 | Song Of A Blackbird Author: van Lieshout, Maria | |
| Price: $14.75 | ||
Summary:
This timely graphic novel weaves together two timelines to reveal how art, in the face of political upheaval and nearly insurmountable adversity, can become our greatest lifeline.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (11/15/24)
School Library Journal (+) (00/11/24)
Booklist (+) (12/01/25)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/03/25)
The Hornbook (+) (00/03/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 01/01/2025 *Starred Review* The power of art to inspire hope and resistance to tyranny is embodied in the titular blackbird, who swoops through the journeys of two brave girls living in two separate time periods. In 2011 Amsterdam, Annick’s oma is in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant, but the search for a donor reveals that Oma’s biological parents are not who she thought they were. This launches Annick on a quest to find answers that will save her beloved grandmother, a quest which turns the narrative back to 1943 Amsterdam, in which young artist Emma seeks to hide two Jewish children from Nazi occupation and is led into the company of printers who resist fascism through their skill and art. Both threads of the intertwining tale prove deeply compelling for their suspense as well as their overarching message, and while the story meaningfully evokes a specific historical situation, it could easily serve as a springboard for conversations around other stories of oppression, both contemporary and historical. Along with the thematic content, the simplified forms and strategic use of color can’t help but recall Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, though the illustrations here are often combined with photographs of actual locations, grounding the stylized art in unavoidable reality. Indeed, the story is loosely based on actual, well-researched situations, a fact brought home by the generous back matter. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
