Listen for the Singing

This book is among the top of my favorites! The story is inspiring and heartwarming. Excellent writing puts you back in the 1930s-40s and brings the characters to life. It was one of thoughs books that made me feel like I could relate with the characters on such a deep level as if they were real people! Reading about them was almost like visiting them as friends... Comming to the end of this book was difficult cuz I didn't want it to end!

This is one of my favorite books! Anna Solden is 14 year old German girl living in Canada in the 1940s. She begins her first year at a normal high school after years of special classes at a special school due to her very poor eyesight. She experiences predjudice from one of her teachers because of her German background, but makes several new friends regardless. Her brother Rudi, oldest of the 5 Solden children, goes off to fight in the war, but returns blind. Anna helps him cope with his dramatically altered lifestyle, and the two of them become close friends despite Rudi's cruelty towards Anna in earlier years. (In "From Anna")Listen for the Singing is an amazing book, and I would recommend it to teens especially.

This is the sequel to "From Anna" Anna is now in high school, and on the first day she is so nervous!!!! She makes tons of new friends, and helps her brother Rudi cope with being blind. Rudi injers his eyes when he goes off to war. I loved this book!!!!!

This is truly a masterpiece. Anna Solden, the central character in "From Anna," makes a reappearance in this book. Anna, now 15 is in high school. It is the height of the Second World War and Anna has outgrown her Sight Savers class and has entered high school. Unfortunately, her good friend Isobel who stuck by her throughout their elementary school years together attends a different school. Anna's life has certainly improved since her early days in Canada. Her Sight Savers teacher has married her (Anna's) doctor and they have named their daughter after Anna. Anna finally connects with the redoubtable oldest brother Rudi after Rudi is blinded in an accident while serving active duty. (As Germans in Canada, the Soldens face all kinds of discrimination because of the anti-German sentiments that stemmed from the Holocaust atrocities). This gently written, beautiful book helps remind folks that prejudice of any kind does not work and only exacerbates existing problems. Rudi tries to prove that point by serving in the Allied Forces. Once he is blinded and shipped home, it is Anna who nurses him back to health. She reminds him of how his cruel taunting of her during her early years hurt her to the point of retreat; she reminds him that his cruel nickname for her ("Awkward Anna") was a painful memory she'll never be able to shed. She forces Rudi to confront his newly altered lifestyle; she forces him to learn Braille and to work with their father in the store. Anna encourages and reinforces Rudi every step of the way and literally forces her brother out of his self-imposed shell. During the Braille sessions, Anna learns alongside of Rudi because of her own very low vision. Near the close of the story, Anna said when birds were out she would "listen for the singing," even if she couldn't see them. What a positive and affirming life statement! I found myself using that very same expression from time to time. Anna is truly a classic character and one who will remain part of one's heart. I love this book.