The Children of Willesden Lane

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Fourteen-year-old Lisa Jura was a musical prodigy who hoped to become a concert pianist. But when Hitler's armies advanced on pre-war Vienna, Lisa's parents were forced to make a difficult decision. Able to secure passage for only one of their three daughters through the Kindertransport, they chose to send gifted Lisa to London for safety. As she yearned to be reunited with her family while she lived in a home for refugee children on Willesden Lane, Lisa's music became a beacon of hope. A memoir of courage, survival, and the power of music to uplift the human spirit, this compelling tribute to one special young woman and the lives she touched will both educate and inspire young readers. Based on a true story of a 14 year old girl Lisa Jura, who had to flee her home in Vienna and rebuild her life in London, the story brings home the reality of the Holocaust to readers aged 12 and up.

Bol Partner

Famed concert pianist Mona Golabek shares the inspirational true story of her mother's escape from pre-WWII Vienna to an orphanage in London - 243 Willesden Lane. The music will give you strength...it will be your best friend in life. With these words - the last she would ever hear from her mother - ringing in her ears, young piano prodigy Lisa Jura boarded the Kindertransport and headed for safety. Amidst the dozens of Jewish refugees trying to make their way in war-torn London, Lisa forms indelible friendships, finds romance and, against all odds, wins a scholarship to study piano at the Royal Academy of Music. As she creates a new life for herself, she never lets go of the hope of one day reconnecting with her family. The Children Of Willesden Lane is a stunning testament to the power of music to lift the human spirit and to grant the soul endurance, patience and peace.