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Flowers for Sarajevo
Young Drasko is happy working with his father in the Sarajevo market. Then war encroaches. Drasko must run the family flower stand alone.
One morning, the bakery is bombed and twenty-two people are killed. The next day, a cellist walks to the bombsite and plays the most heartbreaking music Drasko can imagine. The cellist returns for twenty-two days, one day for each victim of the bombing. Inspired by the musician's response, Drasko finds a way to help make Sarajevo beautiful again.
Inspired by real events of the Bosnian War, award-winning songwriter and storyteller John McCutcheon tells the uplifting story of the power of beauty in the face of violence and suffering. The story comes to life with the included CD in which cellist Vedran Smailović accompanies McCutcheon and performs the melody that he played in 1992 to honor those who died in the Sarajevo mortar blast.
One morning, the bakery is bombed and twenty-two people are killed. The next day, a cellist walks to the bombsite and plays the most heartbreaking music Drasko can imagine. The cellist returns for twenty-two days, one day for each victim of the bombing. Inspired by the musician's response, Drasko finds a way to help make Sarajevo beautiful again.
Inspired by real events of the Bosnian War, award-winning songwriter and storyteller John McCutcheon tells the uplifting story of the power of beauty in the face of violence and suffering. The story comes to life with the included CD in which cellist Vedran Smailović accompanies McCutcheon and performs the melody that he played in 1992 to honor those who died in the Sarajevo mortar blast.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2017
3 people are currently reading
408 people want to read
About the author
John McCutcheon
7 books9 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
John McCutcheon is an American folk music singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and writer.
John McCutcheon is an American folk music singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
December 28, 2024
As soon as I saw this in the children's section at the library I knew I had to read it. I loved "The Cellist of Sarajevo" and have now found a children's book to match it.
It follows a boy selling flowers in the square and the story is told from his perspective.
This story recognizes that while we all have plenty to disagree on, we also have something good to give. So let's create and give beauty in the midst of war.
I now want this for my personal shelf.
It follows a boy selling flowers in the square and the story is told from his perspective.
This story recognizes that while we all have plenty to disagree on, we also have something good to give. So let's create and give beauty in the midst of war.
I now want this for my personal shelf.
May 15, 2018
Every now and then an illustrated children’s book wil add dimension to a well-known story. Among them, Blowin' in the Wind and The Train They Call the City of New Orleans.
This book, historical fiction for children, comes from an event known as The Cellist of Sarajevo, which inspired the novel The Cellist of Sarajevo. That book, historical fiction for adults, turned me on to the incident, although the author used the story of the cellist without his permission. Nonetheless, I liked the story, while remaining mindful of the cellist’s concerns.
On the morning of a Sunday May day twenty-six years ago, a mortar killed twenty-two people in line at a bakery on the square of a downtown market in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War.
The next day, at the time of the attack, a door opened across the square from the bakery. Vedra Smailovic came out and played his cello in the ruins for the first of twenty-two days, a day for each victim, playing Adagio in G Minor by Albinoni.
“Vedra’s music served as a eulogy, as a prayer as well as a voice of hope and defense,” writes the author in his note for the book, which focuses on the impact of the cellist’s actions.
Flowers and music. Two languages that everyone understands.
Since reading the novel several years ago, I wanted Smailovic’s version of the adagio. It was easy enough to find the work by others. At long last, I found him playing the piece on the compact disc included with this children’s book. I favor CDs because I like album art, liner notes and the clear sound.
John McCutcheon wrote this book, illustrated by Kristy Caldwell, rendering in ink, charcoal and graphite pencil with Adobe Photoshop.
Interest in the region began many years ago. I wrote my sixth-grade social studies report on Yugoslavia. And a couple of adults in my childhood — an uncle and a family friend — came from Czechoslovakia. Melania, our First Lady, comes from nearby Slovenia.
This book, historical fiction for children, comes from an event known as The Cellist of Sarajevo, which inspired the novel The Cellist of Sarajevo. That book, historical fiction for adults, turned me on to the incident, although the author used the story of the cellist without his permission. Nonetheless, I liked the story, while remaining mindful of the cellist’s concerns.
On the morning of a Sunday May day twenty-six years ago, a mortar killed twenty-two people in line at a bakery on the square of a downtown market in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War.
The next day, at the time of the attack, a door opened across the square from the bakery. Vedra Smailovic came out and played his cello in the ruins for the first of twenty-two days, a day for each victim, playing Adagio in G Minor by Albinoni.
“Vedra’s music served as a eulogy, as a prayer as well as a voice of hope and defense,” writes the author in his note for the book, which focuses on the impact of the cellist’s actions.
Flowers and music. Two languages that everyone understands.
Since reading the novel several years ago, I wanted Smailovic’s version of the adagio. It was easy enough to find the work by others. At long last, I found him playing the piece on the compact disc included with this children’s book. I favor CDs because I like album art, liner notes and the clear sound.
John McCutcheon wrote this book, illustrated by Kristy Caldwell, rendering in ink, charcoal and graphite pencil with Adobe Photoshop.
Interest in the region began many years ago. I wrote my sixth-grade social studies report on Yugoslavia. And a couple of adults in my childhood — an uncle and a family friend — came from Czechoslovakia. Melania, our First Lady, comes from nearby Slovenia.
January 6, 2020
Drasko and his father sold flowers in the marketplace of Sarajevo until war came to their part of the world, and Drasko's father had to leave to fight. Continuing on as best he could, Drasko observed the growing grimness of a city under siege, and witnessed a terrible atrocity the day that Sarajevo's only functioning bakery was bombed, slaughtering twenty-two people whose only crime was waiting in line for bread. But then, amidst the carnage and terror, he witnessed something extraordinary: the cellist from the nearby symphony decided to hold a public performance in the bombed-out marketplace, returning every day for twenty-two days in order to honor those who had been slain...
Based upon the true story of the Cellist of Sarajevo, Vedran Smailović, who did indeed perform Albinoni's Adagio in G Minor multiple times during the siege of his city, Flowers for Sarajevo is told from a child's perspective, imagining these events as seen through the fictional Drasko's eyes. Author John McCutcheon, a singer/song-writer who has composed a well-known folk song about Smailović, with whom he is friends, spins a poignant tale here, one which addresses a terrible moment in history, and the greatness of the human spirit, in confronting that moment. The accompanying artwork by Kristy Caldwell has a layered look to it, with some people and objects appearing more vividly in the foreground, while others recede into the subtler background. This gives a sense of depth and motion to the illustrations here, making the story come alive in interesting ways. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about the Balkan War specifically, or about children caught up in war in general.
Based upon the true story of the Cellist of Sarajevo, Vedran Smailović, who did indeed perform Albinoni's Adagio in G Minor multiple times during the siege of his city, Flowers for Sarajevo is told from a child's perspective, imagining these events as seen through the fictional Drasko's eyes. Author John McCutcheon, a singer/song-writer who has composed a well-known folk song about Smailović, with whom he is friends, spins a poignant tale here, one which addresses a terrible moment in history, and the greatness of the human spirit, in confronting that moment. The accompanying artwork by Kristy Caldwell has a layered look to it, with some people and objects appearing more vividly in the foreground, while others recede into the subtler background. This gives a sense of depth and motion to the illustrations here, making the story come alive in interesting ways. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about the Balkan War specifically, or about children caught up in war in general.
January 3, 2019
Originally reviewed for YA Books Central: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfic...
Haunting and hopeful.
The bombing one of the last working bakeries in the city of Sarajevo might have been remembered as just one more senseless act of violence at the height of a terrible ethnic war, if not for the venerable tribute of a lone cellist. The day following the explosion he donned a tuxedo, carried a chair to the crater, and played Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor—a moving and unfinished piece. He came at the same time and repeated this performance for twenty-two consecutive days.
This story is about a horrendous true incident of the Bosnian war, as experienced through the eyes of a fictional young boy named Drasko. The author does a tactful-yet-impactful job of humanizing a flashpoint in history, giving it more meaningful weight and depth, whilst highlighting a heroic act of dignity. I’ll admit to being a bit hesitant at first about how my 7 and 8 year old might handle something this heavy, but I needn’t have worried. The audio narration held their rapt attention, and provided opportunities for us to discuss difficult questions.
The CD included in a sleeve at the back of the book contains 6 tracks, which include audio of the author narrating the book (one version with page-turning prompts and one without), a reading of the historical note and brief biography, a piano/cello/vocal composition called “The Streets of Sarajevo,” an interview conversation with the author, and the mournful cello piece referenced in the book--performed by Vedran Smailovic—“The Cellist of Sarajevo” himself.
It’s rare to find a children’s book that’s so completely a work of art—but that’s exactly what John McCutcheon and Kristy Caldwell have partnered to bring us. An artistic experience that is visual, musical, and empathic—creating a lyrical and emotional resonance. This book is a treasure.
Haunting and hopeful.
The bombing one of the last working bakeries in the city of Sarajevo might have been remembered as just one more senseless act of violence at the height of a terrible ethnic war, if not for the venerable tribute of a lone cellist. The day following the explosion he donned a tuxedo, carried a chair to the crater, and played Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor—a moving and unfinished piece. He came at the same time and repeated this performance for twenty-two consecutive days.
This story is about a horrendous true incident of the Bosnian war, as experienced through the eyes of a fictional young boy named Drasko. The author does a tactful-yet-impactful job of humanizing a flashpoint in history, giving it more meaningful weight and depth, whilst highlighting a heroic act of dignity. I’ll admit to being a bit hesitant at first about how my 7 and 8 year old might handle something this heavy, but I needn’t have worried. The audio narration held their rapt attention, and provided opportunities for us to discuss difficult questions.
The CD included in a sleeve at the back of the book contains 6 tracks, which include audio of the author narrating the book (one version with page-turning prompts and one without), a reading of the historical note and brief biography, a piano/cello/vocal composition called “The Streets of Sarajevo,” an interview conversation with the author, and the mournful cello piece referenced in the book--performed by Vedran Smailovic—“The Cellist of Sarajevo” himself.
It’s rare to find a children’s book that’s so completely a work of art—but that’s exactly what John McCutcheon and Kristy Caldwell have partnered to bring us. An artistic experience that is visual, musical, and empathic—creating a lyrical and emotional resonance. This book is a treasure.
November 18, 2016
En primer lugar, gracias a Netgalley y Myrick Marketing & Media, LLC por compartir este libro.
Esta historia se desarrolla en el marco del Sitio de Sarajevo (1992), cuando una panadería fue atacada y veinte personas fueron asesinadas; ahí un niño que vende flores observa y aprende sobre la compasión y la esperanza.
Me gustó la historia de muchas maneras, pero principalmente por la facilidad de transmitir un mensaje de igualdad y fuerza. Además, el arte de las ilustraciones encaja perfectamente con la escena y los sentimientos de la historia ... no es como el cuadro de un acto violento como lo fue el evento real, sino todo lo contrario, es un trabajo que transmite esperanza.
Los autores (escritor e ilustrador) quieren encontrar la belleza en la maldad, y creo que lo hacen.
Dentro de la breve trama se abordan temas como la igualdad, la pérdida y la esperanza, entre otros sentimientos que van por el mismo camino. La diferencia entre esta historia y las que leemos frecuentemente es que además de buscar el lado bueno de las cosas, te motiva a hacer el cambio por ti mismo a través de cualquier detalle... porque en tiempos de guerra hasta la más mínima sonrisa es un consuelo.
El final está rarito, lo sentí algo abrupto (por eso le quité una estrellita), pero esto pasó a la historia cuando miré el material informativo y una canción muy cursi escrita por el autor, que dicho sea de paso, es músico.
Y pues sí, la cosa tras la existencia del libro se me hizo interesante, hay mucho dato por aquí.
To be read?
Es un libro que recomendaría a los niños y lectores de middle grade, por el contenido histórico y el mensaje. Además, el libro es mejor que la canción del autor ... just saying.
Esta historia se desarrolla en el marco del Sitio de Sarajevo (1992), cuando una panadería fue atacada y veinte personas fueron asesinadas; ahí un niño que vende flores observa y aprende sobre la compasión y la esperanza.
Me gustó la historia de muchas maneras, pero principalmente por la facilidad de transmitir un mensaje de igualdad y fuerza. Además, el arte de las ilustraciones encaja perfectamente con la escena y los sentimientos de la historia ... no es como el cuadro de un acto violento como lo fue el evento real, sino todo lo contrario, es un trabajo que transmite esperanza.
Los autores (escritor e ilustrador) quieren encontrar la belleza en la maldad, y creo que lo hacen.
Dentro de la breve trama se abordan temas como la igualdad, la pérdida y la esperanza, entre otros sentimientos que van por el mismo camino. La diferencia entre esta historia y las que leemos frecuentemente es que además de buscar el lado bueno de las cosas, te motiva a hacer el cambio por ti mismo a través de cualquier detalle... porque en tiempos de guerra hasta la más mínima sonrisa es un consuelo.
El final está rarito, lo sentí algo abrupto (por eso le quité una estrellita), pero esto pasó a la historia cuando miré el material informativo y una canción muy cursi escrita por el autor, que dicho sea de paso, es músico.
Y pues sí, la cosa tras la existencia del libro se me hizo interesante, hay mucho dato por aquí.
To be read?
Es un libro que recomendaría a los niños y lectores de middle grade, por el contenido histórico y el mensaje. Además, el libro es mejor que la canción del autor ... just saying.
May 18, 2017
A fabulous picture book told with heart about the toll of war & the humanity & beauty & hope that can survive. Fascinating story of hope in despair and muted illustrations emphasize the power of this book. Extensive back matter includes historical context for the region and wars, an authors note on inspiration for the story, short biography of the cellist, and song lyrics, sheet music, and a CD with recording of the cello solo played and song inspired by the events.
November 10, 2017
I can still remember watching the 1984 Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo, especially that stunning performance of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean ice skating to Bolero, for which they earned perfect scores down the line.
Yet, less than 10 years later, that once beautiful city was under siege by Serbs and Bosnian Serbs, a blockade that lasted from April 1992 to February 1996, with daily sniper shelling and mortar attacks.
Flowers for Sarajevo is based on a true story that came out of the siege. It is narrated by Drasko, a young (fictional) boy who works with his father, Milo, selling flowers in a bustling marketplace in Sarajevo, one where Serbs, Croats, Muslims, and Christians mingle and shop together. But overnight, Drasko observes, everything changes, Sarajevo is being torn apart, and men, even his father, are being sent to the battlefield to fight.
Suddenly, merchants who were once friendly when Milo was there, have become mean and are pushing Drasko aside, forcing him into the worst corner of the marketplace. One good thing about it, he says - he can hear the Sarajevo Opera Orchestra rehearsing.
Then, one day in May 1992, a mortar shells hit a bakery where 22 people who were waiting in line to buy bread are killed. The very next day, at the very moment the people were killed, a cellist comes out of the rehearsal hall, sits among the rubble that was once the bakery, and plays Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor on his cello. He does this for 22 days days in a row, “one day for each family without a loved one,” Drasko tells us.
Flowers for Sarajevo is one of the most affecting books I have read for this blog so far. Perhaps it is because the author does not go into any real detail about the Balkan War itself, but lets the reader experience it through the eyes of a young boy who ethnicity isn’t given. What the reader focuses on instead is that small marketplace and the tragic event that took place there, and then, the meaning of the cellist’s daily performance.
Which is probably why McCutcheon doesn’t give the name of the cellist, or even the name of the piece that he plays everyday. Somehow, it seems fitting not knowing right away (you will find it, however, in the Author’s Note). In that way, it focuses only on honoring the dead and the families they left behind, not about who the cellist is.
In this beautifully done picture book for older readers, we are reminded that the language of music has the power to unite us, that courageous acts have the power to inspire us, and both have the power to give us hope.
The ink, charcoal, and graphite pencil illustrations are done in a palette of dark, somber shades, except for the brightly colored flowers that Milo and Drasko sell. And just as the story wants us to focus on Drasko and the cellist, so do the illustrations, often having them is sharp focus, and the streets and buildings that surround them in soft, almost transparent focus. The illustrations are all extremely dramatic even in their simplicity.
McCutcheon includes a short history of wars in the Balkans over the years, and more information about the cellist, whose name is Vedran Smailovic. There is also a CD of John McCutcheon narrating the story, as well as his song “Streets of Sarajevo,” and a performance of Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor played by Vedran Smailovic, among other things.
This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was purchased for my persona library
Yet, less than 10 years later, that once beautiful city was under siege by Serbs and Bosnian Serbs, a blockade that lasted from April 1992 to February 1996, with daily sniper shelling and mortar attacks.
Flowers for Sarajevo is based on a true story that came out of the siege. It is narrated by Drasko, a young (fictional) boy who works with his father, Milo, selling flowers in a bustling marketplace in Sarajevo, one where Serbs, Croats, Muslims, and Christians mingle and shop together. But overnight, Drasko observes, everything changes, Sarajevo is being torn apart, and men, even his father, are being sent to the battlefield to fight.
Suddenly, merchants who were once friendly when Milo was there, have become mean and are pushing Drasko aside, forcing him into the worst corner of the marketplace. One good thing about it, he says - he can hear the Sarajevo Opera Orchestra rehearsing.
Then, one day in May 1992, a mortar shells hit a bakery where 22 people who were waiting in line to buy bread are killed. The very next day, at the very moment the people were killed, a cellist comes out of the rehearsal hall, sits among the rubble that was once the bakery, and plays Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor on his cello. He does this for 22 days days in a row, “one day for each family without a loved one,” Drasko tells us.
Flowers for Sarajevo is one of the most affecting books I have read for this blog so far. Perhaps it is because the author does not go into any real detail about the Balkan War itself, but lets the reader experience it through the eyes of a young boy who ethnicity isn’t given. What the reader focuses on instead is that small marketplace and the tragic event that took place there, and then, the meaning of the cellist’s daily performance.
Which is probably why McCutcheon doesn’t give the name of the cellist, or even the name of the piece that he plays everyday. Somehow, it seems fitting not knowing right away (you will find it, however, in the Author’s Note). In that way, it focuses only on honoring the dead and the families they left behind, not about who the cellist is.
In this beautifully done picture book for older readers, we are reminded that the language of music has the power to unite us, that courageous acts have the power to inspire us, and both have the power to give us hope.
The ink, charcoal, and graphite pencil illustrations are done in a palette of dark, somber shades, except for the brightly colored flowers that Milo and Drasko sell. And just as the story wants us to focus on Drasko and the cellist, so do the illustrations, often having them is sharp focus, and the streets and buildings that surround them in soft, almost transparent focus. The illustrations are all extremely dramatic even in their simplicity.
McCutcheon includes a short history of wars in the Balkans over the years, and more information about the cellist, whose name is Vedran Smailovic. There is also a CD of John McCutcheon narrating the story, as well as his song “Streets of Sarajevo,” and a performance of Albinoni’s Adagio in G Minor played by Vedran Smailovic, among other things.
This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was purchased for my persona library
June 25, 2017
This is a beautiful picture book that shows the horrors of war and one musician's refusal to give up playing in the face of danger and terror. Told from the point of view of young Drasko, a boy selling flowers in the market square, this is the story of Vedran Smailovic, a cellist for the Sarajevo Opera Orchestra. After a bombing that killed 22 people, he emerged from the rehearsal building to play beautiful music. He repeated this act for 22 days in a row, one for each of the victims. The illustrations are stunning and haunting as the background for each is faded as though there's a mist or fog that has descended and the foreground is in bold contrast. There is a CD that accompanies this book that has a recording of a song written by the author, "The Streets of Sarajevo" and also a solo recording of Albinoni's Adagio in G Minor, the tune played by the cellist in the story. There is also a recording of the author sharing his thoughts on this story. This is definitely a terrific resource to share with middle grade students!
February 3, 2021
I loved this book. The illustrations helped establish a clear picture of the town square in Sarajevo, telling the story from the perspective of Drasko, the son of a flower salesman. The illustrations follow the mood of the story- bright hues at the beginning of the book fade to more muted colors in the aftermath of the bombing, then slowly come back as the cellist plays, and images of broken glass accompany Drasko's feelings of fear. I wish the author had included bits of his song's lyrics in the text of the story. The song itself is beautiful, but it would have been especially nice to have some of the lyrics threaded throughout the book.
Read
March 23, 2019At a market in Sarajevo, a boy manages his flower stand after his dad left to fight in the war. An unexpected bombing killed 22 people and left the city in grief. A musician from a nearby orchestra started playing his cello every day for 22 days to commemorate each life killed in the accident. A real story, this book reminds us that each of us has the capacity to find the beauty and kindness within ourselves when violence and hatred seek to destroy and control the world.
April 14, 2017
ISBN13: 9781682630006
My thoughts: This is a powerful picture book whose impact can easily span a broad scope of ages for interest and direction into understanding the humanity of those whose lives are ruined by war and how kindness can lead the people through the darkness of the occasion.
John McCutcheon has taken an actual place and actual event where the Serb and Croatian war led to the Siege of Sarajevo. He has brought into the story how the war impacted the family of Drasko who is a young boy whose father sold fresh flowers in Sarajevo. Father is away at war and Drasko continues to sell the flowers to support his family.
War hits. Destruction is close and personal. The bombing was terrible.
And then, the cellist steps from his doorway and sits down. He begins to play. Sadness but beauty and hope emanate from his piece. This continues day by day.
The story touched my heart and I thought to myself, "Why have I never heard this story before?" The story is both sad and beautiful as the darkness is parted and the brightness that is the human spirit shines forth.
The illustrations are poignant, yet suitable for a children's book. The colors are drab neutrals which denote the bland, unlovely world that was Bosnia in the 1990s. Small touches of bright color peek through in the beauty of the flowers.
Included in this publication is the true back story of Cellist Vedran Smailovic who was a cellist for the Sarajevo Opera, Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra RTV Sarajevo, and the National Theatre of Sarajevo. Also, the history of the embattled region that includes Sarajevo spanning more than a century. And the beautiful reading of the story by the author himself. The beautiful song is sung by John McCutcheon and played by Cellist Vedran Smailovic.
I highly recommend.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimen tary copy from Peachtree Publishing to facilitate a review. I was not compensated and opinions are my own, alone.
September 6, 2017
Incredibly moving, will bring you to tears if you stat playing the song the cellist plays in the book. I love the clean, beautiful illustrations.
November 11, 2017
"This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before." - Leonard Bernstein
May 25, 2020
A very short but moving story. As an audiobook it was quite different to have music and a song in it, and an interview with the author, and then for the story to continue. I thought it worked remarkably well. A great way to learn about history in a fun way.
June 3, 2017
Drasko loves helping his father sell flowers, and he is particularly struck by the man's ability to smell out the best roses. He wonders about his generosity, though, since the man even gives flowers to another grumpy merchant. Since there is war in the country, Drasko's father must fight and leaves the flowers under Drasko's charge. The other merchants claim the prime areas for selling, and Drasko is pushed further and further from the center of things. When an explosion kills 22 individuals who were simply standing in line, waiting to buy bread, the town square is completely deserted. Drasko and others draw comfort and inspiration from a musician who offers a tribute via his cello to the 22 individuals who died, serenading Sarajevo's citizens for 22 days while the city mourns and heals. As life begins to return to normal, Drasko vows to do his part to restore the city while even remembering to be kind to Goran, that grumpy merchant. Back matter includes maps of the Balkan region and an explanation of the events during the Balkan War that inspired this story, set in 1992. Once more, readers are reminded of the healing power of the arts and of music and how one act of bravery can serve as a reminder that hope can triumph over fear, violence, and evil. The story is compelling and inspiring on many levels, even considering how that one act of playing music or that one act of giving someone a flower can make all the difference in the world and remind onlookers that there is good in this world, hopefully far more good than evil. Created in ink, charcoal, graphite pencil, and Adobe Photoshop, the illustrations are just as powerful as the story, focusing on the city's beauty among its tragic losses. This picture book is an excellent addition to a social studies classroom or a collection of books highlighting how one person can make a difference in the world around him/her.
March 9, 2019
Listed on the National Council of Social Studies Notable Trade Books for Young People, this book highlights an often forgotten story of the Balkan Wars of the 1990s. This fictional story follows a young boy who sells flowers in Sarajevo after his father is taken away to the war. After an attack in Sarajevo that led to the death of 22 people who were simply trying to buy bread, a cellist decides to play the same song in the square in honor of the 22 people died. This act inspires the boy and those around him to continue to show kindness to one another, even in the face of violence.
This book is a simple, straight forward picture book and though it describes the senseless violence of war, it is approachable for second through fourth grade. This book could be used in a collection of books that explores the theme of overcoming hardship or violence or adding something beautiful to the world. Because most students and teachers are not well versed on the Balkan Wars it might need additional support to be read in class but it could offer a very important and age appropriate introduction into this conflict.
This book is a simple, straight forward picture book and though it describes the senseless violence of war, it is approachable for second through fourth grade. This book could be used in a collection of books that explores the theme of overcoming hardship or violence or adding something beautiful to the world. Because most students and teachers are not well versed on the Balkan Wars it might need additional support to be read in class but it could offer a very important and age appropriate introduction into this conflict.
March 7, 2018
Flowers for Sarajevo is a historical fiction picture book based on the mortar attack on Sarajevo, Bosnia in May 27th 1992. This fictional story based on research tells the story of a boy who sells flowers in the marketplace in Sarajevo for his family while his dad is at war. He has been pushed out of all the good spots in the marketplace by the other merchants and is forced to sell his flowers in a bad location in the square. The only good part about his spot is that he can listen to the orchestra music coming out of the rehearsal hall behind him. One day there is a explosion from a mortar attack on the bakery in the marketplace that kills 22 people. The next day the square is empty until a cellist emerges from the rehearsal hall and plays a song in front of the bakery. He does this for twenty two days to honor each person killed in the attack.
Flowers for Sarajevo was named a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People by the National Council for the Social Studies/Children’s Book Council in 2018. Christy Caldwell’s illustrations in this book are beautiful and have an almost graphic novel feel to them. The color used in the illustrations help to show the events taking place and Caldwell shows the feelings of the characters through the pictures as well. The circumstances the boy is living through are explained to the reader by the text and supported by illustrations. Additionally, the author wrote author’s notes in the back of the book that explain the history of conflict in the region as well as the events that are described in the book. The author also shares books that children can read on the topic and gives websites for teachers to access background information on the topic. This book includes an audio CD with the author’s narration of the book and the song that the cellist played after the attack among other resources.
Flowers for Sarajevo was named a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People by the National Council for the Social Studies/Children’s Book Council in 2018. Christy Caldwell’s illustrations in this book are beautiful and have an almost graphic novel feel to them. The color used in the illustrations help to show the events taking place and Caldwell shows the feelings of the characters through the pictures as well. The circumstances the boy is living through are explained to the reader by the text and supported by illustrations. Additionally, the author wrote author’s notes in the back of the book that explain the history of conflict in the region as well as the events that are described in the book. The author also shares books that children can read on the topic and gives websites for teachers to access background information on the topic. This book includes an audio CD with the author’s narration of the book and the song that the cellist played after the attack among other resources.
February 7, 2017
Touching story from @peachtreepublishers that reminds us that even in times of grief we can offer beauty and kindness to one another.
February 16, 2017
Much needed and well done. Highly recommended for schools.
July 2, 2017
In 1992, a mortar shell hit a bakery in Sarajevo, killing 22 people. This is a story of how beautiful things and kindness of strangers will always be more powerful than acts of violence.
Drasko is working at his father's flower stand when tragedy strikes. The next day a cellist sits in the middle of the town square and begins to play. He does this for 22 days, in honor of each person that was killed. This inspires Drasko to continue to do what he can to make his city beautiful again.
What a beautiful story! While the subject matter might seem a bit heavy for the 6-9 year old range, I absolutely recommend this book. Kids aren't immune to hearing about acts of violence or death, and this is a wonderful and true life example of how one person can inspire so many and uplift their souls.
I received a copy of the book from Peachtree Publishers but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinions.
Drasko is working at his father's flower stand when tragedy strikes. The next day a cellist sits in the middle of the town square and begins to play. He does this for 22 days, in honor of each person that was killed. This inspires Drasko to continue to do what he can to make his city beautiful again.
What a beautiful story! While the subject matter might seem a bit heavy for the 6-9 year old range, I absolutely recommend this book. Kids aren't immune to hearing about acts of violence or death, and this is a wonderful and true life example of how one person can inspire so many and uplift their souls.
I received a copy of the book from Peachtree Publishers but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinions.
April 23, 2018
Based on true events, this picture book for older readers is set in Sarajevo during their 1992 war. It explores how music can be a moment of shared grief, a tribute to those lost, and a restorative power. I don't think the author did the best job incorporating a fictional boy into Vedran Smailovic's compelling story. It felt contrived, especially since the cellist's story was obviously the heart of the story. It was nice that a CD containing the piece Smailovic played for 22 days was included, but I don't have a CD player. (I listened to the London Philharmonic's version on iTunes.) The CD also has McCutcheon's folk song about Smailovic and Sarajevo, which I found just okay. (Again, iTunes.) I'm not sure who I'd recommend this book to, but it was an interesting read.
January 31, 2017
"All of us—Serb and Croat, Muslim and Christian—stand side by side, listening to a language we all understand."
March 27, 2017
A heroic musician unites and inspires people in war-torn Sarajevo. Includes a CD of McCutcheon's song "Streets of Sarajevo" and an audio recording of the story.
April 30, 2017
Find the hope, beauty and kindness to fight violence.
Beautiful and moving story.
Beautiful and moving story.
June 10, 2019
In the market square of Sarajevo is the flower stall of Milo. Drasko is his son and trains with his father to sniff out the best roses. Milo teaches his son that despite all the differences between the people that live in Sarajevo, that just like flowers, they can live side by side and be beautiful.
When war comes to the country, Drasko is left alone to tend the flower stall while his father goes to fight. People become bad-tempered and poor Milo is pushed into the worst corner of the square. The only bright spot is that he is near where the orchestra practices, and when they leave their windows open, he can hear their beautiful music. His memories take him to happy times spent with his father.
One day, as the church bells ring out at ten o'clock, a bomb is dropped in the market, hitting the bakery where people are standing in line for bread. Twenty-two people die. The next day, Milo finds the market square still and empty. Until 10 O'clock, when the door to the orchestra hall opens and a man steps outside, a cello and folding chair in hand.
The man walks over to the rubble of the bakery and sets up his chair to play. (At the end of the book you learn this is Vedran Smailovic and a brief bio is given of his life.) He plays his cello and all, regardless of race or religion, stop to listen. He does this every day for twenty-two days. Each day, the market begins to return to life, and soon, Milo is selling flowers again as people begin to look forward with hope.
This is such a beautiful story, and when I got to the end of the book and found out it was inspired by real events I felt awe. The back pages contain several items, including a map of the Balkan area and how it has changed over the years because of war. Then, there is the author's note, which explains the true story of Vedran Smailovic playing in the market and why it inspired him to write the book. The following pages contain the bio of Smailovic and an original song written by the author entitled, Streets of Sarajevo.
This is definitely a topic for older children since it involves war, death, and loss, but also hope. The illustrations range in color, expressing the feeling of the people. At first, they are bright and the flowers compliment the market. However, as war happens, they become mostly gray and depressing, except for the images of the flowers Milo tries to sell. When hope is brought back to the market, color once again takes its main place on the page.
This is a thought-provoking read that I think parents and kids need to share together. I'm giving it 4 stars!
When war comes to the country, Drasko is left alone to tend the flower stall while his father goes to fight. People become bad-tempered and poor Milo is pushed into the worst corner of the square. The only bright spot is that he is near where the orchestra practices, and when they leave their windows open, he can hear their beautiful music. His memories take him to happy times spent with his father.
One day, as the church bells ring out at ten o'clock, a bomb is dropped in the market, hitting the bakery where people are standing in line for bread. Twenty-two people die. The next day, Milo finds the market square still and empty. Until 10 O'clock, when the door to the orchestra hall opens and a man steps outside, a cello and folding chair in hand.
The man walks over to the rubble of the bakery and sets up his chair to play. (At the end of the book you learn this is Vedran Smailovic and a brief bio is given of his life.) He plays his cello and all, regardless of race or religion, stop to listen. He does this every day for twenty-two days. Each day, the market begins to return to life, and soon, Milo is selling flowers again as people begin to look forward with hope.
This is such a beautiful story, and when I got to the end of the book and found out it was inspired by real events I felt awe. The back pages contain several items, including a map of the Balkan area and how it has changed over the years because of war. Then, there is the author's note, which explains the true story of Vedran Smailovic playing in the market and why it inspired him to write the book. The following pages contain the bio of Smailovic and an original song written by the author entitled, Streets of Sarajevo.
This is definitely a topic for older children since it involves war, death, and loss, but also hope. The illustrations range in color, expressing the feeling of the people. At first, they are bright and the flowers compliment the market. However, as war happens, they become mostly gray and depressing, except for the images of the flowers Milo tries to sell. When hope is brought back to the market, color once again takes its main place on the page.
This is a thought-provoking read that I think parents and kids need to share together. I'm giving it 4 stars!
November 15, 2021
Flowers for Sarajevo is a graphic novel that depicts the climax of the Balkin War through the eyes of a young boy named Drasko, who works with his father selling flowers in the marketplace in the Bosnian town of Sarajevo. In the marketplace, Serbs, Croats, Muslims, and Christian all live harmoniously despite their racial, religious, and ethnic differences. Overnight Drasko sees his peaceful coexistence disappear and his country torn apart when its people are divided by an ethnic war.
As his father and the men in his village leave for war, Drasko remains in the marketplace to sell flowers to feed his family. Fellow merchants in the marketplace who were once friends have now become "tired and ill-tempered" toward Drasko. Without his father, they have pushed him to the farthest corner of the market. Drasko does not mind because even though he can not smell the fresh bread of the bakery anymore, he enjoys the beautiful sounds of the symphony orchestra coming from the open window above.
On the morning of May 27, 1992, a mortar explodes in the nearby bakery killing 22 people waiting in the breadline. It was an act of "ethnic violence in a war rife with sorrow, heaped on sorrow". The next morning at the exact time of the attack, Vedran Smailovic, a cellist for the Sarajevo Opera Orchestra came into the market and played Albinoni's Adagio in G Minor (which was an unfinished piece of music) for 22 consecutive days. A day for each of the victims of the bakery bombing. Thus, he became known as "The Cellist of Saravajo".
The author's focus of the story is not on Verdan himself, but the effect his heroic actions had on the people of a war-torn country. The Serbs, Croats, Muslims, and Christians all come together in silence to listen to the beautiful music and forget their differences for a few moments "listening to a language they all understand". Verdan's actions inspire a young Drasko to wake up each day, go to the marketplace to sell flowers and try to make Sarajevo a more beautiful place than it was before, despite the circumstances.
As his father and the men in his village leave for war, Drasko remains in the marketplace to sell flowers to feed his family. Fellow merchants in the marketplace who were once friends have now become "tired and ill-tempered" toward Drasko. Without his father, they have pushed him to the farthest corner of the market. Drasko does not mind because even though he can not smell the fresh bread of the bakery anymore, he enjoys the beautiful sounds of the symphony orchestra coming from the open window above.
On the morning of May 27, 1992, a mortar explodes in the nearby bakery killing 22 people waiting in the breadline. It was an act of "ethnic violence in a war rife with sorrow, heaped on sorrow". The next morning at the exact time of the attack, Vedran Smailovic, a cellist for the Sarajevo Opera Orchestra came into the market and played Albinoni's Adagio in G Minor (which was an unfinished piece of music) for 22 consecutive days. A day for each of the victims of the bakery bombing. Thus, he became known as "The Cellist of Saravajo".
The author's focus of the story is not on Verdan himself, but the effect his heroic actions had on the people of a war-torn country. The Serbs, Croats, Muslims, and Christians all come together in silence to listen to the beautiful music and forget their differences for a few moments "listening to a language they all understand". Verdan's actions inspire a young Drasko to wake up each day, go to the marketplace to sell flowers and try to make Sarajevo a more beautiful place than it was before, despite the circumstances.
September 19, 2017
Drasko sells flowers with his father in the marketplace in Sarajevo. They sell the best roses in the entire city. But when war came, Drasko’s father leaves to fight and Drasko is alone selling flowers. He is pushed out of their usual spot to one at the edge of the market. The only good thing is that he can now hear the symphony playing. Suddenly, the market is hit by a mortar and 22 people are killed. Drasko returns to the market the next day, but all is silent and empty. Then a man with a cello enters the square and sits down to play. For 22 days, he plays, once for each person who died. Around him, the market returns and Drasko works to find a way that he too can be courageous each day.
Based on the true story of Vedran Smailovic, the cellist who played, this picture book focuses on the impact of the bombing and the bravery of the cellist on one boy. Readers will realize that Drasko is brave from his approach to his father leaving and his returning day after day to sell flowers. The power of the music and the musician though brings that bravery into the light and shows how it’s important to be visibly brave for others too.
The illustrations by Caldwell are layered and misleadingly simple. They show Drasko’s loneliness but also his discovery of a community around him that will support him. The illustrations have inset pieces with frames that shatter with the mortar shell and then return to being whole as the story progresses.
A look at war and acts of bravery and art. Appropriate for ages 6-8.
Based on the true story of Vedran Smailovic, the cellist who played, this picture book focuses on the impact of the bombing and the bravery of the cellist on one boy. Readers will realize that Drasko is brave from his approach to his father leaving and his returning day after day to sell flowers. The power of the music and the musician though brings that bravery into the light and shows how it’s important to be visibly brave for others too.
The illustrations by Caldwell are layered and misleadingly simple. They show Drasko’s loneliness but also his discovery of a community around him that will support him. The illustrations have inset pieces with frames that shatter with the mortar shell and then return to being whole as the story progresses.
A look at war and acts of bravery and art. Appropriate for ages 6-8.
March 6, 2018
It took a while to get this book. Kristy Caldwell has arranged the colors in her beautiful illustrations as often illustrators do, somber browns and grays reflecting the tone, bright colors appear when kindness does. I remember how beautiful the Olympic Games were in Sarajevo, the first time a Communist country had hosted. Then not much later, the places there, among so many others, were destroyed. It was a terrible time. This book is perhaps the most poignant, focusing on a young boy, Drasko, whose father sold flowers in the village square, then the boy had to take over because his father had to go to war. Added is a background of those in the square, unpleasant scenes showing the merchants making Drasko move into a far corner. Shockingly, a bomb hits, killing 22 people lined up for bread. The story then connects to what's true, when a cellist, Vedran Smailovic, from the town's orchestra brings out a chair and his cello, plays a special piece, at exactly 10 o'clock, the time of the tragedy. Every day, for 22 days, he plays, one day for each victim. He is now known as the Cellist of Sarajevo. Drasko watches and wonders about this, but begins to give some of his flowers to others, learning about kindness from Vedran and the others who also show a change in demeanor. The book is layered, offering a story of the experience of children whose parents go off to war, but also the experience of seeing what the boy does and notices after this tragedy after his father is not there to talk.
November 2, 2017
This is a heartbreakingly beautiful story.
This story follows Drasko, a young boy who sells flowers with his father in the Sarajevo marketplace. His father is kind, and teaches him about compassion, empathy, and kindness. However, his father is soon drafted into the war, and he had to run the flower stand alone. There is a sudden tragedy: a mortar hit the local bakery, killing twenty-two civilians. Sorrow and disbelief encompass the town (this feeling is described poignantly: "The next day the square is strangely still. Twenty-two people were killed. They were just waiting to buy bread" (McCutcheon, 13).) However, the orchestra's cellist comes to center of the square and performs a beautiful, heartbreaking song. He does this for twenty-two days- one for each life lost. Drasko, learning the lessons of his father, begins to try his very best to spread peace through Sarajevo once again, using what he knows: flowers.
This story definitely made me cry. I think it's a wonderful way to effectively teach children about the tragedies of war without having to show the gory details- I remember recoiling from historical pieces as a young reader, squeamish. Flowers for Sarajevo gives accurate information, maps, sheet music, and a wonderful lesson in empathy.
The illustrations are also lovely- wonderful structure of mood-based color.
The Lexile is 570L and the age range is 7-10.
This story follows Drasko, a young boy who sells flowers with his father in the Sarajevo marketplace. His father is kind, and teaches him about compassion, empathy, and kindness. However, his father is soon drafted into the war, and he had to run the flower stand alone. There is a sudden tragedy: a mortar hit the local bakery, killing twenty-two civilians. Sorrow and disbelief encompass the town (this feeling is described poignantly: "The next day the square is strangely still. Twenty-two people were killed. They were just waiting to buy bread" (McCutcheon, 13).) However, the orchestra's cellist comes to center of the square and performs a beautiful, heartbreaking song. He does this for twenty-two days- one for each life lost. Drasko, learning the lessons of his father, begins to try his very best to spread peace through Sarajevo once again, using what he knows: flowers.
This story definitely made me cry. I think it's a wonderful way to effectively teach children about the tragedies of war without having to show the gory details- I remember recoiling from historical pieces as a young reader, squeamish. Flowers for Sarajevo gives accurate information, maps, sheet music, and a wonderful lesson in empathy.
The illustrations are also lovely- wonderful structure of mood-based color.
The Lexile is 570L and the age range is 7-10.
June 20, 2017
Drasko and his father are flower sellers in the marketplace in Sarajevo. Drasko’s father makes an effort every day to get along with everyone and make even the grouchiest seller feel special. But one day the country is at war, and even Drasko’s father must go away to fight. Drasko sees a change in the marketplace. People are not nice to each other any more, and gradually he gets moved to the worst place in the market - no shade, no water, but he is by where the orchestra practices, so it’s not all bad. But then, the marketplace is attacked and many people waiting in line for the bakery are killed. One lone cellist comes to the marketplace each day and plays a solo tune - gradually people return to the marketplace and Drasko tries to be more like his father.
A beautiful story about the war in Sarajevo, the cellist is Vedran Smailovic (his history and contribution to the resistance effort is included in the author’s notes, as well as a short description of the history of the war in that region) but the boy is fictional. The book includes a CD narrated by the author and a recording of the original song “Streets of Sarajevo.” This can be used in a history/geography classroom or as a music lesson on the power of the arts.
Cross posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!
A beautiful story about the war in Sarajevo, the cellist is Vedran Smailovic (his history and contribution to the resistance effort is included in the author’s notes, as well as a short description of the history of the war in that region) but the boy is fictional. The book includes a CD narrated by the author and a recording of the original song “Streets of Sarajevo.” This can be used in a history/geography classroom or as a music lesson on the power of the arts.
Cross posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!
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