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Lisa of Willesden Lane: A True Story of Music and Survival During World War II
An inspiring true story about one girl's escape from the Holocaust to become a concert pianist against all odds, made popular by Mona Golabek's acclaimed theatrical performance and the beloved novel The Children of Willesden Lane -- now available in an early chapter book format.In pre-World War II Vienna, Lisa Jura was a musical prodigy who hoped to become a concert pianist. But when enemy forces threatened the city -- especially its Jewish population -- Lisa's parents were forced to make a difficult decision. They secured passage for only one of their three daughters through the Kindertransport, and chose to send gifted Lisa to London for safety. As she yearned to be reunited with her family where she lived in a home for refugee children on Willesden Lane, Lisa's music became a beacon of hope for all of her peers.A story of the power of music to uplift the human spirit, this compelling tribute has moved and inspired hundreds of thousands of students and adults across the globe. Now is the perfect time to bring this timeless story of hope to even younger audiences as Mona Golabek's mission to transform historical testimony into youth empowerment has driven many requests for shorter, illustrated formats. Both a picture book and chapter book will be available.
177 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 12, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 31, 2020
Things I loved:
True story, and an inspiring one.
The fact that the book has been adapted for early chapterbook in addition to middle grade -- FANTASTIC, do more of that, please! I particularly like the low page count.
The hopeful message, despite the very tragic reality.
Things that could have been better:
Like many nonfiction bios for this reading demographic, the book includes short out-takes to explain context. While I agree that context is extremely useful to kids, in this case I found them choppy and disruptive -- they appear at random and throw you right out of the narrative in order to reveal the big picture. They also use language that is more complex than the text, so I'm not actually sure kids will be able to understand the message they are trying to bring across. I think it would be better to either work the explanations in through Lisa's own viewpoint, or skip them altogether. You might be able to get away with a glossary, but it would be better to write a story that kids want to research more on their own afterwards than shoehorn information in.
It was very complicated for me as a reader to keep track of all the kids in the book. Lots of names, not a lot of memorable moments.
It reads more like a reduction than an adaptation. I know there is so much more to this story, but this felt like a bare-bones version that was not as engaging as I hoped for.
Yeah, yeah, I want the low page count and the focus on transitional readers. I also want a well written, super compelling story that I can really engage with. Tall order! But if you look at Number the Stars, or even What Was the Holocaust?, there are examples of how to pull this off.
Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.
True story, and an inspiring one.
The fact that the book has been adapted for early chapterbook in addition to middle grade -- FANTASTIC, do more of that, please! I particularly like the low page count.
The hopeful message, despite the very tragic reality.
Things that could have been better:
Like many nonfiction bios for this reading demographic, the book includes short out-takes to explain context. While I agree that context is extremely useful to kids, in this case I found them choppy and disruptive -- they appear at random and throw you right out of the narrative in order to reveal the big picture. They also use language that is more complex than the text, so I'm not actually sure kids will be able to understand the message they are trying to bring across. I think it would be better to either work the explanations in through Lisa's own viewpoint, or skip them altogether. You might be able to get away with a glossary, but it would be better to write a story that kids want to research more on their own afterwards than shoehorn information in.
It was very complicated for me as a reader to keep track of all the kids in the book. Lots of names, not a lot of memorable moments.
It reads more like a reduction than an adaptation. I know there is so much more to this story, but this felt like a bare-bones version that was not as engaging as I hoped for.
Yeah, yeah, I want the low page count and the focus on transitional readers. I also want a well written, super compelling story that I can really engage with. Tall order! But if you look at Number the Stars, or even What Was the Holocaust?, there are examples of how to pull this off.
Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.
October 6, 2024
At the age of 14, Lisa enjoyed her piano lessons each week. When she was younger, Lisa's mother gave her lessons, however, as her skills surpassed her mother's, Lisa would travel from her home in the Jewish neighborhood of Vienna, Austria to that of her non-Jewish piano teacher's home across town. However, one day in 1938, Lisa has her very last lesson as Hitler's new laws forbid non-Jews to have any business with Jews. As restrictions against Jews reach a high on Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, where the Nazis killed a hundred Jews and burned and destroyed synagoges, homes, and businesses, Lisa's family has to make a difficult decision. Her father was able to secure one ticket aboard the Kindertransport, a train that will take children from Nazi occupied countries to England for safety and refuge. However, though Lisa's oldest sister, Rosie is too old to board the train, Mother and Papa have to decide who will go, Lisa, or her 12 year old sister, Sonia. As her parents decide to send Lisa first, they promise to send Sonia as soon as possible. As they part, Mother makes Lisa promise to always take her music with her wherever she goes. With these words, Lisa vows to keep them even as she holds precious sheet music in her luggage.
Lisa arrives in London, on Willesden Lane, finding a home and friends that become like family in a hostel for Jewish children. Days become months and months become years. Will Lisa see Sonia or the rest of her family ever again?
This biography is written by Lisa's daughter.
Lisa arrives in London, on Willesden Lane, finding a home and friends that become like family in a hostel for Jewish children. Days become months and months become years. Will Lisa see Sonia or the rest of her family ever again?
This biography is written by Lisa's daughter.
November 29, 2023
This book, based on Mona’s mother Lisa, is an abridgment of The Children of Willesden Lane: Young Readers Edition (itself an abridgement of The Children of Willesden Lane) by the same authors. This abridgment is well written, full of information and feeling, while still being suitable to sensitive readers. It is a story that spans from when Lisa is 14 years old and living in Vienna, Austria through till 1945 when she is 21. It shows the power of music and how it can bring hope during dark times. Includes photographs of the real people this is written about, as well as a Holocaust timeline and discussion questions.
March 12, 2023
" Lisa, hold on to your music, and I will be with you every step of the way" Lisa's mother ( the author's grandmother)
This was such an inspiring true historical fiction story about a young, talented pianist whose parents make the difficult choice to send her alone to safety in London via the Kindertransport to escape the Holocaust. The illustrations are wonderfully done and there is an extensive portion at the end of this short book for further study.
There is also a picture book by the same authors that is equally as beautiful and inspiring called " Hold On To Your Music."
This was such an inspiring true historical fiction story about a young, talented pianist whose parents make the difficult choice to send her alone to safety in London via the Kindertransport to escape the Holocaust. The illustrations are wonderfully done and there is an extensive portion at the end of this short book for further study.
There is also a picture book by the same authors that is equally as beautiful and inspiring called " Hold On To Your Music."
March 1, 2021
I loved that this was based on a true story and was inspiring. It definitely is written for younger middle grade readers. It felt like it was rushed and there was a lot of details and emotion left out but i think that was a result of squeezing a complicated story into an early middle grade novel. I’d love to read this same story in a different format. Overall, i think it’s an important story for younger middle grade readers to be exposed to.
April 15, 2022
A great true story of a Jewish pianist during World War II for beginner readers. I am not a beginner reader but saw it at the library and knew the story from my research on piano women and so picked it up! There is an early reader version and an older reader version adapted from the story written by the daughter of Lisa Jura, the pianist in the centre of the story. A story of hope and the power of music.
April 23, 2023
Read this book for my daughter’s book club. Wow what an amazing story. Reading and learning about wwii is simply amazing. Seeing the view point of the war through a child/teen was interesting. I could not imagine going through what Lisa went through and all those other children. Then to come to the end of the war and find out what was really happening at the concentration camps, just heart breaking. I love that her love for music helped keep her going.
July 16, 2022
Wasn't that well written. Didn't even get half way through the book. Very choppy for a book for ages 9 and up. t felt like a book written for children just learning to read chapter books. The main character was 14, though I kept thinking she was 9, due to the way the authors described her
September 19, 2023
I started reading a few chapters outloud to my granddaughter and then picked up the book and finished the sweet story of Lisa Jura. It is an uplifting story of hope and survival to help begin to teach about WWII to young children.
January 26, 2026
This is a strong read for a class novel in upper elementary grades to help teach about the Holocaust. I like that the book itself holds space for teaching about the Holocaust as it follows Lisa's story.
March 31, 2022
A nice second/third grade biography about a Jewish girl who loves her family and her music. Not great writing but a solid story.
May 17, 2022
A lovely story about a sad time in the world. This book for children has facts to explain what happened in history to better understand this true story.
November 24, 2022
3.5 stars
February 28, 2023
A great introduction to the Holocaust and the kindertransports, gentle but highly impactful. Perfect for late 3rd grade/4th grade
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews