Author(s): Kevin Crossley-Holland

Middle Fiction 8-12-year-olds

An orphan with no voice but an extraordinary musical gift. A man of music who discovers her gift. Abandoned at the orphanage in Venice as a baby, Laura is mute. Her life is transformed when the composer Vivaldi unlocks her passion for music. The seasons turn, dark turns to light and miracles happen. Carnegie award-winning author, Kevin Crossley-Holland makes every word a masterstroke. This short novel is exquisitely illustrated by acclaimed artist, Jane Ray. Her work is inspired by Vivaldi's Four Seasons and the real girls and boys who lived and laughed and worked in the Venetian Orphanage. Heartsong is spell-binding tale about the healing power of music set against the mystery and beauty of Venice.