Hold On to Your Music: The Inspiring True Story of the Children of Willesden Lane

by Mona Golabek, Lee Cohen, Emil Sher (Adapted by)

An inspiring true story about one girl's escape from the Holocaust to become a concert pianist against all odds, made popular by musician Mona Golabek's highly acclaimed theatrical performance and the beloved novel The Children of Willesden Lane--now available for the youngest of audiences in illustrated form.

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; color: #4180ff} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Arial; color: #4180ff; min-height: 12.0px} In pre-World War II Vienna, Lisa Jura was a musical prodigy who dreamed of becoming a concert pianist. But when enemy forces threatened the city-particularly the Jewish people that lived there-Lisa's parents were forced to make a difficult decision. They chose to send Lisa to London for safety through the Kindertransport-a rescue effort that relocated Jewish children. As Lisa yearned to be reunited with her family while living in a home for refugee children on Willesden Lane, her music became a beacon of hope for those around her. A true story of courage, survival, and determination, this compelling tribute to a gifted young girl has already touched the lives of many around the world. Originally published in 2017 for older readers, The Children of Willesden Lane has sold hundreds of thousands of copies globally; now this picture book retelling will inspire a new generation.

Genres: Picture Books, History, Music, Nonfiction, Biography, Childrens, World War II

40 pages, Paperback

Published January 12, 2021

Reviews

[SaraKat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a moving story that I've heard from the author herself via video. The picture book has dream-like soft paintings with a lot of detail that are lovely. The story is very simple and definitely written for young readers and leaves out some things. Like the train taking the kids all the way from Vienna to London and the fate of the family back home being left out.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-told story about the author's mother's early years as a talented jewish girl in vienna who became a refugee to England in the Kinder Transport before war began.
It makes a complex and frightening reality accessible for young readers and honors the dedication, practice, talent, and success her mother demonstrated after being separated from her beloved parents.
Back matter is valuable to clarify some details and authenticate the source of the story. The focus overall is on the way in which holding on to music provided the strength young Lisa Jura needed to survive, but glossed over the reality of what happened to the parents she had to leave behind. Holding her mother's words in her heart gave her strength, but I suspect will leave some readers with countless questions. Perhaps this could be the entry story to lead them to other picture books, even fictionally-historic ones, that can introduce the issues during Nazi power in Europe.

[Diane White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple picture book about a girl who has to leave her parents in Vienna because of the Nazis and go live in England. Her mother tells her to "hold onto her music" and it is this that keeps her together. The caretaker in England is a nice woman who encourages her piano playing. The pictures are well done and add a great deal to the story.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the true story of Lisa Jura, the author’s mother.

Lisa Jura was born in Vienna in 1924, and showed a talent with the piano from an early age.

In 1938, Nazi Germany annexed Austria and began implementing anti-Jewish measures affecting all walks of life. Music teachers were no longer allowed to teach Jewish children, and Lisa was heartbroken. Lisa’s mother Malka told her, “Whatever tomorrow brings, Liseleh, you must always remember to hold on to your music. It will be your best friend.”

On the nights of November 9 and 10, 1938, known as “Kristallnacht” because of all the broken windows, mobs of citizens egged on by Nazis destroyed Jewish businesses and burned synagogues. Many Jews were beaten, including Lisa’s father (this fact and other more "unpleasant" incidents are omitted from the story).

Lisa’s parents decided to send her with other Jewish children on a special train, called a KIndertransport, to Britain, where she would be safe and could follow her dream (or any dreams, for that matter). In August, 1939, 14-year-old Lisa said goodbye to her parents. Her mother’s last words to Lisa at the train station were “promise me that you will hold on to your music.” She never saw her parents again; after the war, Lisa learned that her parents were murdered in Auschwitz (also not mentioned in the book).

In Britain, Lisa was placed in a boarding house on Willesden Lane with 32 other Jewish boys and girls. There was even a piano in the house, which Lisa was able to play in the evenings. Mrs. Cohen, the head of the home, helped Lisa get an audition at the Royal Academy of Music, and she was accepted. When the war was over, she had a debut in a concert hall:

“She took a deep breath, pictured her mother by her side, and began to play.”

The author reports that after the concert, the audience was on its feet cheering, and Lisa thought: “I kept my promise, Mama. I held on to my music and never let go.”

The book concludes with a note from the author and a page providing some additional historical background (again without any possibly frightening details), including the information that over 10,000 children - about 7500 of whom were Jewish - were saved by the Kindertransport project. End papers feature actual photographs from Lisa’s life.

A website for the Holocaust Museum of Los Angeles reports that Lisa went on to become a professional pianist. In 1949, she married resistance fighter and Holocaust survivor Michel Golabek and the pair immigrated to the U.S. The couple had two daughters, Mona and Renee, who continued their mother’s legacy, becoming concert pianists and fulfilling Malka’s wish that they hold on to their music.

Mona, the author of this book, endowed the Lisa Jura Collection at the Holocaust Museum LA and also established the Hold On To Your Music Foundation. The Foundation website explains:

“We bring books, music and the performing arts together to tell a universal story of hope, empowering generations with knowledge and understanding. We partner with educators to inspire students, families and communities through holistic programs to keep vital lessons of resilience engaging and relevant.”\

Illustrator Sonia Possentini uses pastel and gouache for her soft-edged representations of Lisa’s childhood.

Evaluation: This story about Lisa Jura could have had greater impact if the author had included more specific information about why the Holocaust was so bad beyond the fact that Lisa could no longer take piano lessons. As Carole Boston Weatherford observed in an interview about her book for children about the Tulsa Massacre of African Americans in 1921:

“I decided a few years ago to tackle the subject. If children of the past were — and still are — victimized by racial hatred, then today’s children can learn about it. I do not think that young readers are too tender for tough topics.”

Floyd Cooper, illustrator of the Weatherford book, added in the same interview:

“. . . I personally link the pervasive assault on truth that we see in our politics and media directly to historical truths that exist and have existed and are now being brought to light. A good thing for America. And of course there will be many who are and were just fine with leaving truth under the rug where it is had been swept for far too long."

[Then again, it seems that telling the truth about history can get books banned. . . .]

Rating: 3.5/5

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of a young girl living in Vienna who is a piano student. Her music teacher one day tells her he cannot give her lessons anymore and to talk to her parents about how that happened. She soon learns she is going on Kindertransport to live in London and that her parents cannot go along. The war forced many parents to choose between keeping their family together or giving a better chance to their children alone in another country. Lisa is sad to leave home, but remembers her mother always told her to hold on to her music. Whenever Lisa played piano in her foster home, she felt closer to her parents. Her dream to be a concert pianist had a chance to come true when she heard she could audition for a special high school to further her training. This story does leave out the some of the horrors of the war, though it mentions bombing in London briefly. It shares enough to make students who know about the Holocaust feel the hope that Lisa was given through her music. Lovely story with soft illustrations that match the music of the master composers in my mind.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Austrian Jewish girl escapes to England (on a train full of other refugee children) and lives in a refugee home in London. There she continues playing the piano, which is a tie to her home and mother. She eventually becomes a concert pianist.

The book switches back and forth from "Mrs. Cohen" to "Gina", without ever telling you that they're the same person.

[Karen Kurth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a true story of concert pianist Lisa Jura. She was one of the children on the Kindertransport ( 1938-1939) that carried children, Gentile and Jewish, from the continent of Europe to England. She was told by her mother to “Hold on to your Music.” She auditioned and was accepted by the Royal Academy of Music. A wonderful history for middle school and upper elementary students.

[Rebecca Caufman · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the author's note: "I wrote Hold On to Your Music because I wanted to inspire young readers to think about what they hold dear when facing difficult times." The artwork is spectacular, especially of the concert hall!

[Cara Noyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot wait to share this great story with my students! The writing was excellent and the illustrations beautiful!
This is perfect for elementary teachers, especially music educators, to share with kids.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think what I really like about this book is that the reasons for the problems are there in the book, but they aren’t so bold that the book is going to be too much for children or parents. That’s important. Good work!

[Thomas Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story. But alas, my rating is on the telling of the story, not the story itself, and the telling was mediocre.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of one Austrian Jewish girl who went to England through the Kindertransport and continued playing music throughout.

Some unclear time skips.

[Awjtf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring book!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grateful for brave parents.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Endearing story about music being her way to make it through the most impossible times.

[Gail Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by the daughter of a Jewish WWII survivor, is a must read. The illustrations make this story have a depth of understanding. Well written, especially for ages 4-8.

[Payton A · Rating 2 out of 5]

OKay I am not sure if this is the write book

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of an intro to the Holocaust depending on when you would introduce this to your students.