February 2015 Book of the Month Of the many stories of the Holocaust, that of the Jews of Riga in Latvia is among the less well known. This book tells their story for young people, clearly and honestly, emphasising its importance and relevance to us all. Discovering that her great-grandmother had come from Riga in the early 1900s inspired Vanessa Curtis to find out what happened to those relatives who stayed: Jewish, their fate was the worst imaginable.
She describes those terrible times through the eyes of 15 year old Hanna, a normal, lively teenager, with a handsome boyfriend. Readers will find it easy to identify with Hanna, which makes her account of what happens to her even more affecting. The story ends on a note of hope for Hanna, and is a powerful tribute to all the Latvian victims of the Nazis. ~ Andrea Reece
The Earth is Singing is Vanessa’s first historical novel, which she was inspired to write when she discovered her own Jewish Latvian heritage.
Vanessa says: 'The story of the Jews of Riga is not widely known. After finding out that my great-grandmother was born there, but came over to England at the turn of the twentieth century, I began to wonder what happened to the Jewish friends and relatives that she had left behind. I visited the Riga Ghetto Museum and saw photographs of many of the thousands of Jews who perished at the hands of the Nazis in 1941.
Their eyes seemed to be telling me to relate their story, so that is what I did. I am delighted that Usborne have given me the opportunity to bring this story to a wider audience.'
Winner of the Young Quills Historical Novel Award. Longlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal. My name is Hanna Michelson. I am 15. I am Latvian. I live with my mother and grandmother. My father is missing - taken by the Russians. I have a boyfriend. When he holds my hand, everything feels perfect. I'm training to be a dancer. But none of that matters now. Because the Nazis have arrived, and I am a Jew. And as far as they are concerned, that is all that matters. This is my story.
| Reading age: | 14+ |
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Winner of the Young Quills Historical Novel Award. Longlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Earth Is Singing and determined it is suitable for children aged 15-18 years old
The Earth Is Singing features in the following genres: Books of the Month, Recommendations, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Historical Fiction, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Recommended Children's eBooks, Featured Books for Young Adults
Paperback. Not Available.
The Earth Is Singing was written by Vanessa Curtis and published by Usborne Publishing Ltd. an imprint of Usborne Publishing
The Earth Is Singing has 327 pages
Yes it is part of Usborne Modern Classics series
