Anna and the Swallow Man

High School/Adult Fiction

VG/M  Savit, Gavriel.  Anna and the Swallow Man.  Knopf, 2016.  240p.  978-0-553-51334-9.  17.99

Anna is only 7 years old in late 1939 Poland, when her father, a professor of linguistics, is taken by the Germans, leaving her to fend for herself. With no one else to turn to, she befriends and follows a strange man who speaks to birds, the Swallow Man. In order to survive, they are continuously moving, but before they know it, their wandering brings them precariously close to the Russian front. While this novel is beautifully written and compelling, its teen appeal might be limited. The touch of magical realism though, will interest fans of The Book Thief. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch

Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad

Young Adult Non-Fiction

VG/A  Anderson, M.T.  Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad.  Candlewick, 2015.  464p.  978-0-7636-6818-1.  24.99

M.T. Anderson’s first foray into young adult non-fiction is a love story to the city of Leningrad, just like the Shostakovich symphony that he writes about. World famous composer, Dmitri Shostakovich was born in St. Petersburg, Russia at a time of great turmoil in the country. After the Tsar was overthrown, it wasn’t long before the country was taken over by Lenin and Communism. While the book covers Shostakovich’s entire life, the focus is during World War II, when the city of Leningrad was under siege for 872 days. During the siege, Shostakovich wrote his Seventh Symphony for the city of Leningrad and miraculously it was performed in Leningrad even though the musicians were literally starving to death. His symphony performance was a turning point for the Russians, it was symbolic of their patriotism and spirit of survival. A fascinating read for history buffs and/or music lovers. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch

Unlikely Warrior: A Jewish Soldier in Hitler's Army

Young Adult/Adult Non-Fiction

G/A  Rauch, Georg.  Unlikely Warrior: A Jewish Soldier in Hitler’s Army. FSG, 2015. 352p. 978-0-3743-0142-2.  17.99.

Georg Rauch was 19 in 1943 when he was drafted into the German Army. Even though his mother was anti-Hitler (and actively hiding Jews in the family attic) and the government knew he was a ¼ quarter Jewish, he had no choice but to join. Good with electronics, he was assigned to be on a communications squad on the Russian front. After 9 months on the front in Russia and Romania, Georg was captured. He spent the next almost year of his life, moving between POW camps and hospitals, before finally making his way back to Vienna. His memoir gives harrowing detail of all the suffering he went through and includes letters that he wrote to his family from Russia during the war. It provides an interesting and little known perspective from a German soldier not invested in the war, but forced to participate and the horrors of the battle in Russia. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial Branch

Pure Grit: How American WW2 Nurses Survived Battle and Prison Camp in the Pacific

YA Non-Fiction

VG/A  Farrell, Mary Cronk.  Pure Grit: How American WW2 Nurses Survived Battle and Prison Camp in the Pacific.  Abrams, 2014.  160p.  978-1-4197-1028-5.  24.95.

In December 1941, the Japanese attacked the Philippines where thousands of United States Army and Navy soldiers were stationed, along with over 100 Army nurses. The nurses were not prepared for a war zone. By 1942, the nurses were all considered POWs and were forced into internment camps in Manila. With limited food and many sick people, the nurses persevered and worked hard until they were finally liberated in February 1945. Unfortunately, they were not recognized by the military as the heroes that they were when they first returned to the United States. This book chronicles the experiences of these heroic nurses. It includes archival photos, a glossary, timeline, list of nurses, bibliography and index. The only problem with the book is in the editing, there were several chapter headings with the wrong year listed, which made the reading a little confusing at times. Otherwise it was a fascinating read and look at a little recognized piece of World War 2 history. Loren Spector, LAPL, Memorial

Rose Under Fire

Young Adult Historical Fiction

VG/A  Wein, Elizabeth.  Rose Under Fire.  Hyperion, 2013.  368p.  978-1-4231-8309-9.  17.99

This companion book to Code Name Verity, picks up about 8 months after the events of the first novel. It’s a companion book because several of the characters from Verity make an appearance but this book stands alone. Here we follow the story of Rose, an 18-year-old American poet and pilot, who decides to join the war effort by joining the British ATA to deliver planes to the Allied Forces. Things take a turn for the worse when she is captured by the Germans and imprisoned at Ravensbruck concentration camp. At the camp Rose joins a group of Polish women who have been used for medical experimentation by the Nazis. Once again, Wein manages to beautifully tell a World War II story from an unusual perspective. Using Roses’ journal entries and poetry, the reader is able to really understand the strength it takes to survive, the anguish and the relationships that can form under such incredible circumstances. Highly recommend this book to young adults and adults alike. Loren Spector, LAPL, Felipe de Neve