Booklist (09/15/2024):

Preschool-Grade 3 Gaspar Borchardt, a renowned contemporary luthier, is determined to make the world's best violin, as perfect as those of Stradivarius. To do so, he begins a quest for extraordinary wood from a flame maple tree in an old-growth forest in the Balkans. During his search, the storytelling takes a fanciful turn. As he travels through ancient forests, he is reminded of various pieces of classical music. He interacts with people and animals he meets, and he asks for their help in locating the tree. Upon finding it, he realizes that the tree is too precious to cut down. Later, he obtains wood from another flame maple tree and vows to pour his soul into the violin. In the back matter, Uyá, the Spanish writer-illustrator, lists pieces of music mentioned within the story and praises the documentary film that inspired her to write the book. Created with watercolor, acrylic, pencil, and botanical printing, the illustrations reflect the narrative's unusual mixture of realistic and fanciful elements. A Spanish edition, El alma del violín, will be published simultaneously. COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.