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Description
An inspiring picture book biography of a UN Peace Medal recipient who used his songs--and his silence--to fight fascism, oppression, and violence.
One day in Catalonia, Spain, eleven-year-old Pau Casals was captivated by the cello--setting him on a path toward international fame (as a cellist) and extraordinary courage (as an advocate for social justice). Playing the cello would take Pau all over the world, performing in palaces, concert halls, even the White House. People called him Pablo Casals now, and he was famous and beloved. But when the events of Spanish Civil War and World War II left his homeland ruled by a dictator, Pablo made a dramatic decision: he would silence his music until Spain was free. Would the world ever hear his cello sing again?
Illustrated in vibrant, joyous color by Catalonian artist Mariona Cabassa, Music and Silence introduces children to a man who was not just a master of the cello, but a remarkable model of sacrifice and artistic protest. After the story, readers can learn more about Pablo Casals through creator notes, historical notes, a timeline, a bibliography, and links to performances and interviews.
Publication date
April 21, 2026
Genre
Non-fiction
Page Count
56
ISBN-13
9780802855510
Lexile Measure
790
Publisher
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
Series
Incredible Lives for Young Readers
BISAC categories
JNF007110 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Social Activists JNF025070 - Juvenile Nonfiction | History | Europe JNF053210 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Social Topics | Violence
Library of Congress categories
Biographies JUVENILE NONFICTION / Biography & Autobiograp JUVENILE NONFICTION / History / Europe Political and social views Cellists Casals, Pablo
Kirkus Reviews
A lyrical tribute to a Catalan child who grew up to become one of the 20th century's most renowned cellists.
Booklist
Cabassa's mixed-media illustrations are full of movement and vibrant color...Mihaly's lyrical text sings and dances...back matter includes a wealth of information. A moving choice for picture book-biography collections.
Horn Book Magazine
Starred Review
Colorful...closes triumphantly... extensive back matter.
School Library Journal
Gr 3-6--A biography of Pablo Casals, Nobel Peace Prize recipient and world-renowned cellist who used both his music--and his silence--to protest fascism, oppression, and violence. The story begins in a small town in Catalonia, where Casals grew up learning instruments from his organist father. He is captivated the first time he sees a cello and vows to play it. Because his father does not teach that instrument, Casals travels to Barcelona for lessons and quickly gains international recognition as a teenage prodigy. When the Spanish Civil War and World War II erupt, Spain falls under a dictatorship. Casals tours the world giving concerts, often ending with appeals for freedom in his homeland. When his efforts fail, he resolves to stop performing publicly until Spain is free. The story concludes with his long-awaited return to music at the Bach Festival in Prades. The text is dense and set in small font, suitable for independent readers in upper elementary and middle grades. Cabassa's watercolor illustrations use a consistent palette of bright blues, yellows, pinks, and purples. Birds appear throughout the illustrations as a visual reference to Casals's most celebrated piece, The Song of the Birds, symbolizing his commitment to peace and the power of music to inspire hope even in the darkest times. The back matter includes a note from the author and illustrator about Casals's significance, a more detailed timeline of events not covered in the main text, an update on events after the Prades concert, and a list of resources. VERDICT An important biography introducing younger readers to a remarkable musician and humanitarian whose story has rarely been told for this age group.--Heidi Dechief
Copyright 2026 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Christy Mihaly is an award-winning poet and author of many books for children and teens, including Barefoot Books WATER: A Deep Dive of Discovery. A former lawyer, Christy writes primarily nonfiction, on topics from hayfields to forests and federalism to free speech. She particularly enjoys sharing true stories about history because our best hope for the future lies in understanding our past. Christy lives in Vermont, the fourteenth state, on the traditional Abenaki homeland, N'dakinna.
