About this Book

""Eee -- oh -- lay! Eee -- oh -- lay!"
Such a wild and beautiful sound,
Olivier thought.
His eyes followed the bird as it turned
toward the woods, floated over the treetops,
and, at last, disappeared."

Detained in a German prison camp, Olivier misses his family, his friends, and his home -- but most of all he misses music. A chance encounter with a nightingale and a German officer, however, provides Olivier with a small miracle -- the opportunity to write music again.

Jen Bryant's poetic biography of French composer Olivier Messiaen, coupled with Beth Peck's evocative pastel illustrations, captures both the desolation of a World War II prison camp and the transforming power of music. This book will stir readers of all ages to seek hope in the things that inspire them.