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The Blackbird Girls Audiobook
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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.
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“Narrators Kathleen Gati and Natasha Soudek’s voices highlight the power of friendship in the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster…Gati’s portrayal of Valentina’s grandmother, Rifka, is superb, perfectly conveying her kindness, generosity, and grace…This sensitively rendered audiobook, so hopeful and brave, is not to be missed. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile
Quotes
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“A beautiful, bittersweet tale of courage, resilience, and how love can ultimately overcome ingrained hatred and prejudice.”
— School Library Connection (starred review) -
“Rich with historical details.”
— BookPage (starred review) -
“[A] well-executed historical novel.”
— Booklist -
“Blankman spins a stunningly complex tale out of simple words.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Awards
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Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award
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Winner of the National Jewish Book Award
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Winner of the Sydney Taylor Honor Book, Teen Readers
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Winner of National Jewish Book Award, 2020
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About Anne Blankman
Anne Blankman graduated from Union College, earned a master’s degree in information science from SUNY Albany, and has worked as a youth services librarian. She decided to become a writer after reading The Diary of Anne Frank when she was twelve. Anne lives in Virginia with her family.
About the Narrators
Kathleen Gati is an award-winning actress who has starred in a number of Hungarian television series and films.
Natasha Soudek was raised in the South, speaks native German, lived in Berlin and Vienna, and finally settled in the Lower East Side of New York City. After honing her stage presence by studying acting and playing hundreds of live music shows (singing and playing bass), she moved to LA to record with Channel/DreamWorks and act on TV. Her voice is as distinct and memorable as the range of characters she’s played on-screen.