Historical Fiction - Caudill nominee

Don't let the illustrations and modest page count fool you. Michael Morpurgo's The Mozart Question is a serious, thoughtful story that will stay with you long after the book is closed. Set today, the story follows a young reporter who is sent to interview a brilliant, world famous violinist notorious for being difficult with reporters. Her candid, fresh approach to him gets him to open up about his up bringing. He decides to tell her about why he has never played the music of Mozart. The story flashes back to his own childhood and then backs up again to his young parents when they were prisoners in a Nazi concentration camp. Michael Foreman's beautiful water colors will transport you so take the time to look at them carefully. Be sure to read the author's note at the end as well. It will help you understand his motivation and inspiration to write this powerful short story.