feels the tremendous guilt for what he is doing and for the Nazis (even though he has no choice) when a fellow prisoner thanks him for playing his music each night. This is what he needed. This gives him the encouragement to keep playing and as the book ends he goes to play each evening but he plays for his parents and the other prisoners, not for the commander.

The illustrations throughout the book are beautifully drawn and vivid depictions of life in a concentration camp. The color of the book noticeably change from the start to the end, with warm oranges when Henryk is with his family at the start to near pitch black when he contemplates what he is doing for the Nazi commander.

Overall, this book is a powerful reminder of the horrors of the Holicast. Not only what the Nazis did but the mental tolls it cost millions. This book would be appropriate for intermediate grades with guidance, and above because of the content.

[Nicole Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: Tony Johnston’s The Harmonica begins with a young boy reminiscing on his life prior to World War II. He tells of the little his family had and how even so his dad gave him a beautiful silver harmonica. He would play the harmonica often and his parents would dance along, until the Nazis found them. He was sent to a concentration camp and separated from his parents. He would touch and play his harmonica often to keep him from losing hope. The commandant eventually received word of the main character’s talent and summoned him. Each night the main character would play for the commandant. Meanwhile the other prisoner’s would listen to the main character’s beautiful music and they too, were filled with hope.

Theme: Hope can be found anywhere, if you're willing to look

Star Rating: 3 Stars

Personal Response: The Harmonica personalizes World War II and provides insight into the trials and tribulations the Jewish prisoners endured. I personally enjoyed the colorful language and the various use of literary elements. In addition, I was able to step into the main character’s shoes and grasp a deeper understanding of everything he lost. This book puts a face to the Jewish prisoners and provides an alternative perspective of life in the concentration camps.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book for children in the third grade to children in the sixth grade. The book is composed of simple sentences, however there is ample use of vivid language. The illustrations incorporate painterly brushstrokes and melancholy colors. The real life account of the concentration camp may be a bit much for children younger than the third grade.

[Kristen Herzog · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Harmonica written by Tony Johnston and illustrated by Ron Mazellan was a beautiful story about a boy who gave hope to the prisoners by playing his harmonica. His father gives this young boy a harmonica when the war first starts. One of his favorite memories of his youth and his parents is when they would sing and listen to music. They were very poor and couldn't afford a piano so a harmonica would have to do. Little does Henryk know that his love of Schubert and his ability to play the harmonica ends up saving his life. He is asked by the commander to come and play each evening. When he is finished playing he is given a piece of bread. He feels so sorry for himself during the story but ends up being thanked by someone else for he music. This gives him the encouragement to keep playing. Now when he goes to play each evening he plays for his Parents, and the other prisoners not for the commander. The illustrations throughout the book are beautifully drawn. The color tone changes depending on the mood of the moment. At one point when Henryk is at his lowest the illustrations are so dark you can hardly see anything. This was also when he was thanked for playing so the next illustration you see grows brighter the more he plays because he is now playing for his parents and the other prisoners. Beautifully written and illustrated, would be appropriate for intermediate grades and above because of the content.

[Britany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was inspired by a true story, and it is about a boy who grew up with music and it always reminds him of his family. He loved dancing and singing with his family, and one day his father brought him a harmonica, and he learned to play it. Then soldiers came and split up his family, so his parents were taken somewhere he didn’t know, and he was taken to a concentration camp. At the camp he saw everyone was worked to death, and somehow an officer there found out he could play the harmonica. So, every night he played for the soldier and it made him sick, but then he noticed the other prisoners liked it too. Then he started to play for the prisoners and he played to remember his parents and the fun they used to have when they were all together.

I thought this story has so many elements that brought it to life. The bleed and full spread illustrations setting the scene for the well put together text. One thing that stood out to me was the dark gray colors used in the scenes where the Nazi officer was seen. In the background in the shadow of the officer there is even a skull, and I think that just shows there is more meaning to the book than just the words.

[Dayna Stechel · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. Awards: none

2. Appropriate grade level(s): third grade through fifth grade

3. Original 3-line summary: This book is about a boy who lived in Poland during the Holocaust. He starts out happily with his family, given a harmonica instead of a piano, but then quickly gets separated from his family and thrown in a concentration camp. The boy starts playing the harmonica and immediately catches the attention of the guard who orders him to play, being the only way he can survive in the camp.

4. Original 3-line review: I think this book is a little too dark from younger readers, but the older grades would be able to handle it. It’s an intense book that allows the students to see a first-hand story of a little boy trying to survive in the concentration camps during the holocaust. It ties in more emotion to a historic event that is deeply important to remember.

5. 2-3 in class uses:
• have students describe their emotions they felt about each event that occurred.
• Discuss setting, and when it changes.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not really sure that this book is age appropriate for the picture book age group (1-6) even though it is classified as a picture book.
I feel shaken by it and I'm far, far above the age group targeted.

A little Jewish boy gets a harmonica from his father because they can't afford a piano, or much of anything. He and his parents love music, love Schubert, and the boy learns to play on his harmonica and his parents dance. That is until the Nazi invasion of Poland. He is separated from his parents and sent to a concentration camp where he manages to hold on to his beloved harmonica.

The boy is aware his parents are dead and when the commandant of the camp finds out about the boy's ability to play Schubert on it he makes the boy play for him and gives the boy extra bread. This makes the boy feel dirty and bad. Until he learns that the other prisoners can hear it and it gives them hope. So he plays his little heart out.

Touching and moving and just plain heartbreaking.

[Shelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Harmonica is based on a real Holocaust survivor who kept his hope and himself alive with the help of a harmonica given to him by his father; (whose whereabouts are now unknown to him). Each night he is forced to play the music of Schubert to a cruel prison guard. This book is extremely dark and has amazing illustrations that capture a glimpse of the horrors these Jewish children endured, making me add a cautionary note to parents and educators to consider their audience before sharing this story. This quick read is best suited for older students leaning about World War II.

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Harmonica is inspired by the true story of a Holocaust survivor. It is reminiscent to me of the film, The Pianist, sharing the theme of the power of music in the darkest time. This historical picture book follows a Polish boy into the concentration camp, Dyhernfurth. There, he plays the harmonica his father gave to him. Though he is separated from his parents and forced to work in the camp, the boy plays the harmonica in the evenings for a Nazi general, thereby making himself valuable, but the music saves more than one life. Lovely illustrations and a moving story.

[Duane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually loved the illustrations in this book so much more than the actual story! I felt like the story left a lot of important details out and was very choppy, but the illustrations in this book are magnificant! I just can't say enough about how the drawings bring you into a story that you wish you knew so much more about.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great way to introduce children to the Holocaust. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful. I really like this art work. The story is touching. It's written by a survivor of the Holocaust. The key to his childhood survival through a concentration camp was a harmonica his parents had given him and the beauty of the music. Very touching.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely picture book with haunting illustrations. It's not graphic, but because of the subject matter, I'm not sure it would be good for young children, and older children probably would not want to read a picture book. So I'm not sure what the target audience would be. But it is a good depiction of one boy's journey through the Holocaust.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The true story of a Jewish boy and his family, captured by Germans, confined to concentration camps. The young man senses (correctly) that his parents have been killed, then clings to his harmonica and Shubert and his memory of their love and joy and comfort.
He confronts the paradox that the commandant who inflicts pain and death can still appreciate the beauty of Shubert and music.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork went really well with the story and overall the story was interesting and sad. It tells the story of a young child being sent to a concentration camp being separated from his parents where he survived by being forced to play the harmonica for the Nazi. It shows how powerful music can be.