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Echo is an interesting set of stories surrounding a fantastical harmonica. Pam Muñoz Ryan has written other books, The Dreamer and Esperanza Rising, that have come close to the Newbery award in the past. Could Echo be her first Newbery?

Loved this one!

Music is a major theme in this story, which is appropriate because the three stories that make up this book blend together like melodies to make one beautiful song. This is the first book I've read by Pam Muñoz Ryan, and now I want to read more!

I so loved Pam Munoz Ryan's Esperanza Rising, so I was excited to read Echo. I also loved Echo. What I loved about this book is the fairy tale that connected with the 3 other stories and that the 3 stories all then connected together. I thought the author orchestrated this book so well, so creatively--like no book I had read before. But on top of this beautifully planned novel, I loved each and every story. Great book! I definitely think this book is a contender for the Newbery award!

I absolutely loved this book! Definitely my favorite read of 2015 thus far.

I was very curious how all of the stories would be woven together and did not expect the fairy tale to be incorporated the way it was in the end. Each individual character's story was very moving and well done. I really liked this book and feel like it will have a chance as a contender.

Wow. This is the first book of Pam Munoz Ryan's that I have read & it did not disappoint. Echo is such a beautiful tale of how music can shape lives. I love the fairy tale aspect and how well she incorporates such an busy and scary time in our world. It was a book I hated to stop reading. I think if I had been given a whole weekend alone I would have read it in one sitting. There are so many teachable moments in this book and so many nonfiction and historical fiction books that could be tied easily to this book to encourage students reading and their particular interest in historical events of this time period. I believe that this is definitely a contender for Newbery.

I wish Echo came packaged with a harmonica. There were several places in the book where I felt the need to examine or test one.

What a great marketing tool. I was just at the publisher's booth gushing over Echo and wish I could have suggested that. Maybe Horner should give out a copy of the book?

This is my favorite book so far! I love the magical way that she wove together the stories and added the fairy tale aspect. It covers so many genres - historical fiction, fairy tales and coming of age. The only drawback is the size but if you are a true book lover you don't see the length of the novel, you only have the desire to begin immediately!

Kim, I teach a group of 5th graders that are thought of to be reluctant, non-readers. After a book share one day, it was the reluctant reader who came to ask if he could read it. The book is taking him awhile, but he is sticking to it. His reading response journals show he is truly comprehending and appreciating the book.

I got Echo from my local library and was surprised that it was cataloged YA. Despite the large number of pages, it seems like an easy read.

Kate wrote: "I got Echo from my local library and was surprised that it was cataloged YA. Despite the large number of pages, it seems like an easy read."

That is odd. Maybe a young adult librarian decided it was more geared to an older reader.

Just finished and loved it! The way all the stories are interwoven so perfectly shows the skill of the author. I think it will be considered for the Newbery. My one possible complaint--and really, I'm more just wondering aloud--is that the book might have too much of a happy ending... Do you know what I mean? It's a bit of a too-happy reflection of a difficult time period in world history. But perhaps that's okay, because the way each story leaves off makes you expect the worst. So I don't know. Thoughts?

Echo is Wonderful!! I think Pam Ryan did a great job of linking the fairy tale, love of music and how it can impact life, historical fiction and growing and changing together. The first thing I did when I finished the book was contact a friend who teaches music and rave about the book. The three stories had emotional endings that were cliff hangers and at first I thought the book to be very sad, but I was always drawn to the next story. The way Ryan linked everything together at the end of the book was magical. Fairy Tales have magic endings and I think that is in part what made this a wonderful book. Too long? I do not see that as a problem because of the way the book is structured. My fifth grade granddaughter put it nicely when she said, "I will just read it one book/story at a time." This may be a Newbery winner for Pam Ryan.

Just finished Echo & loved it. Definitely seems "distinguished" to me. I appreciated each character's story, although it took me a little longer to be pulled into Ivy's world. (I think because at first it seemed too modern, like it didn't fit with the previous two stories.) But that disinterest only lasted a few pages! I would love to read a spin-off devoted to Mike and Frankie. I fell in love with them. Ordering this for my elementary library & will recommend to fourth & fifth grades.

I also loved Echo. Because of the musical theme, I enjoyed listening to the audiobook.

I love that the book starts with discrimination in Nazi Germany and ends with discrimination in California. I think it teaches kids that discrimination is never acceptable.

Sorry, disappointed in this book. I had enjoyed two (three?) of Ryan's previous novels, and thought they were quite exciting and interesting (as far as I can remember...)

But not this one. I found each of the three stories to be maudlin. The characters bordered on the banal, the plots were obvious (made worse by those tie-it-up-neatly-with-a-bow delayed endings) and the writing style bland. I realize that young readers would probably not find any of this off-putting. But an award winner? No way.

The only thing that stood out to me was Ryan's writing about the ambience created when music was performed and the musical intelligence of the main characters.

Echo reminds me of The Bridge of San Luis Rey--but with a happier outcome. The different paths that brought three people to be performing at Carnegie Hall on the same night.

I loved the book, but it just doesn't seem award worthy to me. I have been trying to figure out why I think that way, and the best I can come up with is how quickly all the stories are finished at the end. I think it is more than that though.

Also, FYI, I read the kindle version. For the first time, I would discourage people from using the kindle version. I couldn't adjust the font or spacing on this version and the insets for the fairy tale portion were so incredibly tiny, it was almost blurry.

Just finished reading Echo. I have now read 23 books published in 2015 in search of 15-20 titles for a 4th grade Mock Newbery Book Club. I have placed it on my "yes" list, but I do have reservations about the length. There will be students that will want to read it, however, I can't imagine that it will be the most sought after title because the size will be off-putting.

I do think Echo is award worthy because of the way the three stories are connected and the way that the author was able to incorporate three different historical events into one book appropriate for this age group. Like Olivia, I can see this book being a springboard for other books of the same time period. WWII? The War that Saved My Life and The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchill Club.

I was so excited to hear that PMR had a new book coming out, since many of her other titles are popular with my students. Echo did not disappoint. I loved each of the three stories separately and wondered how they were all going to come together. I suppose for some readers you may have had some inkling of how she was going to bring our 3 main characters together in part 4, but for me I think I was just enjoying the story and was eager to see how the author would wrap it all up.
As a class read-aloud the story would be long, but would lend itself for good discussion. Before starting part 4 students could write their own ending to the story.
At this point in the year I cannot determine if I believe it to be award worthy...on to the next book!

I really like this one, and can see it doing well with awards. I will encourage students to think of it as three books in one. I must admit, I had to skip forward to book four after each story just to make sure it ended the way I wanted it to.

Even though I had the arc ages ago, then a finished copy, the length and other review commitments prevented my from getting to it. When it came in my audio Junior Library Guild subscription, I decided to read with my ears. Good thing I did because I was in tears for much of the book. I adored this book and will definitely reread it with my eyes. The audio might make the book even more accessible to young readers since the producers added music. I was familiar with all the works referenced but young readers might not be. Also, listening with tears is easier than reading with tears.

Title, please.

Karlan wrote: "Title, please."

Not sure if your comment was meant for me - I was referring to reading Echo with my ears.

I believe in the power of story and I think Pam Munoz Ryan must believe in that power, too. I have read her books in the past and they were good, but this story will stay with me for years to come. That is the power of story. Thank you Pam for writing this book. There is hope, creativity and an attitude that will go with me and influence me over time. THAT is the power of story.

Brenda K, thanks for the tip about the audio for this one. I love audio renditions and I will plan on getting both print and audio of this book..

I know I'm late to this discussion, but this is by far my favourite read so far this year. Magical! My 12.5 year old commented that "this is the kind of book you fall into and lose yourself and never want to end" and that if it doesn't get the Newberry that "they've forgotten what a good book is all about." She has enjoyed "Stella by Starlight" and really liked "War that Saved My Life", but she LOVED this. Great for kids and adults alike!

While I've seen some negative comments about the convenience of parts of this book, I ate it all up. It is certainly my favorite read this year! The fairytale of the sisters that framed the novel was brilliant and unique; and the three, very well fleshed out segments of the novel hooked me in the heart each time. I loved it!

Finally read this on the plane from Norway. It's a great achievement, but having read all of Ryan's other books, I don't think it's her best writing. For its size, it seems to be aimed at a middle grade audience, which might make it hard to find a solid readership. I also think it drags a little in the middle. It did make me cry twice, though.

Here's my reasoning: it reminded me of Holes in that there are several lines of story that come together in the end. So I reread Holes at the same time I read this. Holes is a 5-star book; this doesn't quite measure up.

I sat in during 2 sessions of the 2016 Notables meetings at ALA and I found the entire process very interesting. (There were 11 people on the committee.) One person in the group summarized the book up for discussion, and then spoke about appreciations, followed by concerns/observations. Then the floor was open to anyone on committee to discuss +/-. It was concerns/observations that I found the most interesting. Since I had read many of the books they were discussing I found that I need to be more critical of the books I read. Some areas they spoke of about being critical with titles on their list: inconsistent in some places, diversity of characters isn't carried through the book, could become dated quickly, continuity--with text and illustrations, young character having so much success easily in the book, little breathing space in the illustrations, etc.

What does this have to do with Echo? While of course there were many positives for this title, there were also concerns...middle story was unnecessary, parts predictable, wrapped up too neatly, etc. For me, I truly enjoyed each of the stories, and continued to wonder how they would be woven together in the end. It was satisfying for me in the end, as I feel it will be for many of my students as well. While I work on being more critical of titles, I do see it important for me to consider if the title will get checked out of my library. My goal is not only to expose students to great writing and stories, but to also allow them to explore genres and topics that are of interest to them and find a few that are unexpected.

Librarygarden wrote: "I sat in during 2 sessions of the 2016 Notables meetings at ALA and I found the entire process very interesting. (There were 11 people on the committee.) One person in the group summarized the book..."

I think it's an essential purchase for my K-5 library, yes, both because of the author and the value of the book. I'm definitely going to recommend it as a cross-discipline read for my 5th grade music teachers and in a class reading group. But I think for the purposes of this group, as with the Notables, we must be critical.

Thanks, librarygarden, for your summary of ALA Notable discussion and thoughtful comments about Echo.
I do know readers who I think would like Echo, but I share some of the reservations that others have expressed. I really appreciate the opportunity to continue discussing it. Maybe the fact that it elicits thoughtful sharing is a factor in its favor.

I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Echo. However I listened to the CD. Whoever produced it should win an award! It was the best audio book I have ever listened to! The voices and the beautiful music made the wonderful story come to life! You have to listen ALL the way through the credits at the end to a beautiful rendition of Some Enchanted Evening! I cried in many parts including the end!!

I'm trying to catch up and finally finished Echo. It's my favorite so far. The three stories are well woven and kept my interest. The ending could have come across as a contrivance, but was satisfying instead. Well done.

I'm late to the game on this book, but I just finished it yesterday. I really liked this book a lot. I liked the three story lines and how they came together at the end. The ending was neat and tidy and probably realistically unlikely, but it was uplifting and satisfying. I actually thought Friedrich, Mike and Fernando died at the end of their respective sections, the revelation that they were safe and sound made me smile.

Although my experience of reading this book was thoroughly enjoyable and I rated it 5 stars, I'm not sure I would want it to win a Newbery. Honors, perhaps, but not the award. I share some of the same concerns that others have expressed, notably the neatly tied up ending and some plot points predictable (particularly in the Frankie/Mike section). Also, I fell in love with Friedrich so much at the beginning that I was disappointed that I didn't get to read more about him. While I enjoyed the other stories, they didn't stick with me as much as Friedrich's did. I think The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan displays more consistent writing quality than Echo, but I think Echo appeals to a wider audience so maybe that would make it a Newbery contender?

Jan wrote: "I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Echo. However I listened to the CD. Whoever produced it should win an award! It was the best audio book I have ever listened to! The voices and the beautiful music made the w..."
Jan - I totally agree. If this book does not win an Odyssey award for best audiobook, there is no justice in the world. The audio version was spectacular!

Mary HD wrote: "Sorry, disappointed in this book. I had enjoyed two (three?) of Ryan's previous novels, and thought they were quite exciting and interesting (as far as I can remember...)

But not this one. I found..."

Thanks. "Maudlin" was the word I was looking for.

Amy wrote: "I loved the book, but it just doesn't seem award worthy to me. I have been trying to figure out why I think that way, and the best I can come up with is how quickly all the stories are finished at..."

There's no excuse for this. I depend on the text size function on my Kindle in order to read books. I have read indie books and galleys without issues, but for this book I had to strain through a 600 page pdf.

Librarygarden wrote: "I sat in during 2 sessions of the 2016 Notables meetings at ALA and I found the entire process very interesting. (There were 11 people on the committee.) One person in the group summarized the book..."

Would you mind explaining the function of ALA Notables? Is it a Newbery screening process, or is it just a forum for new books?

Phil wrote: I depend on the text size function on my Kindle in order to read books. I had to strain through a 600 page pdf.

On the other hand, Brenda wrote: When it came in my audio Junior Library Guild subscription, I decided to read with my ears. The audio might make the book even more accessible to young readers since the producers added music. I was familiar with all the works referenced but young readers might not be.

I normally read on Kindle, but realized right away that I needed to read the paper copy. I think that makes this a particularly difficult book to evaluate, since the "reading" experience varies so much by format. Don't know how the Newbery committee balances these considerations.

Kate wrote: " Phil wrote: I depend on the text size function on my Kindle in order to read books. I had to strain through a 600 page pdf.

On the other hand, Brenda wrote: When it came in my audio Junior Libr..."

I would assume they don't. It's not in the criteria, and the committee is pretty strict about following the criteria. For myself, I tried to separate my objections to the text itself from my objections to the publisher's poor formatting decisions.

Phil wrote: "Librarygarden wrote: "I sat in during 2 sessions of the 2016 Notables meetings at ALA and I found the entire process very interesting. (There were 11 people on the committee.) One person in the gro..."

Hi Phil,
Here is a link for some information on the website.


Hope this helps!

Thanks! So, it looks like a group that is not the Newbery committee put together a list, but since they are part of the ALA, their brains probably work kind of like the Newbery committee's. And they meet in public? Cool!

I think so! This book was richly imagined, intricate, and captivating. I absolutely loved it.