The Man With the Violin

By Kathy Stinson, Dusan Petricic (Illustrator)

A boy tries to make his mom notice a subway violinist's enchanting music.

4.3/5 Goodreads · 816 ratings

36 pages· 444 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud

$19.95Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In a bustling subway, young Dylan hears a violinist's enchanting music, but his mom rushes past, oblivious. Determined, Dylan can't shake the melody from his mind. Can he make his mom stop and listen to the beauty around them? This heartwarming tale, inspired by a true event, explores the power of music to transform and connect us.

From the publisher

Who is playing that beautiful music in the subway? And why is nobody listening? This gorgeous picture book is based on the true story of Joshua Bell, the renowned American violinist who famously took his instrument down into the Washington D.C. subway for a free concert. More than a thousand commuters rushed by him, but only seven stopped to listen for more than a minute. In The Man with the Violin, bestselling author Kathy Stinson has woven a heart-warming story that reminds us all to stop and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. Dylan is someone who notices things. His mom is someone who doesn’t. So try as he might, Dylan can’t get his mom to listen to the man playing the violin in the subway station. With the beautiful music in his head all day long, Dylan can’t forget the violinist, and finally succeeds in making his mother stop and listen, too. Vividly imagined text combined with illustrations that pulse with energy expertly demonstrate the transformative power of music. With a postscript explaining Joshua Bell’s story, and afterword by Joshua Bell himself.

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