Overview

In June of 1941, fifteen-year-old Nadia's life is centered around her family, writing poetry, and enjoying each day's predictability during their summer holiday in the village of Lisy Nos. Then Hitler and his Nazis invade. Now only war and danger are predictable. Her parents must return to Leningrad for the defense of the city, and they decide that their children and elderly aunt would be safer in the village. However, Nadia is determined to help defend her homeland. She sneaks away and lies about her age to dig trenches near the western front. She is wounded when enemy pilots attack and is befriended by a medic. Within weeks, German troops and tanks surround the city, their bombers destroy the food warehouses, and they blockade Leningrad to stop the entry of food and supplies and the evacuation of civilians. More than two million citizens struggle to defend their beloved city, report to work, and survive on shrinking rations. In Lisy Nos, Nadia and her family forage for edible roots and plants, making soup with whatever they can find, including wallpaper, mice, even their pet goat. It is not enough. Her sister and her elderly aunt die. The last thing she expects is the appearance of her friend Misha, injured and blanketed with snow. He too is weak from hunger, but his companionship cheers both Nadia and her little brother, in spite of their grief. But they have no food or fuel for the stove. Their cannot stay in Lisy Nos, but home in Leningrad is 30 kilometers away. She's not sure the three of them have the strength to endure such a trip, but Nadia is determined. She will do whatever she has to--whatever the risk--to save her family from starvation and the war.

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Reviews

""This captivating story provides a fascinating account of a teenage girl's experiences during the first four months of the siege of Leningrad. The author masterfully evokes the atmosphere, and the harrowing challenges people faced. At times, the details are so grueling that one might mistake them for fiction. However, this book is a well-researched account, based on documented testimonies of eyewitnesses."" Ksenia Afonina, Curator of exhibit ""Art of Endurance in the Siege of Leningrad,"" by Elena Marttila. Darwin College, Cambridge, UK, 2017. -------- ""Based on a true story, this meticulously researched novel brings the Eastern Front of WWII and one brave young girl to life for modern readers. Nadia's discovery of her own strength and endurance is both heartrending and heartening."" Nancy Werlin, author of the National Book Award Finalist The Rules of Survival. -------- ""The Nightingale Kept Singing is a vividly imagined historical novel for young readers (age 11 and up).The story begins in Leningrad in 1941, when the fifteen-year-old narrator, Nadia, and her family learn that Hitler has attacked the Soviet Union. Unable to serve like her older brother and her parents, Nadia runs away to dig anti-tank trenches. But the enemy surrounds the city, and she must make desperate decisions to save her family from starvation and the persistent bombing. I read this absorbing tale at one sitting, and while the events described happened over 80 years ago, I feel sure that there are young Nadias in our world at this very minute, so the story feels highly relevant to today.""Sara Jolly, literary Russian-English translator, book reviewer, and documentary film maker based in London.

Author Information

Teddi Ahrens was born in Chicago, but she grew up among the Rocky Mountains in northern Utah. She earned her Master's Degree in sociology, conducted research, and taught classes in high school and college. But she was always writing, shifting between academic work and creative storytelling, and later making crafts with young people. Her favorite job was creating multicultural programs at The Children's Museum in Boston, MA. An avid traveler, Teddi loves to immerse herself in the history and culture of the places she visits, listening and learning. These experiences, these images inspire her research and her stories. These days, Teddi enjoys living in a three-generation household with three grandchildren, five cats, and her garden, although neighborhood deer keep eating the blooms of her Gerber Daisies. Print production designer, owner of Typeflow, author. Award-winning fine and commercial artist, known for her depictions of San Antonio, Texas landmarks, drawn with pen, ink and watercolors.

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