Song of a Blackbird will be released on January 21, 2025!
Emma Bergsma, 1943 Amsterdam. After witnessing the deportation of Jewish neighbors to concentration camps, Emma joins the Dutch Resistance as a printer, helping to forge documents and banknotes.
Annick, 2011 Amsterdam. Annick's beloved grandmother is dying, and she needs a bone marrow transplant from a family member to survive. But the doctor's tests reveal that her grandmother was actually adopted - which means to save her, Annick has to find her original family first. With only a few old prints to guide her - all signed by the unknown 'Emma B' - Annick sets out to trace her grandmother's past and find her family.
Song of a Blackbird is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel that blends past and present dual timelines into a thoughtful story about remembering the past. Although primarily fictional, this story was based on true events and carefully researched, and it shows: the arc of the story and details all rang incredibly true, and made it all the more engaging of a read. The art to this book has almost a scrapbook feel, blending historical documents with characters and artwork, and it absolutely added so much to the text, transporting me into the past through the mixed media. I loved both storylines: Annick and Emma were both compelling characters, and their individual struggles - and points of connection - made me speed through this read. I highly recommend Song of a Blackbird to readers ages twelve and up who love historical fiction and art in all its forms!
Thank you to Macmillan/First Second for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
ages 12+ / ARC / book group pick / fiction / family / graphic novel / historical fiction / standalone / young adult
Emma Bergsma, 1943 Amsterdam. After witnessing the deportation of Jewish neighbors to concentration camps, Emma joins the Dutch Resistance as a printer, helping to forge documents and banknotes.
Annick, 2011 Amsterdam. Annick's beloved grandmother is dying, and she needs a bone marrow transplant from a family member to survive. But the doctor's tests reveal that her grandmother was actually adopted - which means to save her, Annick has to find her original family first. With only a few old prints to guide her - all signed by the unknown 'Emma B' - Annick sets out to trace her grandmother's past and find her family.
Song of a Blackbird is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel that blends past and present dual timelines into a thoughtful story about remembering the past. Although primarily fictional, this story was based on true events and carefully researched, and it shows: the arc of the story and details all rang incredibly true, and made it all the more engaging of a read. The art to this book has almost a scrapbook feel, blending historical documents with characters and artwork, and it absolutely added so much to the text, transporting me into the past through the mixed media. I loved both storylines: Annick and Emma were both compelling characters, and their individual struggles - and points of connection - made me speed through this read. I highly recommend Song of a Blackbird to readers ages twelve and up who love historical fiction and art in all its forms!
Thank you to Macmillan/First Second for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
ages 12+ / ARC / book group pick / fiction / family / graphic novel / historical fiction / standalone / young adult
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