Monday, April 02, 2012

Good-Bye Tchaikovsky (March 2012) by Michael Thal

Good-Bye Tchaikovsky (March 2012) by Michael Thal
Publisher Royal Fireworks Press
Grade:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
ISBN:978-0-88092-469-6
Book Description
A twelve-year-old violin virtuoso, David Rothman, is plunged into a deaf world, necessitating him to adapt to a new culture and language in order to survive. Rothman is an overnight success. He performs Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in New York’s Symphony Hall with rave reviews attracting the attention of the Queen of England. His future is laid out for him like a well-lit freeway. Then, on his birthday, David suffers from a sudden and irreparable hearing loss, plunging him into a silent world. Written from his own perspective, the novel shows how an adolescent boy sets about coping with this devastating new condition. It takes time. How will he communicate with his friends? What can he do about school?  How do you deal with unexpected and possibly dangerous situations? What will his future be like?

The author, a teacher who lost his hearing in his forties as a result of a virus, says:  "I was motivated to write Good-Bye Tchaikovsky as a way to heal the pain of my hearing loss. I was curious what it would have been like if I lost my hearing when I was in sixth grade and not as a 44 year-old adult."
Goodbye Tchaikovsky
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For more information about the author, check out his website.