Brundibár. Children's Book 

Für Buchhändler: Verlags-Nummer: 5245445

Herausgeberin der Edition Room 28: Hannelore Brenner-Wonschick, Berlin

Brundibár. How Aninka and Pepíček defeated the organ grinder

English edition. Date of Release: 23 September 2026


Retold for children by Hannelore Brenner with paintings by Maria Thomaschke 

Edition Room 28. Hardcover, 68 p.

ISBN 978-3-9819140-7-8 | Advance-orders possible. Go to: Pre-order Brundibár. 
Pre-order English edition

Brundibár by Hans Krása (music) and Adolf Hoffmeister (libretto) is a classic of children’s opera literature and a musical tribute to the memory of the children in the Theresienstadt ghetto. The adventure of Aninka and Pepíček, who, together with a sparrow, a dog, a cat, and the children of their town, defeat the wicked organ grinder, turns into a parable about the importance of humanity, justice, and the power of solidarity. What its creators experienced, missed, and hoped for in their Czech homelands in the year 1938, when the opera was created, they translated into the realm of fairy-tale utopia.

"Vom Sieg über den bösen Leierkastenmann".  In the first review of the chidldren's book  Dr. Haddasah Stichnote wrote for the Jüdische Allgemeine, 30 November 2023. The paintings by Maria Thomaschke she described as followed:

  • "Unlike Maurice Sendak, who in his multifaceted 2003 adaptation - which is only suitable for younger children to a limited extent -blends the plot and the historical context into images with a latent sense of menace, Maria Thomaschke’s illustrations fully embody the optimism of the original work. Her illustrations are drawn with light strokes and vibrant, luminous colors. Sometimes almost sketch-like, they depict a small-town world that could just as easily exist today as it did 80 years ago."

This book is more than a read-aloud book for small children who cannot read yet, it is for children of all ages and nations, and it is for all people of all ages and nations. It is ideally suited for musical readings, for art lovers and those interested in the opera, and to find out why it played such a significant role for the children in the Theresienstadt ghetto. It is an ideal book for people active in the fields of opera, theater, music, and, of course, education. Children who get acquainted with the pure plot of the opera and the adventure of Aninka and Pepicek will later become more receptive for the true story behind the opera and its first performances in the Jewish orphanage in Prague and in the Theresienstadt ghetto.

Deutsche Erstausgabe