The only thing that was disappointing about Echo was the ending seemed a little rushed. Especially for younger readers, Muñoz Ryan’s description will paint a clear, rich picture of the multiple characters and the events in the novel. As a musician, I am enamoured by the way Muñoz Ryan is able to capture the sounds of music in words. Her vivid descriptions of music are lyrical and mellifluous. Muñoz Ryan’s description also plays a large role in what sets Echo apart. We see the determination of Friedrich as he hatches a plan to save his father from a Nazi work camp, we see Mike’s love for his brother, Frankie, as he tries to give Frankie a better life, even at his own expense, and we see Ivy’s kindness as she plants flowers to make the Yamamotos’ house beautiful while the American government keeps the family at a Japanese internment camp. Her characters struggle with conflict around them and their own insecurities while being compassionate and hopeful. It’s easy to become attached to the characters Muñoz Ryan does a phenomenal job of developing them. By the end of the novel, their stories have all intertwined with each other, and readers are taken back to Otto, who finds own his happy ending.Īlthough Echo is juvenile fiction, all readers can certainly enjoy this book. Finally, the third and final section introduces readers to Ivy, a Mexican-American who faces hostility during World War II.Īll three characters are united by their love for music and the harmonica, which is passed from one to another. In Pennsylvania during the Great Depression, the second section features Mike and his brother, Frankie as they make their way from The Bishop’s Home for Friendless and Destitute Children to an initially unwelcome adoption. The first follows Friedrich in Germany during Hitler’s rise to power.

The rest of the novel is sectioned into three parts. Their spirits are held in the instrument, and the harmonica becomes a central part of the story. Here, three sisters, Eins, Zwei, and Drei, help him find his way home after infusing their magic in a simple harmonica. This novel is full of music with a dash of mystique and magic.Įcho begins with a boy Otto, who gets lost in the forest. Fans of Esperanza Rising are already familiar with author Pam Muñoz Ryan, and her newest book, Echo , does not disappoint.

Echo muñoz ryan novel