Rosin the Beau

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Pages: 67

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About this book

An old fiddler sets down his life for Melody, a child he loves, so that she can hear his voice through the written account. His memories begin in a Maine village with his French mother, Marie, whose violin, songs and careful attention to colour make their home bright. Her warmth sits beside the stern religious convictions of his father, Jacques De Arthenay, and even a birthday feast can become a source of family tension.

Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards gives this children's novel the shape of a personal letter, letting the older narrator reflect on his younger self. Later recollections include Abby Rock's offer to care for his father, an ill judged proposal about remarriage, and a visit to southern France with Yvon. Music, grief and affection connect the domestic scenes. Readers interested in stories about childhood and family bonds will find a narrative built around remembered voices, small kindnesses and the mistakes of youth.

About the author

Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards

Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards (1850-1943) was an American writer who produced more than ninety books, most of them for young readers. The daughter of Julia Ward Howe and the reformer Samuel Gridley Howe, she grew up in Boston and settled in Gardiner, Maine, where she wrote steadily for six decades.