Zhanna Arshanskaya and her sister, Frina, are talented musicians growing up in Ukraine in the 1930s. After their family is detained following the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II, Zhanna manages to escape on the march to Drobytsky Yar (site of a mass killing of Jews). Her father’s instructions: Live. Later she miraculously reunites with her sister, although Frina won’t talk about how she escaped (the sense is she survived the mass killing and fled). The two girls eventually obtain false papers identifying them as Christian orphans: Anna and Marina. Their public performances in the past put them at risk of being recognized, but their talent sets them apart. They end up in a troop of traveling entertainers performing for Nazi officers. At war’s end, in a displaced person’s camp, they perform for Jewish survivors before the American camp commander helps them immigrate to the United States. Coauthor Greg Dawson is a journalist and Zhanna’s son. Zhanna never spoke of her experience when he was growing up. In the late 1990s, Zhanna’s granddaughter, then 13, asked Zhanna about her own life at 13 for a school assignment, and Zhanna finally began to tell her extraordinary story. This moving, lyrical account first grounds readers in Zhanna’s life before the Nazi invasion and then recounts the harrowing years that followed. It’s told in poems rich with musical references and divided into “movements.” End matter includes black-and-white photographs, Dawson’s fascinating research journey, poetry notes, and more.   (Age 11 and older)

A Sydney Taylor Book Award 2023 Middle Grade Notable!

A Jewish Book Council Award Middle Grade Finalist!

The moving true story of how young Ukrainian Jewish piano prodigies Zhanna (alias “Anna”) and her sister Frina outplayed their pursuers while hiding in plain sight during the Holocaust. A middle grade nonfiction novel-in-verse by award-winning author Susan Hood with Greg Dawson (Zhanna’s son).

She wouldn’t be Zhanna. She’d use an alias. A for Anna. A for alive.

When the Germans invade Ukraine, Zhanna, a young Jewish girl, must leave behind her friends, her freedom, and her promising musical future at the world’s top conservatory. With no time to say goodbye, Zhanna, her sister Frina, and their entire family are removed from their home by the Nazis and forced on a long, cold, death march. When a guard turns a blind eye, Zhanna flees with nothing more than her musical talent, her beloved sheet music, and her father’s final plea: “I don’t care what you do. Just live.” 

This incredible true story in-verse about sisterhood, survival, and music is perfect for fans of Lifeboat 12, Inside Out and Back Again, and Alan Gratz.

Includes extensive back matter with original letters and photographs, additional information, and materials for further reading.

• A NERDY BOOK CLUB 2022 BEST NOVEL-IN-VERSE BOOK!
• A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 2022 BEST BOOK FOR KIDS!
• A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST INFORMATIONAL BOOKS FOR YOUNGER READERS OF 2022!