Echo

Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Lost and alone in a forbidden 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, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo.

The Good

Friedrich’s father and uncle will do whatever it takes to protect him. Mike fearlessly protects his younger brother Frankie. Ivy gives up her dreams in order to help her family. She goes to a separate school for Mexican kids then her new friend.

The Bad

A witch takes care of the King’s daughters. Friedrich’s father is taken to a concentration camp in Germany because he played music with a Jew. Mike and his brother Frankie live in an orphanage with a greedy manager. This whole book is set in world war two.

Ages

Ages 11+ would be great for this book.

My Take

Overall, I enjoyed Echo. I didn’t really like that Pam Muñoz Ryan tried to mix fantasy with reality, but I love books that have random characters come together in the end. It’s a really thick book (587 pages!), so make sure your child is able to read that long of a book. I would recommend it, especially to historical fiction lovers.

Review by Kaitlyn