Echoes from the Square

"Echoes from the Square", by Elizabeth Wellburn with paintings by Deryk Houston, is a picture book published by Rubicon Publishing Inc., out of Oakville Ontario. This book tells of a boy who witnesses a courageous musician's actions in Sarajevo during the siege. It is a fictional story for children and others, based on the true heroic actions of Vedran Smailovic, the cellist of Sarajevo, who met with the author and artist and collaborated on the creation of the book.

NEW Paintings from "Echoes from the Square"
are on exhibition in Boston as part of the
"Dreams of Freedom" event at the International Institute of Boston. http://www.dreamsoffreedom.org/bosniafilmseries.htm

This 1998 children's book includes 16 paintings by Deryk Houston, including the cover piece, "Echoes from the Square".

The book, written by Elizabeth Wellburn, tells of a boy who witnesses a courageous musician's actions in Sarajevo during the seige.

During the terrible shelling of Sarajevo, in 1992, Vedran Smailovic played his cello for 22 days to honour the 22 people who had been killed while queuing for bread. His actions sent a clear message to the world that the insanity must stop.

Vedran Smailovic and Elizabeth Wellburn, London, 1997

Yo-Yo Ma has written the following quote in support of the book, Echoes from the Square.

"Here is a book that will introduce children to the moving story of Vedran Smailovic, a real, present-day hero whose spirit I greatly admire. His spontaneous act of courage can be an inspiration to us all. It shows that an individual can make a difference in this world."

The book is featured at the CanLit for Kids website.

On December 9, 1998, CBC radio included "Echoes from the Square" in its list of recommended books for children aged 7-12. View the whole list at their "This Morning" book panel site. The National Book Service includes "Echoes from the Square" in its list of Best Picture Books of 1998 and the Burlington Public Library gave it a four-star rating on its Children's Book Review page. Other reviews include Canadian Children's Literature (Summer, 1999, Margaret Steffler), the BC Teacher librarian's journal "The Bookmark" (June, 1999, Corrine Paravantes), "Teacher Librarian" (Mar/Apr99, Shirley Lewis), Quill and Quire (October 1998, Annette Goldsmith), Monday Magazine (November 12, 1998, Yvonne Owens), The Globe and Mail (July 28, 1998, Liz Renzetti), and several other Canadian newspapers.

The Vancouver and Victoria launches of "Echoes from the Square" were great successes. We thank everybody who attended -- it was wonderful to see you, and we especially thank "Chapters" for making the events possible.

Other public readings have included the Children's Literature Roundtable and the Mocambo Cafe in Victoria. We have also visited many local schools, and have more visits planned for Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland in 1999-2000 and will be featured at the BC Librarians' conference in Kelowna in May of 2000. Elizabeth visited the Toronto area in February, 1999, where she read in Indigo and Chapters bookstores, a public library and an elementary shool and was interviewed by the Women's Television Network.

Read the Globe and Mail Review of "Echoes from the Square", which describes how the fictional book was inspired by the real-life cellist, Mr. Vedran Smailovic. Smailovic has become known as the "cellist of Sarajevo", the man who used music as a message of peace, playing his cello on the streets in the midst of ongoing shellings and sniper fire.

You can order 'Echoes from the Square' by contacting Rubicon Publishing Inc