Books

A story of love, faith, and perseverance •

A story of love, faith, and perseverance •

The Children of Willesden Lane tells the inspiring true story of Lisa Jura, a young Jewish girl who fled Vienna on the Kindertransport to London during World War II. It is a memoir of courage, survival and the power of music to uplift the human spirit, written by her daughter, Mona Golabek. Multiple editions of the book are available for readers of all levels and ages.

Stack of books titled "The Children of Willesden Lane" in various languages, including English, Hebrew, French, and German.
Cover of the book "The Children of Willesden Lane" featuring a young girl in a blue coat holding a suitcase, with sepia-toned children in the background. The text reads: "A True Story of Hope and Survival During World War II" by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen, adapted by Emil Sher, Young Readers Edition."

The Children of Willesden: A True Story of Hope and Survival During World War II

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Book cover of 'Lisa of Willesden Lane' by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen. The cover shows a young girl holding a suitcase at a train station with a historical train and people in the background. The subtitle reads 'A True Story of Music and Survival During World War II.'

Lisa of Willesden Lane: A True Story of Music and Survival During World War II

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The Children of Willesden Lane Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love and Survival

Cover of the book "The Children of Willesden Lane" by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen, featuring a vintage photo of a child with a suitcase, surrounded by people, over a red background. The subtitle reads: "Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival."
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Cover of the book 'Hold On to Your Music' featuring a young girl in a red coat holding sheet music and standing next to a suitcase with a train platform in the background.

Hold On To Your Music: The Inspiring True Story of The Children of Willesden Lane

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If interested in purchasing a classroom set, contact Jackie: jackie@holdontoyourmusic.org.

For autographed copies of the books, purchase them in our online shop!

Cover of "The Children of Willesden Lane" book, featuring a young girl in a historical setting with a suitcase, surrounded by others. Title and authors' names are prominently displayed.

The Children of Willesden Lane Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir Of Music, Love and Survival

By Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen

The original adult version of Lisa Jura’s story. This is the true story of how one teenage refugee persevered against all odds to survive and realize her dream.

AVAILABLE IN: German, Italian, French, Polish, Ukranian, and Hungarian

Book cover of 'The Children of Willesden Lane' by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen, adapted by Emil Sher. Features a historical image of children during World War II, with a girl in focus holding a suitcase. Text indicates it's a true story of hope and survival during WWII, marked as a young readers edition.

The Children of Willesden: A True Story of Hope and Survival During World War II

By Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen | Adapted by Emil Sher

Lisa’s powerful story is brought to life in this award winning Young Reader edition. This book was adapted from the original book and is appropriate for readers ranging from age 10 to 14 years old.

AVAILABLE IN: Spanish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Arabic, French, Italian, Lithuanian, and Simplified Chinese

Illustrated book cover of "Lisa of Willesden Lane" depicting a young girl in vintage clothing holding a suitcase at a train station, with a steam train in the background. The subtitle reads "A True Story of Music and Survival During World War II" by Mona Golabek & Lee Cohen.

Lisa of Willesden Lane: A True Story of Music and Survival During World War II

By Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen | Adapted by Sarah Robbins | Illustrated by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov

This timeless story of hope in the chapter book is for even younger readers, age 8 to 11 years old.

Book cover of "Hold On to Your Music." Features a young girl holding sheet music, standing next to a suitcase, with a vintage train station background. Text includes the authors' names, Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen, and mentions an adaptation by Emil Sher and illustrations by Sonia Possentini.

Hold On To Your Music: The Inspiring True Story of The Children of Willesden Lane

By Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen | Adapted by Emil Sher | Illustrated by Sonia Possentini

HOLD ON TO YOUR MUSIC picture book, illustrated by the Italian artist, Sonia Possentini, inspires a new generation with brilliant illustrations to accompany the poignant text, appropriate for children 4-8 years old.

This story changed my life. •

The power of the book is so strong. •

This story changed my life. • The power of the book is so strong. •

-High School Student, Hawaii

The Children of Willesden Lane

Around the World

Cover of the book 'Les Enfants de Willesden Lane' featuring a black and white photo of a person playing a piano with sheet music.
Illustration of two children playing piano with a shadowy urban backdrop, airplanes flying above, and Hebrew text on the cover.
Book cover of 'Los Niños de Willesden Lane' by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen, featuring a silhouette of a child with musical notes and train tracks against a blue background.
Cover of the book 'La pianista di Vienna' by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen, featuring a woman playing a piano. Text in Italian reads "L'amore decise il suo destino. La musica le salvò la vita." Published by Sperling & Kupfer.
Cover of the book 'Die Pianistin von Wien' by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen, featuring historical photo of children with luggage tags near a train.
Book cover featuring a girl with braided hair in blue clothing holding a suitcase, surrounded by blurred figures. Arabic text is present on the cover.