Neither Valentina Kaplan nor Oksana Savchenko think much about what it means to live next to a nuclear power plant or the fact that their fathers perform dangerous jobs inside.  The Ukrainian government has assured its citizens that Chernobyl is infallible, Pripyat a perfectly safe place to live.  No one would dare question anything the authorities say.  So Valentina and Oksana, along with their families, neighbors, and friends give their safety little thought, going about their daily lives as they always have.  Until April 26, 1986.  When a reactor inside the plant explodes, killing both the girls' fathers, and releasing massive clouds of radiation into the air, their lives change forever.

As a Jew, 11-year-old Valentina has long been bullied by Oksana.  So, she's not happy when her mother takes charge of her nemesis in the chaos after the explosion.  She's even less thrilled when both girls are pushed onto a train in a desperate attempt to get them out of Ukraine and into Leningrad, where they will wait out the disaster with Valentina's estranged grandmother.  Thrust into a strange new world, the girls are forced to rely on each other as they work through their shock and grief to face an unknown future.  As they spend more time together, they come to see each other in a new light, even becoming friends.  When disturbing secrets are revealed, it becomes clear that Oksana's fate lies in Valentina's hands.  How far will one girl go to save another?  Is Valentina willing to risk her own life for someone who spent years bullying her?  How strong is the girls' tenuous friendship really, when push comes to shove?  

I know little about the Chernobyl explosion, so I was excited when I discovered The Blackbird Girls, Anne Blankman's newest historical novel.  The story, written for a middle-grade audience, paints a grim but interesting picture of life in communist Ukraine and Russia.  It features two sympathetic, admirable heroines, both of whom grow as characters throughout the novel.  Their story is full of tension and suspense, which makes the tale a compelling one.  While The Blackbird Girls deals with some difficult, disturbing subjects, overall it's a hopeful book that teaches important lessons about the danger of stereotyping, the value of independent thinking, the joy of finding good even in troubled times, and the saving power of friendship and found family.  Set in an intriguing period of history, The Blackbird Girls is a moving novel that is both educational and engrossing.  I enjoyed it.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  You?)

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Lida Ferezuk isn't Jewish, but that doesn't stop the Nazis from killing her parents and taking her and her younger sister captive.  Their crime?  The Ferezuks are Ukrainian.  According to the Germans, their country no longer exists.  They are now Russian and thus eligible to be put to work for the Nazis.  Even though Lida is only nine, she's forcibly separated from her sister and sent to a labor camp.  Knowing she must be useful in order to survive the upcoming ordeal, Lida lies about her age and vows to stay as strong as possible.

When Lida is ordered to work at a bomb factory assembling explosives for the Nazis, she sees an opportunity to finally fight back against a cruel and vicious enemy.  With eyes on her all the time, it's a huge risk that could cost her her life.  Already weak from starvation and wracked with fear, does she dare to put what little she has left on the line?  If her plan fails, she'll lose everything, including the chance to ever see her sister again.  

Making Bombs for Hitler by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch is a harrowing middle grade novel based on the real Ukrainian slave raids that occurred during World War II.  I didn't know much at all about this topic, so it was interesting to read about it.  Disturbing, but fascinating.  Lida makes for a sympathetic narrator.  It's impossible not to root for her as she tries to help those around her, looks for beauty in even the darkest places, and longs for a reunion with her beloved sister.  The story moves along swiftly, ensuring a quick, exciting read that's as informative as it is interesting.  While Making Bombs for Hitler didn't knock my socks off, I definitely found the novel a worthwhile read. 

Readalikes:  Reminds me of other middle grade WWII novels, including The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen; Number the Stars by Lois Lowry; and Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence, blood/gore, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I borrowed a copy of Making Bombs for Hitler from my daughter's elementary school library.