Pizzicato: The Abduction of the Magic Violin
At school and at the Stork's Nest Children's Home, where he lives in his German town, 12-year-old orphan Darius Dorian is teased and bullied for his slow, thoughtful ways. Darius' favorite escape is burrowing under his comforter and listening to classical music on an old radio, so he is thrilled when a three-week school assignment pairs him with violin maker Archibald Archinola. At Mr. Archinola's, Darius finds a magic violin with astonishing healing powers that can be unleashed only by someone as kind and patient as Darius. But after a team of mother-son crooks discovers the violin's secret, Darius finds himself in danger. Although set in contemporary times, Reh's story, translated from the German, has an Old World European charm, from the cast of eccentric, lovable characters to the scenes of cafe life. Readers will delight in watching the buffoonish villains get their comeuppance, but it's Darius' wish-fulfillment as he finds a new life filled with music and a family of his own that will satisfy readers most. Suggest this to fans of Eva Ibbotson's books. Grades 4-7. --Gillian Engberg