An utterly enjoyable, creative and heartwarming novel about a girl who sees the world in music and colors. It’s written for and accessible to middle grades, but I would recommend it to YA and adult audiences too. The writing and character development and dialogue and character growth are mature and top-notch.

In a Nutshell: A middle-grade timeslip story about a girl who wants to be seen for herself than for her prowess with the violin. Interesting themes, nice story. A bit repetitive at times, and too much ‘crush’ talk for my liking, but other than that, a pretty good book.

Plot Preview:
Twelve-year-old Rosie is a musical prodigy, proficient in the violin since a very young age. Her synaesthesia allows her to see music in colours and she also has an eidetic memory for tunes. All this means that her life revolves around the violin and practices and performances and everything else that can help steer her towards becoming a concert violinist, as per her demanding mother’s wish. But Rosie has had enough, and in protest, she has not played the violin in more than two months.
When Rosie is forced to spend summer with her grandparents, she bumps into another girl hanging about their old garden shed. To her astonishment, she realises that this girl is her mother, but from when she was twelve years old. Can Rosie use this strange time conundrum to become closer to her mother and understand her better?
The story comes to us in Rosie’s first person perspective.

Bookish Yays:
♫ Every chapter starts with a classical music term and its definition, which is later applied to the chapter in some way or the other. Quite interesting!
♫ Rosie’s character detailing is mostly great. Her emotions feel mostly accurate for a twelve-year-old. I also liked Rosie’s grandfather and his dog Vienna. The book also has some older teen characters in minor roles, and for a change, their portrayal is entirely positive. Such a welcome relief to see good teens in a novel!
♫ The focus on the dedication and hard work required to find success in a hobby. Love the way it threw light on the efforts invested even by prodigies to achieve success.
♫ The highlight on negative parental pressure, when parents stress children too much for success in hobbies and extracurricular activities, and also dictate what the child should do. Imposing your own dreams on your children is never right, and the book brings this out wisely. This lesson is more for the parents who might read the book, but it is still a worthy one.
♫ The details about Judaism and some of its rituals and beliefs. Also a glimpse of the Jewish experiences during WWII. Authentic portrayals are always welcome!
♫ The depiction of Rosie’s synaesthesia. Very realistically written! I couldn’t help contrast it with the portrayal of the same ability in the adult fiction novel ‘Hester’, which went so over the top.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4613990048
♫ The author's note at the end, which reveals her writing choices for this story. I was not surprised to learn that the author is also Jewish, but I sure didn’t expect her to have synaesthesia! No wonder it felt so authentic in the story!
♫ A shoutout to the stunning cover and backcover!

Bookish Mixed Bags:
♬ The writing casually includes several terms related to the violin and classical music in general. It makes exceptional use of musical metaphors to convey Rosie’s feelings, and hence almost every scene has multiple musical references. However, this goes a bit overboard as well. Lines such as “I whisper pianissimo” or “A minor chord arpeggio thunders behind my ears” would make sense only to those readers who understand these terms. As I am aware of music, I got the cues without any problem, and I also accept that this kind of writing suits Rosie’s character. But will young readers understand such musical words? For example, if Rosie had been a baseball prodigy and used too many baseball idioms and terms, I know for certain I would have been lost! Comprehension gets affected when the writing becomes too technical.
♬ The portrayal of Rosie’s parents, especially of her mother, is a bit too one-noted. I wish the mother’s reasons for her behaviour had come out more clearly, but her character transitions are few and even those are abrupt. Moreover, there’s a scene where she loses her cool after Rosie invites strangers to her grandparents’ home without taking permission from any adult. I felt like her mother was completely justified in her anger, but she ended up depicted as the villain for a great part of the scene. Basically, her character development was good but it could have been better.
♬ There are too many themes, both major and minor, in the book: classical music, a grandparent with Alzheimer's, Judaism and Jewish beliefs, the Holocaust, intergenerational trauma, mental health issues, heartbreak caused by the death of a pet, broken friendship, minor character’s parent death due to cancer, first crush, pronoun preferences, good-touch-bad-touch and consent, improv acting, and to top it all, the time slip. While some of these themes are handled really well and I even appreciate each of these topics, I wish the book had focussed on some key areas rather than trying to cram so many important issues within a single story.
♬ The timeslip parts were the novelty of the book. Few MG novels, especially realistic ones, use time slip as a plot device, so kids might find this aspect almost magical. That said, there’s no explanation provided for the events, so if you want the reason for the events, that won’t happen. I do feel like the timeslip could have been better utilised as it felt too convenient at times, but no major complaints.

Bookish Nays:
♪ Personal preference: I never like middle-grade novels to delve too much into romances and crushes, though it might be realistic in today’s world. Rosie’s crush on one of the teens was annoying also because of the way it was written. Her constant references to the way she felt looking at him and when his arm brushed against her and how she was ‘smitten’ – it was too much for me. I remember having the same complaint in this author’s debut work ‘Aftermath’, but the idea is much more extended in this sophomore work. Those who have no issues with this topic in a middle-grade work can ignore this point.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4045645974
♪ Rosie’s thoughts, especially wrt the timeslip, get somewhat repetitive at times.

All in all, despite the overload of themes and the silly crush, the story does leave a mark. I had loved ‘AfterMath’ a lot, so this falls slightly short of expectations, but it is still a thought-provoking read.
Recommended, but do look at the themes listed to see if something might be triggering for your child. This book would work better with discussions, so it could be a great addition to classroom libraries.

3.75 stars.
My thanks to Carolrhoda Books, Lerner Publishing Group and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Color of Sound”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This books has everything I believe makes a middle grade novel exceptional! The author handles many topics so skillfully, from generational trauma to neurodiversity to the role religion plays in our lives. I will be handing this one to a lot of readers!

This is such a good story about a young girl who is learning how to navigate her life after a huge change. I feel like the relationship in this book between the main character and her mother felt so real and heartbreaking. As a mom I could see why the mother in this story was doing the things that she was doing but I also feel like the main character did a great job of sharing feelings to the reader that could really help younger readers see the actions of their parents in a new light. I think that this book will have a great impact on all who read it because it definitely had a huge impact on me.

Rosie is a young accomplished violinist who feels compelled to take a break from playing after realizing she doesn’t want just this to define her. She visits her ailing grandmother, who keeps inquiring about her playing. Rosie meets a young version of her mother, which helps her understand where her firm mother came from; she tries to influence her to change the future.
Poignant, meaningful.

"The Color of Sound" was a very unique story about a violin prodigy with synthesia that chooses to stop playing her violin to discover what else she wants to do. There's discussion around mental health through the generations, the effects of the Holocaust, Jewish traditions, friendship, and synthesia in the real world. I think the time travel element was a bit too much for this kind of realistic fiction, but I like that the main character was able to see her mother through a different perspective because of it.

Overall, a sweet story about familial love, seeing the world through color, and re-learning to love what you love to do.

What a beautiful book! Emily Barth Isler has completely captured the experience of what it's like for kids to have pressure from parents who treat them like a mirror, and the powerlessness the child feels when trying to resist and say, "No, I'm sorry, I am my own person, and I'm not sure I want this." This is particularly true with kids who are prodigies, especially music prodigies. I was a music prodigy, and playing my instrument eventually became like eating broccoli--something I was supposed to do, not something I could do for fun. Emily manages to epitomize this experience so that children who experience what I did can absolutely see themselves in the narrative. Emily also does such a good job of stinging together sentences in a way that is not only beautiful, and meaningful, but digestible for a middle grade audience. I haven't seen much synesthesia representation, particularly in middle grade, so this bookalso fills a nice niche. Mostly, it offers a wonderful escape while also confronting very real issues that kids have to deal with, particularly regarding relationships with family, and the ending is very satisfying. This book absolutely belongs on any and all library shelves!

The Color of Sound is a work of art, to me. I was swept away into Rosie's world, into her attempts to be more than just the girl with a violin.

Ever since she went on her violin strike, shortly after her best friend ended things, Rosie has been trying to determine who she is, what it's like to be a normal girl instead of a musical prodigy, and how to connect to both her world and what future she wants as well as how to connect to a family she barely knows.

Rosie and her mother are spending six weeks at her grandparents this summer. Through the magic of a shed that connects across time to when Rosie's mother Shoshanna was her age, and the more contemporary magic of observing an improv class, Rosie's summer certainly won't be boring.

I adored the magical prose - both the author's writing itself as well as Rosie's synesthesia and how she experiences life because of it. The exploration of grief, identity, and generational trauma are deftly woven into a symphony.

I absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a little magical realism in their middle grade fiction.

5 star sweep.

This is the most beautifully written story I have read so far this year. Every character is lovely and flawed and vital. I was completely drawn to the unique perspective of Rosie, a violin prodigy who has been defined by her talents. I appreciated the way Isler explored how synesthesia, in this case, experiencing sounds as colors, can impact someone’s interpretation of the world around them. The family dynamics between mother and daughter and the peripheral characters of Rosie’s father, grandparents, aunt, and peers are so carefully crafted to reflect Rosie’s experiences, frustrations, hopes, and, ultimately, growth. This is a treasure of a novel and should be in every middle school classroom and building library.

Thank you to Lerner Publishing Group, Carolrhoda Books, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this poignant novel.

The Color of Sound is a symphony of ideas that will reach both young and old. Isler’s carefully crafted plot resembles a finely tuned instrument, and the exploration of many themes creates a medley of ideas.

The title comes from the fact that the main character has synesthesia, which allows her to see music in colors. Rosie is a violin prodigy who has spent practically every waking moment outside of school dedicated to her violin career. Her mother has micromanaged her career and Rosie has no time to do anything that a normal child would do. She has no time for other activities, no time for her friends, no time for herself. She receives attention because of her talent and achievements; however, she doesn’t feel that anyone sees her for herself. Rosie has decided to stop playing her violin for a while and explore other options.

As she fights with her parents about this behavior, she also visits her grandparents to spend time with her dying grandmother. When she stumbles onto another youngster in the backyard, she realizes that she has befriended her mother when she was a twelve-year-old. Rosie uses the time glitch to get to know her mother better and she discovers secrets about the family in the process. Over the summer, she begins to learn more about herself as well.

The main character is Jewish and the Jewish and neurodiversity representation show readers a glimpse into those worlds. Some of the Jewish traditions and holocaust history do play a part in the plot. But this story is also a universal one that explores many issues that youngsters from all backgrounds face. Although it may be more likely to be in sports or academics, many youngsters feel pressure to perform. Many children will feel that well-meaning parents who are stressing activities that are good for them but are not listening to what the child really wants. The story also explores death of a loved one and what it means to be a good friend. I had early access to this book from Carolrhoda Books through NetGalley. I can honestly recommend this fantastic novel to anyone over ten. It is a moving tale about finding oneself as they grow up. Although aimed at youngsters, teens and adults will enjoy this book as well.

This beautiful intergenerational story fascinated me in so many ways. Rosie is forced to spend the summer at her grandparents’ house with her mom to help care for her ailing grandmother. Rosie has a strained relationship with her controlling mom and has stopped playing the violin to spite her. As a musical prodigy, her life revolves around her lessons and performances, at the expense of friendships and her relationship with her family.
Rosie is a synesthete, which she understands is a gift, but this complicates her emotions. She knows she is different but already feels alienated from her peers.
Rosie’s relationship with her grandfather is special and she learns about their family history in bits and pieces from him, finding out things about their Jewish roots. She learns she has Holocaust survivors in the family and how this impacted family dynamics.
All of these things weave together into a captivating story as she takes in all this new information and relationships change. You won’t want to miss this story.

I truly enjoyed this book and became encouraged to learn a new instrument myself! This is a beautiful story for all aspiring musicians.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

Twelve year old Rosie is a violin prodigy, everyone in her life knows that. But there’s something else they don’t know: she is a synesthete. She sees sounds as color, and music in everything. There’s also something SHE doesn’t know: anything else about who she is, or what it’s like to just be a normal kid.

That’s why she’s on violin strike the summer she goes to spend at her grandparents, as her grandmother nears the last days of her life. Rosie wants to experience life without sleepingeatingbreathing the violin, and she longs for her own parents to see something else in her, too.

Over the summer Rosie stumbles upon many secrets and surprises - including a glitch in time which sees her befriending her own mother when she was 12. Through this and other special summer friendships, Rosie learns that who she is extends way beyond herself. It’s in the generations before her, too, and there are *many* ways in which they reach through time.

The friendship with her mother-at-12 is incredibly compelling (what would any of us find if we were to meet our parents before most of the experiences that made them their adult selves?!) but this book is no one trick pony. The Color of Sound is a multi-layered tale of discovering not only different parts of ourselves, but different parts of our family and history and how all that makes us who we are. (Hey-ohhh, generational trauma in the houuuuuse!)

As I read this book, I had to marvel at how Isler could imagine Rosie’s internal life without being a musical prodigy or having synesthesia herself. Rosie’s unique voice saturates the page, and it makes for some truly gorgeous descriptions that will make you pause to read lines again and again.

This is truly SUCH a lovely book, one I’ll be buying for the young teens in my life.

The Color of Sound was one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. From the prose to the characters to the story, it was all around a wonderful read.

Thank you to Lerner Publishing Group, Emily Barth Isler, for this ARC.

The Color of Sound is middle grade novel about a young girl, Rosie, a violin prodigy with synesthesia who is taking a break from playing because of all the pressure. Visiting her grandparents for the summer, Rosie has a summer she couldn't have expected. Making friends, learning about family history, a bit of grief and something akin to time-travel, this book made me feel so many things. I definitely cried a bit, but only because the messages in the book were so powerful.

I would happily recommend The Color of Sound to anyone looking for a nice Middle Grade book about family, music, and being your true self.

I really enjoyed this book. The description of the colors Rosie saw were beautiful and her whole self-discovery journey was very true to the middle-school experience. I was happy that the whole story wasn't just about time travel but more of a coming of age novel with Rosie figuring out who she is, who she wants to become, and her family's past.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Color of Sound by Emily Barth Isler is a speculative contemporary Middle Grade about Rosie, a twelve-year-old violin prodigy who is on strike from playing and is now spending the summer with her grandparents. Her grandmother has Alzheimer's and her mother is deeply upset about Rosie refusing to study music, creating a tense homelife that has Rosie looking for friends outside the house. She meets a group of teenage improv students and, in the shack on her grandparents’ property, a younger version of her mother.

What I really liked was how Emily Barth Isler wove together some very difficult topics, from Alzheimer’s and hospice to generational trauma in the Jewish community to struggles maintaining friendships when you’re over-scheduled to feeling pressured to be excellent. Rosie also has synesthesia and the prose and POV reflect this fairly well, I thought. Rosie’s struggles to get her parents to understand why she wants to stop playing the violin will resonate with young readers who are also having personal struggles to assert some form of control over their own autonomy.

I would recommend this to readers in the Middle Grade age range, readers looking for a contemporary with a speculative element that humanizes parents to children, and fans of Middle Grade novels that focus on topics connected to grief.

Rosie is a young girl who is a music prodigy. She has synesthesia which allows her to see the music in color. Her parents always push her to practice and perform a lot and she has had enough. She is on a music strike and visiting her grandparents for the summer. Her grandma is dying and Rosie isn’t very familiar with her grandparents. She somehow becomes friends with her 12 year old mom. She starts to understand her mom more and she also starts to investigate her Jewish heritage as well.

I really liked this book! I loved the different music references and knowledge throughout. You really connect with a feel for Rosie. She has a complicated relationship with her parents and I feel like it’s relatable for kids who have parents who push them. It’s nice to see Rosie grow and learn and connect better with her grandpa and mom. I loved the time travel aspect. She is able to understand and connect with her mom a lot better. I feel like synesthesia is not talked about a lot so it was nice to see it represented in this book. I also enjoyed reading about some of the Jewish traditions and heritage as well.

I think this is a sweet middle grade about a girl finding herself and connecting with her parents. I would widely recommend this one! Thanks so much to netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group, Carolrhoda Books ® for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Wow! Emily Barth Isler knocked it out of the park with this middle grade novel. There is so much depth, so many layers, and so many unique touches. I really enjoyed the magical realism with the time travel, and the seeing music in an array of colors. Such an interesting premise and executed really well.

Rosie is a 12 year old violin prodigy who is on a violin strike. The strike is driving her mother up the wall, because their entire family has dedicated so much to Rosie's musical career. However, it's not necessarily what Rosie wants, and so she simply stops. Stops the hours of practicing, the various music lessons multiple times a week, the performance and recitals and concerts. But while Rosie stops, her ability to see color in music does not.

Things pick up when Rosie and her mother go to Rosie's grandparents house for the full summer. Rosie's grandmother's health is failing, and her grandfather needs the help. While there, Rosie makes some new friends, finds some new interests, gets closer to her grandfather, and (this is the time travel part) is somehow able to interact with her mother back when she was a 12 year old.

Fascinating stuff, right?

Rosie also learns a lot about her family, especially her great-grandmother, and their own family history as European Jews directly impacted by the Holocaust. She discovers that some of her musical abilities have been passed down, and longs to learn more about her own personal history and what it means as she figures out her own path forward.

Excellent read, recommended for ages 9+

This is a really beautiful story about the tension between discovering who we are, being the child our parents see us as, and learning to see the difference (and similarities) between the two.

As a musician, I loved seeing a story where the experience of adolescent musicians is explored. Even with the slight fantasy elements, (cool time travel loops!) the story still felt so grounded and realistic. You see Rose deal with the struggle of navigating fights with friends, connecting with family that she has had little contact with, and feeling suffocated by the thing that defines her the most. These are all things that need to be represented in children’s literature more. I particularly enjoyed the relationship arc between Rose and her mother.

On a more aesthetic note, the musical vocabulary dictionary openings were a nice touch to each chapter.

I greatly enjoyed this book and recommend it to any readers who remember the joys and struggles of self-discovery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Carolrhoda Books for the ARC.

Our main character, Rosie, a violin prodigy, is on a violin strike the summer before her 7th grade year when she and her mom leave home to help care for her dying grandmother. Rosie feels like they can’t possibly see eye to eye when Rosie encounters a girl who she’s pretty sure is the 12 year old version of her mother.

The perspectives and storyline in The Color of Sound are so unique. I mean, have you ever read a novel about a Jewish protagonist with synesthesia who (possibly) time travels? What I really enjoyed about this book was how it wove these interesting elements with the super relatable theme of family.

In my opinion, a good read aloud book needs to make kids want to learn more. I can totally see reading this to a class (grades 3-7, maybe) and going down a rabbit hole into Jewish culture, synesthesia, classical music, or even improv acting. It would be so fun!

Thanks to #NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group for this ARC.