A heartrending graphic memoir about a young Jewish girl’s fight for survival in Nazi occupied Poland, The Girl Who Sang illustrates the power of a brother’s love, the kindness of strangers, and finding hope when facing the unimaginable.

Born to a Jewish family in a small Polish village, Estelle Nadel―then known as Enia Feld―was just seven years old when the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939. Once a vibrant child with a song for every occasion, Estelle would eventually lose her voice as, over the next five years, she would survive the deaths of their mother, father, their eldest brother and sister, and countless others.

A child at the mercy of her neighbors during a terrifying time in history, The Girl Who Sang is an enthralling first-hand account of Estelle’s fight for survival during World War II. She would weather loss, betrayal, near-execution, and spend two years away from the warmth of the sun―all before the age of eleven. And once the war was over, Estelle would walk barefoot across European borders and find remnants of home in an Austrian displaced persons camp before finally crossing the Atlantic to arrive in New York City―a young woman carrying the unseen scars of war.

Beautifully rendered in bright hues with expressive, emotional characters, debut illustrator Sammy Savos masterfully brings Estelle story of survival during the Holocaust to a whole new generation of readers. The Girl Who Sang is perfect for fans of March , Maus , and Anne Frank’s Diary .

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I’m a firm believer that books about events in the past that are significant, especially books which are accessible to all ages, should be available. When I saw that this was not only a memoir but a graphic memoir of a holocaust survivor, I definitely wanted to give it a read. Sadly we have reached a point in time where the number of people who lived through World War II are very few, so it’s important that their stories are told and that people continue to learn about those events. Estells/Enia’s story is both heartbreaking and uplifting, starting before the war and progressing through her loss. She lost most of her family as so many did, and had to survive through horrible and scary things, relying on people who could have turned on her at any moment. It’s also the story of those who did help her and her brothers to survive, those who risked themselves to keep the children as safe as they could. The artwork is beautiful and informative, many details of specific places and customs woven into the story. Since it’s a graphic memoir it is accessible and easily read, but full of Estelle’s impactful story and should be shared and read for a personal view on the events of the holocaust.

Goodreads currently has a giveaway running for this book, so be sure to check that out! The Girl Who Sang comes out on January 23rd, so make sure to pick up a copy.

Happy reading!