Mona Golabek

Mona Golabek is an American concert pianist, author, and radio host born in Los Angeles in 1954. She has performed with major orchestras worldwide and established herself as a notable classical musician and storyteller. Her most significant work is "The Children of Willesden Lane," a book she co-authored chronicling her mother Lisa Jura's experience as a Kindertransport survivor during World War II. The book was later adapted into a successful one-woman show, "The Pianist of Willesden Lane," which Golabek herself performs. Golabek's musical legacy spans three generations, having learned piano from her mother Lisa Jura, who was taught by Golabek's grandmother Malka Jura in Vienna. Her father Michel Golabek was a French Resistance fighter awarded the Croix de Guerre for his wartime heroism. Beyond her artistic work, Golabek is dedicated to preserving and sharing Holocaust history through her performances and the Hold On To Your Music Foundation, which she founded to promote tolerance and inspire youth through arts education.

Readers connect emotionally with Golabek's true story of her mother Lisa Jura in "The Children of Willesden Lane." Many reviews mention crying while reading and being moved by the blend of music, history, and personal narrative. What readers liked: - The message of hope and resilience - Educational value for young readers learning about the Holocaust - Integration of classical music into the narrative - Accessible writing style for middle school through adult readers What readers disliked: - Some found the writing simplistic - A few noted the story feels sanitized compared to other Holocaust accounts - Limited character development beyond Lisa Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (13,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (1,800+ ratings) BookBrowse: 4.5/5 "My students were riveted," wrote one teacher on Goodreads. Another reader noted: "The focus on music provided a unique lens for telling a Holocaust story without overwhelming young readers with trauma."

The Children of Willesden Lane (with Lee Cohen) Based on a true story, this book follows fourteen-year-old Lisa Jura's journey from Nazi-controlled Austria to England via the Kindertransport, where she pursues her dream of becoming a concert pianist while living in a London orphanage during World War II.

The Children of Willesden Lane Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival (Young Readers Edition) An adapted version of Lisa Jura's story, specifically written for younger readers, maintaining the core narrative of survival, music, and determination during World War II.

Hold on to Your Music: The Inspiring True Story of the Children of Willesden Lane (Picture Book) A picture book adaptation that tells Lisa Jura's story through illustrations and simplified text for elementary school readers, focusing on her musical journey from Vienna to London.

Anne Frank chronicles her personal experience as a Jewish teenager hiding during WWII through her diary entries. Her writing provides a firsthand account of Holocaust persecution from a young person's perspective, similar to the generational storytelling in Golabek's work.

Art Spiegelman tells his father's Holocaust survival story through the graphic novel "Maus." His work combines personal family history with historical documentation, exploring both the Holocaust experience and its impact on subsequent generations.

Clara Kramer documents her family's Holocaust survival in Poland while hidden in a bunker by Christian rescuers. Her memoir "Clara's War" focuses on music and family relationships as sources of strength during persecution, parallel to themes in Golabek's writing.

Edmund de Waal traces his family's history through objects in "The Hare with Amber Eyes," exploring Jewish exile during WWII. His work connects art, family legacy, and Holocaust history across generations.

Jennifer Teege investigates her family's connection to Nazi Germany in "My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me." Her work examines Holocaust history through intergenerational impact and personal discovery.