El Violinista de los Brazos Largos by Ana María Guiraldes

I guess this could be considered a children’s book, but I’m more inclined to believe it is an ageless book. “El Violinista” tells the story of violin-player Josefo, who one day unexpectedly begins to grow taller. His good friend, the old doctor Dulcelino, sets out on a mission to discover the nature of his illness and the way in which he can stop it. As Josefo- very painfully- becomes a giant, he and Dulcelino will meet the wickedness of ignorant prejudice, of scientific coldness, and of selfish fear.

I loved this book. It is short, and sweet, and I read it in one morning. The characters are charming. Even with all the horrid things happening around them, Dulcelino and Josefo (and a couple of other misfit friends), manage to create a pocket of warmth and love. In the end, it is not Josefo who needs a cure for his tallness; it is the world that needs to be cured of its blindness in order to accept a man of real stature.