Historical Fiction

Author Guest Post: “My Hope” by Frank W. Baker, Author of Risk, Resilience, and Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Survival Story

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“My Hope”

My newest book, Risk, Resilience and Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Story, is the story of two people who survived Hitler’s Final Solution. The paperback book is a narrative version of the YA graphic novel We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story, which was published in September 2022. Both books detail the harrowing journey two young Polish Jews, from their capture and forced labor as slaves to their eventual liberation, marriage, and emigration to the United States. But the book is much more than their personal story. It explores the widespread antisemitism Bluma, Felix, and millions of others faced in Nazi Germany.

The narrative raises important issues I believe every student should understand. In my talks to middle and high school students reading Risk, Resilience, and Redemption, I begin by asking a series of questions:

  • Who knows what the Holocaust was?
  • Who knows who Adolf Hitler was?
  • Who knows how many Jews died during the Holocaust?
  • Who knows the names of the other groups that collaborated with Nazis to target the Jews?
  • Who knows what propaganda is?
  • Who knows what antisemitism means?

It is these last three questions that have students stumped.

It has been my experience that public education has given short shrift to the Holocaust, leaving many students with little knowledge about this horrific time in world history. For example, a 2025 Claims Conference survey found that “41 percent [of millennials] believe that substantially less than 6 million Jews were killed [two million or fewer] during the Holocaust.” I began asking social studies teachers I knew why our students are so apparently lacking in essential knowledge about the Holocaust, and the answer I consistently received was, “We don’t have the time.” But as a colleague of mine once said, “It’s not about time; it’s about priority.”

And that is what drives my work today: making the Holocaust a priority by connecting it to the skills and awareness students need most in this era of misinformation.

So how do we make teaching the Holocaust a priority? I think one way is to provide students with opportunities to learn by hearing directly from survivors themselves, using the media/technology students already pay attention to. In other words, we can reach out to them using social media sites such as TikTok and YouTube. For example, 21-year-old Dov Forman used TikTok to tell his great-grandmother’s survival story, and the clips received millions of views. My decision to tell the Goldberg story as a graphic novel was my acknowledgment that graphic novels, a medium that has exploded in growth and popularity, are yet another way to reach students.

In my presentations to students, I also try to make them aware, if they aren’t already, that some rhetoric and actions in 2025 closely resemble actions taken by Nazi Germany in the 1940s. I have to remind them that history repeats itself. In the graphic novel, there is an image of Bluma’s family running from their burning home, frantically trying to survive after the Nazis entered their small town in Poland in 1939. When my illustrator first showed me this image, I said to myself, “This is Ukraine…this is exactly what happened when Russia invaded, forcing people from their homes.” History does repeat.

Teaching about the Holocaust isn’t just about remembering history. It’s also about recognizing how misinformation and propaganda still influence people today.

Another concern of mine is where students first learn about the Holocaust. I ask, “Was it from a book? A movie? Television? Social media? Or perhaps listening to a survivor’s story?” Because where they get that information is vital. Do the students know what a reliable source is and how to verify it?  In 2025, Holocaust denial and distortion are rampant, and many students believe what they see and read without question. That is why I remind them to be doubly careful about what they consume on social media, because so much of it today is manipulated.

Teaching about the Holocaust isn’t just about remembering history; it’s about helping students think critically about the information they encounter every day. For more than 25 years, I have been teaching media literacy, which I define as applying critical thinking and viewing skills to all media messages. It is painfully obvious that too many young people believe what they read without question. They rarely verify or consider the sources. This is troubling.

There are many groups (I like to call them “bad actors”) who are deliberately manipulating content to fool a media-illiterate population and sway opinion. The bad actors are most active around breaking news events: a hurricane will bring images of sharks swimming in a city’s downtown flooded streets (NOT); ongoing wars will bring a plethora of fake and manipulated images. And with the advent of Artificial Intelligence, images and video are being altered every day, often seen and shared by unsuspecting audiences.

Recently, the Columbia Journalism Review produced a short video, The PSAi, designed to raise awareness of the techniques being used in AI. If you are a parent or an educator, consider showing this to students and leading a discussion about how easily digital content can be manipulated and what questions students should ask before they believe or share it. Fact-checking is one of the most important tools students (and the rest of us) can use to navigate the fake news, disinformation, and conspiracy theories.

Finally, let me give a shout-out to the school librarians in this country. Thankfully, they are the educators in most schools who are actively teaching students “information literacy,” which is closely related to media literacy. Together, classroom teachers and librarians can make a powerful difference by helping students develop the critical thinking habits that protect both truth and democracy.

We have our work cut out for us. We must all work harder to counter the junk that’s out there. Thomas Jefferson said (and I paraphrase here) the health of a democracy depends on an informed electorate. But what happens when the electorate is mostly misinformed? My hope is that by teaching truth and critical thinking, we can help our students make sure that doesn’t happen.

Publishing October 21st, 2025 by Tree of Life Books

About the Book: From acclaimed media literacy educator and author Frank W. Baker comes a powerful new narrative: Risk, Resilience, and Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Survival Story. This moving retelling of the true story of Holocaust survivors Bluma and Felix Goldberg is written specifically for young readers in prose form. At just 40 pages, this accessible edition shares their courage, resilience, and message of hope with students in grades 5 through 12.

Two young polish Jews, Bluma Tishgarten and Felix Goldberg, were torn from their families and communities as Hitler led the Nazis in their murderous march across Europe and beyond from 1939 to 1945. Despite not knowing if their friends, neighbors, and families were still alive, they struggled through the grueling conditions of near-starvation and slave labor as well as torture and terror with only the faint glimmer of hope as their beacon leading them to survival. Then they found each other. They found a life together, and they found their way to America. This is their miraculous story of the risks they took, the resilience to persevere, and their ultimate redemption.

This version preserves the emotional depth of the original graphic novel, We Survived The Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story, making it an excellent choice for classrooms, book clubs, and educational programs that want to introduce Holocaust history through narrative storytelling. In today’s world, helping students think critically and care deeply about others is more important than ever. This book offers a powerful starting point for those conversations.

Risk, Resilience, and Redemption also serves as a valuable resource by addressing essential themes and fostering skills that connect past and present. Its concise length makes it especially useful for educators seeking a focused, impactful story that fits into tight classroom schedules.

Key talking points include:
• Understanding the Past, Thinking About the Future: Bluma and Felix’s firsthand accounts help readers connect historical events to current challenges, including prejudice, nationalism, and the spread of false information.
• Navigating Today’s Media: An accessible introduction to media literacy that helps students question and evaluate what they see and hear in today’s digital world.
• A Timely Resource for Classrooms: This book supports meaningful discussion on history, identity, and justice.
• Hope, Resilience, and Courage: While grounded in tragic history, the story ultimately offers a message of strength and survival that can inspire young readers.

“After reading this book you must take away a new sense of urgency that lies in the forefront of your mind to eliminate the latest scourge of antisemitism that is sweeping the world.” Henry Goldberg, second-generation survivor

About the Author: Frank W. Baker has worked in television news, public education and public television. In 2019, Frank was recognized by UNESCO with its GAPMIL (Global Alliance Partnership for Media & Information Literacy) honor. In 1998, he founded the Media Literacy Clearinghouse website and began working with teachers and students to help them better understand how to think critically about the media. Other books include Coming Distractions: Questioning Movies (Capstone, 2007), Political Campaigns & Political Advertising: A Media Literacy Guide (Greenwood, 2009), Media Literacy in The K-12 Classroom (ISTE, 2012), Close Reading the Media: Literacy Lessons and Activities for Every Month of the Year (Routledge, 2017), and We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story – The Graphic Novel (Tree of Life Books, 2022). You can find him online at www.frankwbaker.com.

Thank you, Frank, for this post about media and history literacy and the importance of including it in a curriculum to help grow hope for our future!

Author Guest Post: “Something New” by S. Isabelle, Author of The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick

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“Something New”

My first two books are fantasy-horror novels about witches breaking a bloody hex, but my next novel is… a funny, heartfelt, historical romance.

I’ve had to repeat that sentence many times over the past year or so, and it’s always funny to see the flash of surprise on people’s faces, perhaps because this change in genre took me by surprise as well. Despite my love of reading historical romance—and really, most every genre, I’m not picky—I considered myself a fantasy writer first. But during a difficult summer that threw me into a period of writer’s block that felt like a cage, I starting drafting something new and very different. The issue wasn’t that I couldn’t write, it was just that I wasn’t in the mood to draft anything dark or requiring fantasy world-building. My brain, simply, refused to cooperate with my usual stuff. After a comforting re-watch of my favorite period films, I thought, what would this story look like with a Black character front and center?

Next thing I knew, I was drafting a Cinderella-esque Victorian romance about a young Black girl who gets thrust into high society by way of a surprise inheritance. It was fun, it was freeing, and in just a few chapters, Stella quickly became the book of my heart. But is there anything more daunting than trying something completely new? I hate feeling out of place, or out of my comfort zone, and for a long time, Stella’s story was something I was content with keeping to myself.

Before I knew it, that desire changed. With feedback from my writer friends, I began to picture Stella out of my hard drive and onto bookstore shelves. But pursuing publishing, and turning this story into a “real book” came with new worries. What business does a fantasy writer have doing historical romance? Imposter syndrome loves to rear its ugly head, and it didn’t matter how much research I did, I was sure I was doing everything all wrong. On top of that, I struggled with the novel’s tone. Of course, there’s always an element of wish-fulfillment and fantasy in historical romances, but I wanted Stella to feel real, and that meant including the prejudices a girl like her would have faced. And the balance I longed to achieve was a risky one—writing a fun, fluffy, romantic novel that also didn’t sanitize the time period. I wanted the text to be engaging to all teen readers, especially if they’re picking up a historical novel for the first time. I believe that when a book is published, it no longer solely belongs to the author, so I suppose the readers will be the judge of my success. But one thing’s for certain: this book was a balm for me. It was cathartic, it was fun. It was exciting to write. And when I think about the overlapping themes in all of my books—being true to yourself, the importance of friendship, and making good trouble—I think that maybe, writing Stella wasn’t much of a surprise after all.

Now on the cusp of publishing my third novel, I can assuredly say that I’ve never written a book in the same way twice. As much as I would love to have a solid, consistent routine, they always come about in different ways. But without a doubt, I always walk away from a final draft learning a little bit more about my process and myself. In writing Stella, I learned that sometimes, the new thing’s scariness is only in my head, and the only way to get over it is by going through it. And even if Stella’s story remained a secret project, I think the fun I had with it would have been worth it anyway.

Published July 8th, 2025 by Storytide

About the Book: Bridgerton meets The Davenports in this wildly entertaining standalone romance, following a young Black woman trying to balance her independence with her future in 1860s London’s high society.

Stella Sedgwick is a lost cause.

Banished from etiquette lessons and unsure of her future, Stella dreams of a writing career and independence, but 1860s England offers little opportunity beyond marriage or servitude for a sharp-tongued, dark-skinned girl.

When her late mother’s former employer summons Stella to London, he tells her of his intention to bequeath one of the family’s great estates to her. It’s a life-changing inheritance, but one that will precipitate a legal battle that would be easier if Stella were married. With her cousin Olivia by her side, Stella is thrust into London society and must navigate fashion and balls, insults and stares, and a rekindled connection to Nathaniel, her childhood best friend with a rakish reputation.

Beyond the marriage market, living in London presents intriguing opportunities to Stella, like picking up her mother’s anonymous advice column to guide readers through upper-class perils. As new acquaintances are made and old secrets are uncovered, Stella must decide when to play by the rules, when to break them, and when to let herself follow her heart.

About the Author: S. Isabelle is a reader, writer, and hoarder of books. After earning a master’s degree in library science, she took that love of reading to youth librarianship. When she isn’t writing, you can find her binge-watching TV shows, drinking heavily sweetened coffee, or stressing over baseball. She is the author of The Great Misfortune of Stella Sedgwick, The Revolution of Olivia Witherson, The Witchery, and Shadow Coven. Visit her online at sisabellebooks.com.

Thank you for sharing your journey, S.!

The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Newton Fusco

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The Secret of Honeycake
Author: Kimberly Newton Fusco
Published January 21st, 2025 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary: Hurricane is quiet while her Aunt Clare is a force of nature with very particular ideas–and a host of Latin sayings to back them up. When Hurricane gets stuck living with her, she retreats into herself…until a series of unexpected friends, including a mangy cat, help her find her voice in a whole new way.

With a name like Hurricane, you’d think this girl would take the world by storm. But instead, she’s almost invisible. And when her sister gets tuberculosis, Hurricane is sent to live in the city with her Aunt Claire, an intimidating and disapproving presence surrounded by stodgy furniture and stodgier ideas. Like no dirty stray cats in the house. And certainly not as pets!

But Aunt Claire doesn’t know quite what she’s up against–Hurricane may be quiet, but she’s about to discover that she’s also strong. Before long a shy cat, a gentle chauffeur and a friendly boy (who may smell a little of fish) teach Hurricane to find her voice. And just maybe, Aunt Claire knows a thing or two she can teach Hurricane as well.

It turns out that that you don’t always have to be loud to be heard.

About the Author: Kimberly Newton Fusco is the acclaimed author of four other books for young readers: Chasing Augustus, Beholding Bee, The Wonder of Charlie Anne, and Tending to Grace, all of which received starred reviews and many accolades, including the Schneider Family Book Award. As a child, Kim was shy and stuttered and wanted to be a writer more than anything, and now she is!  She was a national-award-winning education journalist before becoming a novelist.  The mother of four grown children, she lives with her family, a lolloping golden retriever, and a very old cat in a house in rural Rhode Island surrounded by woods and fields where her pet sheep, Huck and Finn, graze.

Review: This cast of characters are one of my favorites in any book that I have ever read:

  • Hurricane is such a fantastic narrator. She may be quiet, but she has so much to say. Through the book, she finds her spoken voice with the help of others who show her that they love her no matter what.
  • Aunt Claire needs Hurricane as much as Hurricane needs her. Aunt Claire has so much to say, but through the book, she learns to listen which truly makes for a forever better Claire.
  • Mr. Keats shows us the trauma of war and the power of a kind heart. Mr. Keats is the barrier between Aunt Claire and Hurricane when they need it, but also a catalyst of so much of the change in the book.
  • Theo. Sweet Theo. He is Hurricane’s first true friend and just a special kid.
  • And, of course, the pets. They were obviously part of the family and the story would not have been the same without them. They both give comfort to all that need them which is so special.

On top of the characters, the story is quiet but shows us the world during the Great Depression and as women’s place in society was changing. Oh, it also makes me even more fascinated in reading John Green’s upcoming book about TB.

Discussion Questions: 

  • How did Aunt Claire help Hurricane throughout the book? Mr. Keats? Theo? Which character do you think helped her be her true self the most?
  • How did Hurricane help Aunt Claire throughout the book? Mr. Keats? Theo? Which character do you think helped her be her true self the most?
  • How has women’s place in society different now than during The Secret of Honeycake?
  • How did Miss Witherspoon emotionally scar Hurricane? How could she have acted differently and changed how Hurricane felt about herself and school?
  • How does baking play a role in the book?
  • Mr. Keats suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. How does Aunt Claire support him and his mental health?
  • How does MoonPie affect the trajectory of the story?

Flagged Passages: This book had some amazing lines that I highlighted while reading:

  • “We’re like pieces of a puzzle that fit together because we’re different.” (Kindle Locations 170-171)
  • “Chin up, Mr. Keats,” my aunt says softly as the fire snaps. “We must keep stepping forward into the future meant for us…” (Kindle Location 1560)
  • “No one looks at a quiet person and says, ‘Wow, I want to be just like her.’ They always want to change you.” (Kindle Location 2122)
  • “I realize: I’m the one in charge of my attributes. I get to decide.” (Kindle Locations 2656-2657)
  • “When someone really understands you, it makes you feel less lonely, like light is passing through, and you’re more filled up than you were before.” (Kindle Locations 3053-3054)
  • “There’s a pain around my heart seeing it, which is what happens when you lose somebody. The heartache finds you again.” (Kindle Locations 3079-3080)
  • “Life is so beautiful, Mr. Keats,” my aunt says after a while. “More and more each day.” “We must keep marching forward.” “That’s a fact, ma’am. That’s a fact.” “Omnia vincit amor. Love conquers all.” “No truer words were ever said, ma’am.” (Kindle Locations 3270-3273)

You can also view an excerpt and listen to part of the audio on the Penguin Random House page for The Secret of Honeycake.

Read This If You Love: Middle grade historical fiction with strong female protagonists

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Blue Sky Media for providing a copy for review!**

Author Guest Post: “Connecting the Past and the Present for Students” by Sarah Raughley, Author of The Queen’s Spade

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“Connecting the Past and the Present for Students”

How do you teach your students about Sarah Forbes Bonetta?

Well, that’s a tricky question. First of all, who the heck is Sarah and what does she have to do with North American students in the 21st century? Making that link, I think, is key to helping students understand why learning about buried Black histories matters to us today.

Sarah Forbes Bonetta was actually originally named Omoba Ina (though some literature spells her last name as Aina). She was an African Princess, heir of the Egbado Clan, part of the Yoruba Tribe which can be found in present-day Nigeria. After being kidnapped by the Dahomey, a neighboring African Kingdom, she was taken by an English military man Captain Forbes as part of an exchange with Dahomey’s King. Sailing across the Atlantic Ocean on his ship, the HMS Bonetta, she was then presented to Queen Victoria as a ‘gift.’ She was whimsically renamed Sarah Forbes Bonetta, ‘Forbes’ after the Captain who took her from Africa and ‘Bonetta’ after his ship. Queen Victoria made Sarah her goddaughter and thus began Sarah’s new life in England as proof of the Queen and by extension Britain’s benevolence across the world.

By the age of eight, Ina went from princess to kidnaped to gift to a propaganda tool. For all the press and hoopla she got in England for being an African princess in England, Sarah Forbes Bonetta’s actual life was quickly forgotten or rather erased, after she married at age 19 and moved back to Africa. What happened to being the goddaughter of a European Queen? What happened to symbolizing Europe’s hopes for the civilization of so-called ‘savages’ of the world?

I think the racism underlying this very sentiment can offer us a clue. Ina was a vessel for other people’s interests, but never quite allowed to be herself. Archives of letters are the only clues we have as to how Sarah truly felt about her predicament – the violent disruptions in her life, the removal from her home, and her forced assimilation into a British culture that didn’t truly care for her or respect her. And although she did seem to care for the Queen – she named her first daughter after Queen Victoria after all – we’ll never know just how deep the psychological costs of Britain’s actions ran. My book, The Queen’s Spade, tries to answer this. Are you really accepted by a group of people if their love for you is conditional upon you behaving exactly as they need you to for their own purposes? Are you really accepted if even after dancing to their tune they dismiss and erase you so easily as if you never mattered to begin with?

There are many such students who may feel like they have to pretend to belong. They know how much it hurts. The personal is often a gateway through which we can understand the historical, the social, and the political. Learning and teaching Ina’s story in a way that takes seriously her inner self may be exactly the way to make her story legible and relatable to people of today and get them thinking of not only the politics of 19th century Britain but how it’s not so different from the politics of today.

Published January 14th, 2025 by HarperCollins

About the Book: In this riveting historical thriller that’s loosely inspired by true life events, The Count of Monte Cristo meets Bridgerton as revenge, romance, and twisted secrets take center stage in Victorian England’s royal court when Sally, a kidnapped African princess and goddaughter to Queen Victoria, plots her way to take down the monarchy that stole her from her homeland.

A young lady can take only so many injuries before humiliation and insult forge a vow of revenge . . .

The year is 1862, and murderous desires are simmering in England. Nineteen-year-old Sarah Bonetta Forbes (Sally), once a princess of the Egbado Clan, desires one thing above all else: revenge against the British Crown and its system of colonial “humanitarianism,” which stole her dignity and transformed her into royal property. From military men to political leaders, she’s vowed to ruin all who’ve had a hand in her afflictions. The top of her list? Her godmother, Britain’s mighty monarch, Queen Victoria herself.

Taking down the Crown means entering into a twisted game of court politics and manipulating the Queen’s inner circle—even if that means aligning with a dangerous yet alluring crime lord in London’s underworld and exploiting the affections of Queen Victoria’s own son, Prince Albert, as a means to an end. But when Queen Victoria begins to suspect Sally’s true intentions, she plays the only card in Victorian society that could possibly cage Sally once again: marriage. Because if there’s one thing Sally desires more than revenge, it’s her freedom. With time running out and her wedding day looming, Sally’s vengeful game of cat and mouse turns deadly as she’s faced with the striking revelation that that the price for vengeance isn’t just paid in blood. It means sacrificing your heart.

Loosely inspired by the true story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, The Queen’s Spade is a lush and riveting historical thriller perfect for fans of A Dowry of Blood and Grave Mercy.

About the Author: Sarah Raughley is the Nigerian-Canadian author of the Effigies series and the Bones of Ruin trilogy. An AuroraAward finalist, Raughley is also an English pro-fessor and public intellectual who has written for journals such as the Walrus, CBC, and Teen Vogue. Her creative work is inspired by a messy confluence of experiences, from being a huge fan girl blerd to being a postcolonial researcher and academic. You can find out more about her work at sarahraughley.com.

Thank you, Sarah, for this candid look at how the past truly inspires the present!

Bound to Dream: An Immigrant Story by Charles Ghigna, Illustrated by Anna Forlati

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Bound to Dream: An Immigrant Story
Author: Charles Ghigna
Illustrator: Anna Forlati
Published September 28th, 2024 by Schiffer Kids

Summary: A heartwarming picture book about Carlo, a young Italian immigrant in 1800s New York City, that celebrates books and family as it instills the values of heritage, perseverance, and the love of learning.

Transcending borders and generations, Bound to Dream: An Immigrant Story follows Carlo as he leaves his home in Italy and travels far away to New York City to create a new life. Carlo finds a job as a bookbinder and learns the skills of the trade, cultivating a love of books, words, and stories that he passes to future generations.

Featuring stunning, atmospheric illustrations depicting Carlo’s immigrant journey, this picture book is based on the experiences of the author’s great-grandfather. The uplifting true story inspires children ages four to eight to learn about their family history and how it shapes and lives on in them today.

About the Creators: 

Charles Ghigna—Father Goose® is the author of more than 100 books, including The Father Goose Treasury of Poetry, The Magic Box, A Poem Is a Firefly, Love Is Everything, and Fetch, Cat. Fetch! He has written more than 5,000 poems for children and adults. He was born in New York City and has lived in Homewood, Alabama, for the past 50 years. Visit his website at FatherGoose.com.

Anna Forlati has illustrated several books, and her work has appeared in many international exhibitions. She is a collaborator with the Onus Radio Magica Foundation. Her book My Dad, My Rock received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. Anna was born in Padua, Italy. She received her degree in contemporary art and a degree in film history at the IUAV University in Venice.

Review & Educators’ Tools for Navigation: This story of resiliency and the love of literacy transcends time and place. Carlo comes to a new land, and although he is faced with hard times, he finds something he loves and puts his heart and work into that thing. This book is truly a story about how books can change lives. Oh, and make sure to look for how color is added into the illustrations when speaking about book

As a historical fiction picture book based on the author’s great grandfather’s story, Bound to Dream is a great inclusion when talking about immigration into America, America in the early 1800s, or family history. (My son also just did a passion project on the history of books, and this would have been a great resource for that also!)

Discussion Questions: 

  • What character traits did Carlo display throughout the book?
  • How did Carlo’s love of books help him in his life?
  • How did the illustrator share the magic Carlo felt when reading with the reader?
  • How did the author learn this story if he never met his great grandfather?
  • What lessons can you take away from this story?
  • Why do you think the author chose to tell this story?
  • How does the title of the book connect with the story?

Flagged Spreads: 

Read This If You Love: Picture books about the power of books, Picture books about immigration

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Schiffer Publishing for providing a copy for review!**

Author Guest Post: “Tackling My Own Book’s Educators’ Guide” by Anna Olswanger, Author of A Visit to Moscow

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“Tackling My Own Book’s Educators’ Guide”

Near the bottom of this page is a download link to the student guide for A Visit to Moscow. If you open the link, you’ll discover several discussion questions, beginning with this one:

“Rather than opening directly with the Rabbi’s arrival in Moscow, the book opens and closes with Zev’s dreamlike, enigmatic vision. Why do you think the author chose to bookend the story with these sequences? From whose perspective or perspectives are we experiencing this story?”

When Creators Assemble! (the nonprofit that works to bring graphic novels into educational spaces) was developing the guide, I wondered how I would answer the question myself. Why did I bookend the story of Zev’s vision? Why didn’t I just tell the simple, chronological story of the rabbi visiting Moscow and discovering Zev as a little boy, hidden away by his parents to protect him from the Soviet government’s antisemitism? Why add the dream-like, enigmatic opening and ending?

The simple answer is that, like any author, I wanted to add my own thumbprint to a story I had heard. I wanted to make it my own. But then I thought about where my part of the book had come from.

In listening to the story that would become A Visit to Moscow from Rabbi Rafael Grossman, the inspiration for the rabbi character in the graphic novel, I asked him endless questions about the real Zev and his family. I wanted to understand how the little boy, who had never been outside the room he was born in, would view the world. Would he be angry? Would he be afraid? Would he be bitter?

Zev, the little boy, later told Rabbi Grossman that when his mother was sleeping, he would turn the shade a little to see what was outside. Zev knew that in the winter it snowed. He knew there was rain. He knew when it was warm and when it was cold. As he looked out the window, he wondered about the world. He thought it was made up of mean people because he couldn’t go out and play, but—Rabbi Grossman emphasized—Zev never thought the world was ugly. He wanted to know more about it.

As soon as Rabbi Grossman arranged for the family’s visas to Israel, Zev and his parents were put on a flight to Europe. Zev thought the car that took them to the airport was an incredible thing. The airplane totally fascinated him. He talked about it later at his bar mitzvah in Israel and said he went up to God and then came down.

Rabbi Grossman said that when he visited the family in Israel, Zev ran around showing him things: his school books, his soccer ball, his kippah. Zev was excited and full of life, introducing his pals to the Rabbi, shouting, singing–not at all restricted. He seemed to love everything about his life.

Rabbi Grossman said Zev was extremely happy in Israel. His life was filled with learning the language, making friends, and playing sports. He traveled on buses and went to every part of Israel. Later, he went to a hesder yeshiva (a yeshiva program that combines advanced Talmudic studies with military service in the Israel Defense Forces) and received a degree in mechanical engineering. He married and had children. And through it all Zev had a very strong, loving relationship with his parents. Zev talked about the world as a beautiful place. He talked about Lebanon and how the mountains were extraordinary.

Lebanon, where as a young man he stepped on a land mine while on reserve duty and was killed.

That view of the world as an extraordinary place sustained Zev, whether in the one room in Moscow where he could only peek out the window or in the openness of the land and cities of Israel. I think for him, being alive on this earth was like being in heaven.

And that is what I added to the story to make it my own, Zev’s feeling of being alive on this earth. It’s why I added the opening where the adult Zev has just died and is looking down at the area in Lebanon where he stepped on a land mine and sees the lush landscape—a river, haze, the ruins of a rampart. He thinks he’s looking down from heaven, and then everything starts to disappear. He can’t remember his name or who he was. He hears a voice and follows it. He sees a man (later we realize it is the fictional version of Rabbi Grossman, the rabbi who visited Zev and his family in the Soviet Union) at his Shabbat table with his family. The man is about to tell his family a story, and the story is his meeting Zev and his parents during a visit to Moscow. I then added the ending where Zev remembers all the events in the book, realizes he has died, remembers he has been alive. That was where I added the line, “He remembers being alive was like being in heaven.”

The book couldn’t have been just the simple story of what happened to Rabbi Grossman. It had to include what Zev knew, what Rabbi Grossman knew, and what I came to know through hearing the story, writing it, and reading it—that this world, in all its richness, is heaven.

Will students have any idea about my reason for including the mystical bookends to the story as they try to answer that question in the student guide? No, but they might imagine a reason, and that is the start of making sense of what we experience in life and making our own story part of life’s big story. Hearing a story we don’t quite understand and working to make sense of it by filling in the blanks is, at least for me, what being a human in the chain of history is about.

Published May 24th, 2022 by West Margin Press

About the Book: This haunting graphic novel takes place in 1965 when an American rabbi travels to the Soviet Union to investigate reports of persecution of the Jewish community. Moscow welcomes him as a guest—but provides a strict schedule he and the rest of his group must follow. One afternoon, the rabbi slips away. With an address in hand and almost no knowledge of the Russian language, he embarks on a secret journey that will change his life forever. Inspired by the true experience of Rabbi Rafael Grossman, A Visit to Moscow conveys the spiritual Holocaust and dev­as­tat­ing antisemitism that existed in the Soviet Union, and the com­mit­ment of one Jew to bringing the hor­ri­fy­ing real­i­ty into the light. It offers a window into the bias that still exists against Jews today, both in Russia and in America. This brief, beautiful, digestible visual narrative is a perfect on-ramp for student interest in the history of religious persecution, the oppression in the Soviet Union, and the experience of the Jewish people at large. It’s a wonderful tool for teachers—approachable, brief, illustrated. A volume that can be read and discussed in a 40-minute class or used as the foundation for broader study.

2023 Eisner Award Nominee, Best Adaptation from Another Medium

2022 Brightness Illustration Award Longlist

About the Author: Anna Olswanger first began interviewing Rabbi Rafael Grossman and writing down his stories in the early 1980s. She is the author of the middle grade novel Greenhorn, based on an incident in Rabbi Grossman’s childhood and set in New York in the aftermath of the Holocaust. She is also the author of Shlemiel Crooks, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book and PJ Library Book, which she wrote after discovering a 1919 Yiddish newspaper article about the attempted robbery of her great-grandparents’ kosher liquor store in St. Louis. Anna is a literary agent and represents a number of award-winning authors and illustrators. Visit her at www.olswanger.com.

About the Illustrator: Yevgenia Nayberg is an award-winning illustrator, painter, and set and costume designer. As a designer, she has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Endowment for the Arts/TCG Fellowship for Theatre Designers, the Independent Theatre Award, and the Arlin Meyer Award. She has received multiple awards for her picture book illustrations, including three Sydney Taylor Medals. Her debut author/illustrator picture book, Anya’s Secret Society, received a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection Award. Her latest picture book is A Party for Florine: Florine Stettheimer and Me. Originally from Kiev, Ukraine, Yevgenia now lives and draws from her studio in New York City. Visit her at www.nayberg.org.

Thank you, Anna, for this insight into analyzing your graphic novel!

Author Guest Post: “Web of the Spider in the Classroom” by Michael P. Spradlin, Author of Rise of the Spider

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“Web of the Spider in the Classroom”

Having written a great deal of historical fiction for young readers, I’ve been considering the inherent value of this genre for middle graders for some time. Is learning about the past through fiction a viable methodology? Or should we only stick to studying…the past? I know that professional educators, librarians and smarter than me writers have long wrestled with this question.

I can only speak from anecdotal experience, but that experience tells me the answer is a resounding yes. My historical novel Into the Killing Seas, based on the true story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during World War II, has probably generated more reader mail to me than any of my books. And a common and consistent thread running through all of those letters was how many of those students were so intrigued by the true story that they had turned it into a research project and had gone on to read one or several of the excellent non-fiction books about the disaster. As the song says, “reader, you make my heart sing.” (I know it doesn’t really say that, but this is my piece, and I can do what I want).

My earlier historical fiction (I call them the World War II Adventures Series) had been centered around a group or person who experienced the war through a great deal of pain and hardship. The challenge with writing THE WEB OF THE SPIDER series is that it revolves around the rise of Nazism in pre-war Germany. Beginning in 1929, when Hitler’s movement is starting to pick up steam. His two fold strategy was working. One, he blamed the Treaty of Versailles for being unnecessarily punitive to Germany. And two, he placed the rest of the blame for Germany’s struggles squarely on the back of its Jewish citizens.

In the first book, The Rise of the Spider, we are introduced to Rolf, a twelve year old boy, living in the quaint village of Heroldsberg. It is a gorgeous place, just a few kilometers from Nuremberg, and while people are struggling, things are not as bad in Heroldsberg as they are in the rest of the country. Rolf and his best friend Ansel, spend their days at school, playing football (European) and wandering the woods and waters nearby. Rolf lives with his older brother Romer and his Papa who owns a toy factory in Nuremberg. His mother passed away from the Spanish Flu when Rolf was born in 1918. His life is quiet and fairly people until one day when two young men arrive in town.

They are representatives of the Hitler Youth, here to establish a chapter in Heroldsberg. To Rolf, there is something off about them. Their actions are a little too deliberate, their hair and clothing are too perfect, and their words too carefully chosen. With warning bells going off, Rolf decides to ignore and stay away from them. But he is alarmed when his brother Romer, becomes enamored by their words.

Things deteriorate rapidly. Romer is further drawn in and when a Jewish business is burned, Rolf suspects Romer had something to do with it. When Romer makes a decision to join the Hitler Youth his family is splintered even further, and more unrest takes place in the village.

When Romer finally runs away, Rolf and his Papa race to the Nuremberg Rally grounds, where Hitler is speaking during the Nuremberg Rally, but they are too late. When a violent riot erupts, they are caught up in it. And in the aftermath of violence, Rolf will need to make a choice between his family and his country.

Dealing with topics like political violence, socio-economic theory, and antisemitism and distilling it down to a middle grade audience, while keeping up the action, suspense and intrigue was probably the most challenging writing I’ve ever done. And my hope is that his book will help readers have a beginning understanding for the problems and social issues that we still face today. It is unfortunate that recent events have resulted in a new wave of violence and antisemitism. What is old is new again.

But maybe, just maybe, my little book can help.

Working with a reading specialist, I have created a curriculum/teaching guide that I hope will prove useful in leading discussions about The Rise of the Spider.

Web of the Spider: Book 1, The Rise of the Spider

Introduction:

Historical fiction has repeatedly shown us, that certain stories and narratives can serve as powerful windows into the past. It can offer educators and students opportunities to delve into pivotal moments in history. The Rise of the Spider is set in 1929 Germany, where a young boy named Rolf and his best friend Ansel find themselves caught in the crosshairs of political upheaval. I hope this story will help educators explore the value of historical fiction in the context of teaching history and fostering critical thinking skills.

Plot Overview:

The story unfolds in the quiet town of Heroldsberg, where Rolf and Ansel witness the ominous arrival of Hans and Nils, members of the Hitler Youth. The plot takes a poignant turn as the friends watch in horror as Rolf’s brother Romer becomes entangled in their web of recruitment. The novel begins to  shed light on the rise of totalitarian ideologies and the impact they had on communities during a crucial period in history.

Themes for Classroom Discussion:

  1. The Power of Propaganda:
    • Use the book as a jumping off point to discuss the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion during the 1920s and 1930s. Compare to how political propaganda is used today.
    • Encourage students to analyze propaganda materials of the time, fostering media literacy skills. Be sure to be careful in using these materials as the can be disturbing.
  2. Youth and Ideological Indoctrination:
    • By 1933, the Hitler Youth had replaced all other youth programs in Germany. Discuss the role of recruiting young people into political causes during other periods of history.
    • Discuss the ethical implications of using young people to facilitate political change.
  3. Family Dynamics During Political Upheaval:
    • A person’s political beliefs can have a positive or negative impact on family dynamics. Discuss the role politics can play in a family life.
    • Encourage students to reflect on how political beliefs can strain familial bonds and create internal conflicts.

Teaching Strategies:

  1. Historical Inquiry Projects:
    • Assign projects that prompt students to investigate the socio-political climate of 1929 Germany.
    • Have them present findings through multimedia formats, fostering research and presentation skills.
  2. Character Analysis:
    • Guide students in conducting in-depth character analyses, exploring the motivations and conflicts faced by Rolf, Ansel, and Romer. How are they alike? How are they different?
    • Connect character development to broader historical themes. How does Rolf’s journey compare to other both fictional characters and real people from history.

Published September 24th, 2024 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

About the Book: Witness the chilling rise of Hitler’s Germany through the eyes of a twelve-year-old boy in this first book in the action-packed middle grade series Web of the Spider for fans of I Survived and A Night Divided.

1929, Heroldsberg, Germany. Rolf might only be twelve years old, but he’s old enough to know that things have not been good in his country since the end of the Great War. Half of Germany is out of work, and a new political movement is taking hold that scares him. Every night, Rolf’s father and older brother, Romer, have increasingly heated arguments about politics at the dinner table. And when two members of the new Nazi Party, Hans and Nils, move to town as part of the Hitler Youth, Rolf is uneasy to see how enamored Romer is by their promises of bringing Germany to glory.

Rolf doesn’t trust Hans and Nils for a moment. For all their talk of greatness, they act more like bullies, antagonizing shop owners who are Rolf’s friends and neighbors. Yet Romer becomes increasingly obsessed with their message of division, and Rolf watches in horror as his family fractures even further.

When there is an act of vandalism against a Jewish-owned business in town, Rolf fears Romer might have had something to do with it. Can Rolf find a way to intervene before things get any worse?

About the Author: Michael P. Spradlin is the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author of the Spy Goddess series, The Youngest Templar series, and the Web of the Spider series, as well as several works of historical fiction, including the Western Heritage Award winning Off Like the Wind: The Story of the Pony Express. He currently resides in Lapeer, Michigan, with his wife, daughter, and his schnoodle, Sequoia. Learn more at MichaelSpradlin.com.

Thank you, Michael, for sharing this teaching guide!