Ada's Violin
The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay
Susan Hood author Sally Wern Comport illustrator
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Simon & Schuster
Published:6th Sep '18
£12.99
Available for immediate dispatch.
From award-winning author Susan Hood and illustrator Sally Wern Comport comes the extraordinary true tale of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay, an orchestra made up of children playing instruments built from recycled trash.
Ada Ríos grew up in Cateura, a small town in Paraguay built on a landfill. She dreamed of playing the violin, but with little money for anything but the bare essentials, it was never an option...until a music teacher named Favio Chávez arrived. He wanted to give the children of Cateura something special, so he made them instruments out of materials found in the trash. It was a crazy idea, but one that would leave Ada—and her town—forever changed. Now, the Recycled Orchestra plays venues around the world, spreading their message of hope and innovation.
"The mixed-media collages are a particular effective medium for this true story, layering images of Ada and the orchestra over the landfill. The nuances of the subject may strike a stronger chord with adults rather than children, but the interesting visuals and the underlying message of hope and perseverance should help this find an audience." -- Booklist
"Comport's complex, digitally enhanced collages combine acrylics, drawing, and layered typographic elements, conveying both the oppressive omnipresence of garbage and the functional beauty of the handcrafted instruments. . . . Pair with the suggested video links to experience the music of a remarkable, resilient cultural community. " -- Kirkus Reviews
*“A virtuoso piece of nonfiction, gloriously told and illustrated.” -- School Library Journal, Starred Review
* “Comport (Love Will See You Through) employs a vibrant collage technique…to form colorful, almost ethereal backdrops. . .[An] uplifting, instructive story.” -- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"The illustrations, compilations of torn paper, paint, and pen and ink illustrations, add to the feeling of being within the landfill, and are a beautiful representation of the location...Highly Recommended." -- School Library Connection
Recipient of the E.B. White Read Aloud Award
ISBN: 9781481430951
Dimensions: 254mm x 254mm x 10mm
Weight: 531g
40 pages