(2) YA In this novel in verse set in 1989, sixteen-year-old Helena lives in Leipzig, East Germany, during a period of oppression when citizens inform on their neighbors. But times are changing, and peaceful protests against the government are gaining momentum. Helena finds solace in music and begins to fall in love with a fellow piano student, but she's pressured to spy on him and reluctantly reveals his plans to escape. As weekly peace prayers at the Saint Nicholas Church turn into a massive march, Helena chooses to confront her betrayal and her fears, and act: "There comes a time / when every voice / must cry out, a time // when every person must lean / into their fear, spread their wings / and rise up. // That time / is now." Green conveys Helena's anxieties and hopes in equal measure in lyrical free-verse passages that flow together like a musical composition. She balances discussion of the political upheaval of the time just prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall with a sensitive exploration of Helena's personal struggles and emotional growth. An author's note with historical background, a glossary, and selected sources are appended.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) 4-6 Marsh's affecting historical novel, inspired by her own family's story, describes the social and political backdrop of the Holodomor, a famine that killed millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s and was covered up by the Soviets (Ukraine was a republic of the USSR at the time). It opens by introducing Matthew, a present-day, screen-obsessed thirteen-year-old living in New Jersey, "basically under house arrest" during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has been asked to help Nadiya, his hundred-year-old great-grandmother, to sort through her belongings; in so doing he starts to piece together the Lomachenko family story. Matthew's chapters alternate with those of Mila, a Young Pioneer living in 1930s Kyiv under the watchful eye of her doting widowed father (and Papa Stalin), and of Nadiya's cousin Helen in Depression-era Brooklyn. The harsh realities of the Stalin regime--where citizens could be declared "class enemies," evicted from their homes, and sent to labor colonies for any perceived anti-Party infraction--come to light. The horrors of state-sanctioned starvation and the desperation of would-be refugees are palpable and disturbing to read, but they are made palatable because the experiences are filtered through the viewpoints and sensibilities of young people caught up in the disaster. The multiple voices come together to bear witness and remind us that history is a collection of stories, "and it matters enormously who gets to tell them." A compelling and timely look at the historically complex and fraught relationship between Ukraine and Russia.

Reviewer: Luann Toth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Susanna Chapman. This reverent picture-book biography of the art-world pair (focused mainly on Christo) begins with a formative moment in the young man's life. While Nazis search his Bulgarian town for Russian propaganda, Christo's family burns his beloved Russian art books. Nazism is followed by Communism, under which Christo can create only state-sanctioned art; and Boxer draws a through line betweeen political repression and Christo's eventual conception of his and Jeanne-Claude's artwork as "a scream of freedom." Christo later meets and falls in love with Jeanne-Claude in France; the couple moves to New York, where they begin to execute their large-scale art projects, wrapping buildings, coastlines, and islands, and scattering umbrellas across California and Japan. In 2005, they realize their dream of constructing The Gates: twenty-three miles of saffron-curtained archways winding through Central Park. Chapman's loose, diaphanous illustrations capture the whimsy and exuberance of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's art. Figures peek through the luminous layers of watercolor as if wrapped in sheer curtains, and abstract designs depict times of emotional turmoil and triumph. Author and artist notes offer more biographical details and invite readers to contemplate the meaning behind the art installations, and a list of recommended sources encourages further exploration of this idiosyncratic pair.

Reviewer: K Rachael Stein | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) YA In the summer of 1942, Leningrad is about to enter its second year under siege with all supply routes in and out of the city blocked by Nazi forces. Liza has learned from her mother to do whatever it takes to survive--even, now that Mama has died, hiding her death from authorities so as to keep using her precious ration cards. When Liza's best friend, Aka, suggests trading "entertainment" for food from the secret police, Liza knows it's a mistake. Then Aka disappears, and Liza will do anything to find her. Relatively short, fast-paced chapters drive the novel as Liza scrambles to survive and hunts for her friend. In a city rife with desperation, questions of morality exist alongside matters of survival as she confronts the ugly truths of the war and must decide what she is willing to give up, both for information about Aka and for food. With a body already ravaged by starvation, Liza becomes an unreliable narrator as she tries to cut through the fog of hunger and fatigue. Much of this suspenseful story is mired in the daily brutality of the siege as Liza tries to find her own moral compass and cling to hope where she can. An author's note gives historical background and connects Scott's interest in the subject to her childhood in the former USSR.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(1) YA An engrossing look at the emerging new world order after World War II, told through the experiences of one fractured German family living in 1961 Berlin. Stamper begins with a flashback to 1945, with teenage couple Rudolf and Ilse, numb from the soul-crushing brutality of war, learning they are expecting twins. Anxious about their future in the newly partitioned country, they settle in the Soviet sector and scramble to support their family. Their fraternal twin boys grow up in the fledgling Soviet-controlled German Democratic Republic, which touts itself as pro-worker and anti-fascist. Rudi is dutiful and well behaved, with the inquisitive eye of a photographer and a tendency to brood; Peter is the golden boy--smart, talented, a committed optimist--who longs to be an actor. Things come to a head in the summer of 1961 when their parents suddenly split up and the fifteen-year-olds find themselves living in different sectors and reassessing everything they've been taught to believe. The overnight erection of a wall around the entire Western part of the city halts the ability of citizens to move freely throughout the area. Stamper (What the Night Sings, rev. 5/18) explains the complex geopolitical and ideological landscapes in a teen-friendly manner and helps readers gain perspective via the boys' alternating chapters as they come of age and gain individual agency. Vivid descriptions bring the city to life and are enhanced by the author's haunting, multilayered grayscale paintings. There are powerful messages here about postwar trauma and the generational consequences of burying the past. An excellent, nuanced piece of historical fiction.

Reviewer: Luann Toth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(1) YA Sheinkin returns to the milieu of his award-winning Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon (rev. 11/12) for this equally compelling sequel. In the aftermath of World War II, the United States and Russia emerge as global superpowers, each vying for ideological, technological, and territorial dominance. Cold War tensions eventually climax with the Cuban ­Missile Crisis, bringing the rivals perilously close to nuclear war. Castro, Eisenhower, ­Kennedy, and Khrushchev play significant roles in shaping world events leading up to it: the partitioning of Germany, the Berlin Wall, and the metaphorical Iron Curtain; the development of the hydrogen bomb and the subsequent arms race; the equally competitive space race; and the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. But Sheinkin also introduces a colorful parade of lesser-known characters who step forward for their fifteen minutes of fame--scientists and spies; U-2 pilots and submarine captains; secretaries, cyclists, and mobsters. Deftly weaving these anecdotes into the larger tapestry of history and politics, Sheinkin crafts an epic narrative with a large cast of characters, far-flung settings, multiple plot strands, and rising suspense, further evidence that one of our best nonfiction writers is also one of our best ­storytellers. Black-and-white photographs are ­strategically placed at the beginning and end of chapters, while generous source notes, a bibliography, and an index are appended.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(1) 4-6 When it becomes clear that unathletic Yevgeny is not going to follow in the footsteps of his figure-skating-whiz older brother Victor, their mother hopes--against all evidence--that he might make it in the world of the Soviet Union's other big artistic export, ballet, where she ­herself works and even has the acquaintance of the rising star Mikhail ­Baryshnikov. But Yevgeny's genius lies elsewhere, literally under the family's noses, if they only thought to look beneath the dining table where Yevgeny sleeps (and draws) each night. (It's a one-room apartment in 1960s Leningrad, housing Yevgeny, his brother and parents, and his grandmother, who gets some of the best lines in this book.) We now know Yevgeny as Newbery Honor–winning author and illustrator Eugene Yelchin (Breaking Stalin's Nose, rev. 9/11), and this memoir of his adolescence is a forthright, darkly humorous, and indelible portrait of an artist emerging. Family crowding and dynamics aside, the obstacles in Yevgeny's life are large (Soviet authoritarianism and antisemitism chief among them), but always grounded in the particulars of this kid's story: "Don't cry, boy," says a neighbor to an upset Yevgeny. "Have a cookie. You yids like sweets." As you can see from the excerpt on pages 21–28 of this issue, Yelchin, wonderfully, allows his text and pictures to interrupt each other with glee, reminding us how life begets art. It certainly does here.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(2) YA This book trusts readers to figure out that protagonists Valentina and Oksana, whose perspectives alternate for most of the story, have been taught a lot of misinformation. The 1986 Chernobyl disaster forces the eleven-year-old classmates to flee Pripyat, Ukraine, and live in Leningrad with Valentina's kind and generous Babulya, the grandmother she has never known. Oksana has long bullied Valentina for being Jewish, and seeing the misconceptions she'd learned about Jews from her abusive father disproven is Oksana's first indication that he wasn't right about everything. Both girls, whose fathers worked at the Chernobyl nuclear plant, have believed the Soviet government's downplaying of the dangers of radiation, and the catastrophic consequences for their fathers come as a shock to them. Flashbacks to Valentina's grandmother's youth during the Holocaust give a third narrative perspective, shedding light on how Babulya came to be who she is, as well as on her clandestine, illegal religious practice. Though the events are largely bleak, Babulya is a source of hope for the young protagonists, whose gradual evolutions are believable and affecting. Back matter includes information and further reading about Chernobyl as well as resources for readers experiencing abuse.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) 4-6 Translated by Denise Muir. Viktor and Nadya are twelve-year-old twins living in Leningrad during World War II. In defiance of the non-aggression pact, Germany invades Russia and lays siege to the city. As children are evacuated, Viktor and Nadya are put on separate trains. Nadya's train is stopped and the children dispersed; Nadya and several companions find refuge on an abandoned island fortress, while Viktor ends up in a gulag. After he escapes, he incorrectly learns that Nadya's train was bombed with no survivors but refuses to believe it. Eventually, Viktor does find Nadya through some fortuitous coincidences, and together they are able to unravel a stunning tale of treason and betrayal at the highest levels of Soviet leadership. The book's format is innovative and adds immediacy. It's written as a series of journal notebooks--Nadya's entries are in navy blue, while Viktor's are in cherry red, complemented by maps and photographs in the same color palettes--which are now being used as evidence to determine whether the children have committed crimes against the Soviet Union. The officer reviewing their case has ominously written notes and questions in the margin; he has also re-ordered parts to aid the narrative flow. Attentive readers will be richly rewarded by this gripping historical mystery.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Iris Deppe. Soviet dogs Belka and Strelka became, in 1960, among the first animals to return, alive, from orbital flight. Southgate and Deppe tell and show their story with suspense, enthusiasm, and little anthropomorphism. The automatically appealing narrative is bolstered by useful scientific facts ("Strelka's puppies prove spaceflight is not harmful"). With a zip equal to the story, the pictures use well-outlined, simple forms in depicting the dogs in various visual configurations. Timeline.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) YA Consummate historical-fiction writer Wein here exercises her considerable skill as researcher, historian, and storyteller in a capacious history of the USSR’s three regiments of airwomen during WWII. Wein takes us deep into the training, daily lives, combat, and intense personal commitment these women experienced throughout the war. An easy, friendly writing style invites readers into the company of a formidable sisterhood. Illustrated throughout with maps and period photographs. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(3) 4-6 Captured Science History series. This installment in the Captured History spinoff series examines the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear spill in Ukraine and the photographic documentation of it. The chilling photos by Igor Kostin, Volodymyr Repik, and others shook the world when they were released. An engaging and thought-provoking discussion of the disaster's scientific and historical impact is profusely illustrated with these archival images. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 During the Soviet/Nazi conflict to control Kiev, Luka was sent to work at a labor camp. As this companion to Making Bombs for Hitler begins, he escapes and later joins the Ukrainian underground resistance. Based on actual World War II events, Skrypuch weaves a tale of suspense, highlighting Luka's courage and ingenuity as he searches for his parents and is eventually reunited with friend Lida.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 Snap Books: Women and War series. These short and easy-to-read introductory books highlight the brave and notable deeds of women during World War II, whether on the home front (Women) or the front lines (Soviet). These stories of unsung heroines include generous period photographs, direct quotes, fact boxes, and explanatory sidebars of additional relevant information. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Snap Books: Women and War titles: The Soviet Night Witches and The Women Behind Rosie the Riveter.

Reviewer: Jessica Bushore

(2) YA This highly readable novel illuminates the story of the Soviet Union's famed WWII squadrons of airwomen, the "Night Witches." For bomber pilot Valka, Nazi fire, terrible weather, darkness, the loss of comrades, and worry for her sweetheart in the infantry all exercise her aeronautical and emotional resources. Katz is skillfully informative, interweaving historical figures and facts without losing emotional propulsion and suspense.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(3) YA In 1958, Svetlana joins the Bolshoi Ballet, a cover for her work as a KGB "remote intelligence" agent. This third volume continues to follow a matrilineal family of dancers through generations of intrigue-filled history (most recently granddaughter Lana in Hider, Seeker, Secret Keeper). Wrenching mother-daughter relationships, fear of the Stalinist regime, and all-consuming passion for dance are portrayed with equal nuance and depth.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) YA Sixteen-year-old pilot Valentina longs to be a Night Witch--female pilots in the Soviet Union's 588th Regiment--like her older sister, but she's too young to enlist. After their mother is killed, Valya finds herself alone in war-torn Stalingrad and thrust into battle. Tactical descriptions and historical background sometimes stall the action, but WWII-fiction fans won't mind.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) K-3 Translated by Eugene Ostashevsky. Illustrated by Lidia Popova, Boris Ender, and Vladimir Konashevich. This volume brings together three 1920s-era poems by well-known Russian poets featuring the creation of a large toy horse, two trams named Click and Zam, and three boys pretending to be vehicles. The stilted language (translated from the Russian) and retro art are unlikely to engage today's kids. A window into Soviet-era children's book publishing, this will be valued most as a historical document.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 With Krystyna Poray Goddu. Krystyna (Krysia) Mihulka recounts her harrowing experiences during WWII. Nine-year-old Krysia was deported from southeastern Poland following the German and Soviet invasions and spent two years on a Soviet work farm in Kazakhstan, followed by several years in refugee camps in Iran and Rhodesia. Mihulka's warmth shines through, and her perspective offers a unique angle on the WWII narrative. Small black-and-white photos included.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(2) YA British author Arthur Ransome was also a Russian correspondent throughout the Revolution and a suspected Bolshevik sympathizer and double agent. Sedgwick fictionalizes his story into a romance and Bildungsroman, a fairy tale and novel of politics and suspense, pulling them together with an authoritative narrative voice. This stylized account evokes a historical moment even as it celebrates the complicated past of a classic children's author.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016