The Blackbird Girls

by Anne Blankman Narrated by Kathleen Gati, Natasha Soudek

Overview

NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD WINNER
A SYDNEY TAYLOR MIDDLE GRADE HONOR BOOK
*
Like Ruta Sepetys for middle grade, Anne Blankman pens a poignant and timeless story of friendship that twines together moments in underexplored history.

On a spring morning, neighbors Valentina Kaplan and Oksana Savchenko wake up to an angry red sky. A reactor at the nuclear power plant where their fathers work--Chernobyl--has exploded. Before they know it, the two girls, who've always been enemies, find themselves on a train bound for Leningrad to stay with Valentina's estranged grandmother, Rita Grigorievna. In their new lives in Leningrad, they begin to learn what it means to trust another person. Oksana must face the lies her parents told her all her life. Valentina must keep her grandmother's secret, one that could put all their lives in danger. And both of them discover something they've wished for: a best friend. But how far would you go to save your best friend's life? Would you risk your own?

Told in alternating perspectives among three girls--Valentina and Oksana in 1986 and Rifka in 1941--this story shows that hatred, intolerance, and oppression are no match for the power of true friendship.

Editorial Reviews

MARCH 2021 - AudioFile

Narrators Kathleen Gati and Natasha Soudek’s voices highlight the power of friendship in the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The tragic explosion ignites a series of heartbreaking changes for schoolgirls Valentina and Oksana, whose families are devastated by grief and upheaval. Capturing the ensuing events through both girls’ eyes, Gati skillfully depicts their initial confusion and panic, followed by their cautious optimism once they relocate to Leningrad. Gati’s portrayal of Valentina’s grandmother, Rifka, is superb, perfectly conveying her kindness, generosity, and grace. While Gati is the primary narrator, Soudek’s part, focusing on Rifka’s experiences during WWII, is steady and strong, hinting at the resilient woman who Rifka will later become. This sensitively rendered audiobook, so hopeful and brave, is not to be missed. S.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Publishers Weekly

01/13/2020

In April 1986, in the village of Pripyat, Ukraine, two fifth-grade nemeses are thrown together following the nearby Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion, which kills both of their fathers, one immediately, one through radiation poisoning. During evacuation, Oksana, who has been taught that “all Jews are liars,” protests in alarm when Valentina’s mother assumes responsibility for her. Valentina, meanwhile, resents the unwelcome accompaniment of her school adversary. After traveling to Leningrad, they board with Valentina’s formerly estranged grandmother, who secretly practices Judaism. Alternating between each girl’s perspective, the narrative also includes occasional interludes about Rivka, a 12-year-old girl who flees Ukraine in 1941, running from the German army that has slaughtered her family. Gradually, Oksana and Valentina develop a bond that mirrors Rivka’s friendship with a Muslim girl who saved her life during WWII. Blankman (Traitor Angels) conveys Russia’s entrenched anti-Semitism, as well as the constant vigilance required of citizens living in a police state, through the children’s eyes, as they observe adults’ fear of being overheard or spied on, and field constant reminders not to criticize authority. This engrossing work of historical fiction captures Chernobyl’s devastating impact on land and people while upholding the power of kindness to overcome prejudice and withstand oppression. Ages 9–12. (Mar.)

From the Publisher

Raves for The Blackbird Girls

"A gripping adventure and a beautiful tribute to the power of friendship in the face of troubling times."—Margaret Peterson Haddix, New York Times bestselling author

"A powerful and beautifully written story that explores the losses and growing friendship of two girls whose lives and beliefs are forever changed after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It's truly an unforgettable work that left me breathless."—Patricia Reilly Giff, Newbery Honor author of Lily's Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods

"This unique novel by Anne Blankman brings powerful moments in history into sharp (and tear-inducing) focus...Not to be missed."—Jane Yolen, author of The Devil's Arithmetic, Briar Rose, and Mapping the Bones

"As soon as Oksana and Valentina emerged from the colored smoke, I needed to know their fate. The girls' adventure feels so real that the reader is immediately caught up in their plight. Bravery hauls them through sticky corruption, stony prejudice, a web of lies, and a lot of danger. A thrilling story!"—Geraldine McCaughrean, Carnegie Medal and Printz Award winner

* "Blankman spins a stunningly complex tale out of simple words." - Kirkus, starred review

* "This title weaves a beautiful, bittersweet tale of courage, resilience, and how love can ultimately overcome ingrained hatred and prejudice." - School Library Connection, starred review

* "A deeply affecting testament to the power of unlikely friendship in the face of bias, tragedy, and distance." - School and Library Journal, starred review

* "Flashbacks from Rifka’s life during World War II deepen Blankman’s exploration of the transformative power of friendship across time. Rich with historical details."—BookPage, starred review

“[A] well-executed historical novel.” – Booklist

School Library Journal

★ 03/01/2020

Gr 4–7—It is 1986 in Pripyat, Ukraine, and fifth grade classmates Valentina Kaplan and Oksana Savchenko are sworn enemies. At home, Oksana's father physically abuses her and rails against Jewish people, and at school Oksana bullies Valentina, who is Jewish. But when a reactor explodes at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant where both girls' fathers work, they find themselves thrown together in the tumultuous evacuation. With a dead father and a hospitalized mother, Oksana's only chance of safety is to accompany her classmate to Valentina's grandmother's home in distant Leningrad. The warmth and compassion of Valentina and her grandmother shock Oksana, who begins to realize that everything her father told her about Jews was wrong—which means that maybe he was also wrong when he called Oksana weak and unlovable. In time, the two girls learn to trust each other with their respective secrets and develop a life-sustaining friendship. This story, told in Oksana's and Valentina's alternating perspectives, is interspersed with a third perspective from 1941, that of Rifka (a Jewish girl fleeing Kiev and the advancing German army on foot), who finds shelter and friendship in Uzbekistan. These tales ultimately intersect, presenting a deeply affecting testament to the power of unlikely friendship in the face of bias, tragedy, and distance. Each strand of the narrative is equally fast paced, gripping, and heartbreaking. Oksana experiences a nuanced evolution in her feelings toward her abusive father, from grief to anger to empowerment, while Valentina grapples with what Judaism—a faith she knows almost nothing about—means to her as she begins to practice in secret with her grandmother, and Rifka loses everything in the process of finding safety and a new family. A detailed author's note provides further historical background and a recommended reading list. VERDICT A stunning look at a historical event rarely written about for young people, elevated by strong pacing, emotional depth, and intense, moving friendships that readers will root for. A first purchase.—Elizabeth Giles, Lubuto Library Partners, Zambia

MARCH 2021 - AudioFile

Narrators Kathleen Gati and Natasha Soudek’s voices highlight the power of friendship in the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The tragic explosion ignites a series of heartbreaking changes for schoolgirls Valentina and Oksana, whose families are devastated by grief and upheaval. Capturing the ensuing events through both girls’ eyes, Gati skillfully depicts their initial confusion and panic, followed by their cautious optimism once they relocate to Leningrad. Gati’s portrayal of Valentina’s grandmother, Rifka, is superb, perfectly conveying her kindness, generosity, and grace. While Gati is the primary narrator, Soudek’s part, focusing on Rifka’s experiences during WWII, is steady and strong, hinting at the resilient woman who Rifka will later become. This sensitively rendered audiobook, so hopeful and brave, is not to be missed. S.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2019-11-24
The citizens of the town of Pripyat, Ukraine, have always been assured that "an accident at a nuclear power station was a statistical impossibility."

So when the morning of April 26, 1986, dawns red, with "unearthly blue" smoke billowing into the air, life proceeds as normal. Fifth grade classmates and rivals Valentina Kaplan and Oksana Savchenko, however, are worried. Their fathers, night-shift plant workers at the Chernobyl power station, have not yet come home. Soon word gets out that reactor No. 4 has exploded, killing several workers and sending the rest en masse to the hospital, poisoned by the very air they breathe. Forced together by the sudden evacuation, the girls must overcome both their hatred of each other and the grief heaped upon them by the accident as they forge a new life in Leningrad with Valentina's estranged grandmother, who harbors a dangerous secret. Blankman spins a stunningly complex tale out of simple words. By focusing her account on only the two young girls, Blankman situates the seemingly distant horror of the disaster in a firmly human context. Extensive research on historical events, names, cityscapes, and living situations enriches the story, which alternates perspective among Valentina, Oksana, and Rifka, Valentina's grandmother. Rifka's chapters take place during World War II, which initially deflects focus from the story somewhat, but they quickly find their place as the story's heart as they introduce the blackbird, a symbol of eternal friendship. Ukrainian characters are assumed white; Valentina's family is Jewish.

Out of the nuclear fallout springs a moving tale of love and loss. (Historical fiction. 9-12)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940178986448
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	03/10/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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