“Dylan was a child who noticed things. His mom was someone who didn’t.”
As Dylan entered the subway station, the music he heard swept him away.
Why was nobody listening?
And who was playing that wonderful music?
This beautiful picture book is based on the true story of Joshua Bell, the renowned American violinist, who famously played a concert in a Washington, DC metro station. He was taking part in an experiment to see what would happen when one of the best violinists in the world performed dressed like an ordinary street musician.
The results of the experiment were compelling.
“Every time a child passed Joshua Bell, he or she tried to stop. But an adult rushed the child along—every time—to wherever they were going.”
Dylan is transported by the music and uplifted all day. The music comes in colours and swirls. As we watch Dylan’s transformation, we are reminded to open our eyes and ears to hear the beauty around us.
A postscript at the end of the book from Joshua Bell adds to the story. He encourages us to foster every child’s innate appreciation for music. A portion of the proceeds from the book are donated to a charity that promotes engagement with music for young people.
The link to download the music that Joshua Bell played that day are also included for those of you who want to listen.
As Joshua Bell quotes Plato as saying “Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.”
Helps with: being mindful, appreciating the arts and music, cultivating imagination and curiosity, paying attention to our senses, and being aware.
Author: Kathy Stinson
Publisher: Annick Press Ltd, 2013