I found Echo at the library a couple of months ago. I had not heard anything about the book, but the plot sounded interesting, so I checked it out. I enjoyed it so much that I ended up using one of my Audible credits to purchase the audiobook version. This middle grade novel was written by Pam Munoz Ryan.

Echo begins with a fairy tale: a duplicitous monarch, the midwife following his orders, a witch, three magical little girls, and a little boy lost in the woods.

The bulk of the book is broken up into three sections that take place over a ten-year period in three different parts of the world. At first the stories seem decidedly modern, and not like fairy tales at all. But just like any good fairy tale, there are obstacles to overcome. Friedrich lives in Germany during a time when Hitler is gaining power. He loves music, and hopes to go to the conservatory, but the large birthmark on his face is considered to be a deformity that must be addressed. That, along with his father’s opinions regarding the new regime, is attracting the wrong kind of attention. Can Friedrich summon the courage to face his fears in order to help his father? Read more