Symphony for a Broken Orchestra

Starred review from October 3, 2022
The music-filled city of Philadelphia resounds with “sharp noises and dull noises and funny noises and sad noises,” some of them made by the musical instruments of school children. But when instruments are damaged and abandoned, “away they go”—until a local artist decides to play the broken objects “in new and creative ways” (“Just because something is broken doesn’t mean that it can’t also be beautiful”). The figures in Millward’s digitally rendered illustrations reflect contemporary Philadelphia’s racial and ethnic diversity, while bold yellow highlights pop from the saturated palette, emphasizing musical instruments and onomatopoeia. Ignatow’s reiterative, sound-focused text builds toward the final symphony, which readers can view at a provided video link. Back matter also includes a note from the person behind the symphony. Ages 6–9.