Children's Fiction Military & Wars
Stolen Girl
- Publisher
- Scholastic Inc
- Initial publish date
- Feb 2019
- Category
- Military & Wars, Emigration & Immigration, Europe
- Recommended Age
- 8 to 12
- Recommended Grade
- 3 to 7
-
Hardback
- ISBN
- 9781338233049
- Publish Date
- Feb 2019
- List Price
- $23.99
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781338665147
- Publish Date
- Sep 2020
- List Price
- $9.99
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
A companion to Making Bombs for Hitler and The War Below, this novel follows a Ukrainian girl who was kidnapped as a child to be raised by a Nazi family.
Nadia is haunted by World War II. Her memories of the war are messy, coming back to her in pieces and flashes she can't control. Though her adoptive mother says they are safe now, Nadia's flashbacks keep coming.Sometimes she remembers running, hunger, and isolation. But other times she remembers living with a German family, and attending big rallies where she was praised for her light hair and blue eyes. The puzzle pieces don't quite fit together, and Nadia is scared by what might be true. Could she have been raised by Nazis? Were they her real family? What part did she play in the war?What Nadia finally discovers about her own history will shock her. But only when she understands the past can she truly face her future.Inspired by startling true events, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch delivers a gripping and poignant story of one girl's determination to uncover her truth.
About the author
Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch est l’auteure d’une dizaine de livres dont Cher Journal : Prisonniers de la grande forêt, Enfant volée, Soldat clandestin et Faire des bombes pour Hitler. Elle a remporté de nombreux prix et est l’une des auteures canadiennes de romans historiques pour les jeunes les plus respectées. L’écriture de Marsha met en relief son héritage ukrainien. Elle a reçu l’Ordre de la princesse Olga de la part du président ukrainien. Elle vit à Brantford, en Ontario.
MARSHA FORCHUK SKRYPUCH is the author of more than a dozen books, including Dear Canada: Prisoners in the Promised Land, Stolen Child, Making Bombs for Hitler, Underground Soldier and Don’t Tell the Enemy. She has won many awards for her work and is one of Canada’s most respected authors of historical fiction for young people. Much of Marsha’s writing focuses on stories from her Ukrainian heritage, and she has been presented with the Order of Princess Olha by the President of Ukraine and named a Canadian Ukrainian Woman of Distinction. Marsha lives in Brantford, Ontario. Visit her online at www.calla.com.
Awards
- Runner-up, Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award
- Commended, OLA Best Bets
- Commended, IODE Canada Violet Downey Recommended List
- Commended, Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre
- Short-listed, Diamond Willow Award (Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice)
- Winner, SCBWI Crystal Kite Member Choice Award - Americas
- Runner-up, Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award, Sundogs
- Short-listed, OLA Light Reads, Great Stories
- Commended, Resource Links, Best of the Year
- Short-listed, OLA Golden Oak Award
- Short-listed, Canadian Library Association Book of the Year For Children
Excerpt: Stolen Girl (by (author) Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch)
When it is my turn, Mutter tugs at my hair and braids it up more tightly than she needs to. "There," she says with a cold edge in her voice. She hands me the mirror. "Don't you look lovely?"The face that looks back at me is the same one as always. I never think of myself as lovely.A long black car with a small swastika flag on each side of the hood idles in the driveway as we walk outside. A uniformed man opens the back door. Mutter gets in first, then Eva, then me. The upholstery is lush black leather that gleams from a fresh buffing. The car door is closed with a firm click and we speed away.It takes half an hour of fast driving to get into the city. The streets narrow. Our driver slows down so we can wave to the blocks and blocks of cheering crowds.When we get within walking distance of the stage, the car stops. Soldiers push the crowd away so we can get out, and then they lead us to the steps on the side of the stage. Most of the chairs are taken by Nazi officers, but there are a few other mothers and children as well. We take our spots in the front row, behind the podium.The crowd roars as another long black car pulls up. When the führer steps out, the crowd goes wild. Vater gets out of the car just behind the führer.The crowd chants "Heil Hitler! Heil Hitler!" as the führer steps onto the stage, but it is as if he doesn't notice. He walks up to me and crouches down until we are eye level. He is so close to me that I can see his nose hair and smell the slightly spicy scent of his hair pomade."What a perfect specimen of Aryan youth you are, my dear," he says, pinching my cheek. I smile. What else can I do? Vater stands behind the führer, bursting with pride, but Eva looks like she is about to cry and Mutter's lips are a thin white line.
Editorial Reviews
Praise for Stolen Girl:"A gripping exploration of war-induced trauma, identity, and transformation." -- Kirkus Reviews"In addition to helping children understand conditions that immigrants face in current times, this stands as a deeply personal, relatable study of the long-term psychological effects of war on children, making it a useful addition to a Holocaust or World War II curriculum." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"Filled with historical detail, it highlights a forgotten and horrifying aspect of WWII . . . A fascinating, compelling read." -- Booklist"This is a strong addition to World War II historical fiction collections, shining a light on a little-known aspect of the Nazi regime's insidious programs." -- School Library JournalPraise for The War Below:"Skrypuch offers a compelling, visceral novel of survival that provides an unusual view of the war . . . The suspenseful story carries the reader along to its satisfying conclusion." -- Booklist"The subject matter is powerful and grows occasionally quite intense. A page-turning window into a complex piece of World War II history." -- Kirkus Reviews"This story, full of numerous acts of compassion and valor, sheds welcome light on a less familiar battleground of World War II." -- Publishers Weekly"A riveting read." -- YA Books CentralPraise for Making Bombs for Hitler:"A gripping story that asks: What would you do to survive?" -- Alan Gratz, author of Prisoner B-3087"Inspired by real, historical accounts, this is a powerful, harrowing story of transformation." -- Booklist"Skrypuch draws on real-life stories of survivors in telling Lida's poignant tale, and she creates a cast of young people who are devoted to one another in both thought and deed... A well-told story of persistence, lost innocence, survival, and hope." -- Kirkus Reviews"The story [has a] strong undercurrent of friendship and loyalty; an author's note gives further background on this important piece of history." -- Publishers Weekly"Students will admire Lida's pluck amid such heinous conditions . . . An absorbing read about the lesser-known Ukrainian experience during World War II, this is a solid choice for curricular ties and for middle school historical fiction collections." -- School Library Journal"Skrypuch has written a gripping, emotional novel of one Ukrainian girl's perseverance during the horrors of war . . . This is a vivid picture of what youth experienced during World War II and the hopelessness of displaced populations of all backgrounds and religions." -- Voice of Youth Advocates
Other titles by
Under Attack (Kidnapped From Ukraine #1)
Silver Threads
Adrift at Sea
A Vietnamese Boy's Story of Survival
Winterkill
Traitors Among Us
Don't Tell the Nazis
Trapped in Hitler's Web
Sky of Bombs, Sky of Stars
A Vietnamese War Orphan Finds Home
Too Young to Escape
A Vietnamese Girl Waits to be Reunited with Her Family
