This is a delightful, wordless picture book coloured in very muted tones which takes the reader back to a time of black and white silent movies.  From the outset the clown adds the colour to the story. 

As he digs in his field one day an old farmer witnesses a strange incident - a child falling from a train.  When he arrives at the scene he sees that the child is in fact a young clown. 

From his body language the reader may surmise that the farmer is a reluctant guardian, at first he certainly does seem a little worried!

The farmer cares for the clown and they learn to cherish each others company but then the train comes back.. 

Will the farmer be left alone again?


Using this book in the classroom.  

The fact this book is wordless means it can be used from Y1 to Y6 quite easily. 

• We could analyse the text asking questions such as:
  • What is this mans job? 
  • Is he old or young? 
  • Where does he live? 
  • Who does he live with
  • What does he think is happening at this point?
  • What would he say to himself?
  • How would he feel when he saw this happen?
  • Predict what will happen next.

'The Harmonica' starts with a poignant sentence.  
"I cannot remember my father's face, 
or my mother's, 
but I remember their love, 
warm and enfolding
as a song."

The story is Henry's.  Henry was a jew living in Poland during WWII.  When the Nazi's invade the family finds itself split ​- Henry in one concentration camp and his parents in another. 

Henry though has his prized possession with him, a harmonica which his father taught him to play.  He plays this in the darkness, he 'played it to keep from losing hope.'

​

Picture Books

• Star of fear, star of hope by Jo Hoestlandt
• Rose Blanche by Ian McEwan
• Erika's Story by Ruth Vander See
• Hidden (graphic novel) Loic Dauvillier
• Anne Frank by Josephine Poole
• The Whispering Town by Jennifer Elvgren
• Benno and the Night of Broken Glass by Meg Wiviott. 

Young person novels

• The Silver Sword by Ian Serallier
• Hitler's Canary by Sandi Toksvig 
• When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
• Once, Then and Now by Morris Gleitzman
• The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by Jon Boyne
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Obviously not an exhaustive list - please add any other recommendations in the comments.
 

Perhaps this book could be classified as 'faction' a hybrid book where fiction is presented as fact, in this case a biography and a scientific journal. 

Part 1 of the book is the biography of Dr. Spencer Black.  The doctor, the son of a grave robber, studied at the Academy of Medicine in Philadelphia during the 1870's.  He was a controversial figure - some people saw him as a genius, but most saw him as a mad man. 

When writing about this book I remembered another book I have on my shelf.  The 'Oulipo Compendium' edited by Harry Mathews and Alastair Brotchie. 

If you are unfamiliar with the work of Oulipo you can find out more here and here.

"Take away the A" feels like an Oulipo-type constraint like a Lipogram or a Tautogram. 

I'll blog some more about Oulipo over the summer.