Gr 5 Up—Because of COVID-19, Matthew is isolated with his mother and great-grandmother. He uncovers a riveting
story of his great-grandmother's past, a family secret hidden since the great Ukrainian famine in the 1930s. This
historical fiction mystery introduces readers to a forgotten piece of history while showing multigenerational
relationships at their finest.

This story is so well done - fantastic writing!

Marsh has taken serious subject matter (COVID pandemic and the Holodomor) that is difficult to explain to kids and reveals the subject matter layer by layer. This may be a difficult sell for readers who are put off by serious subjects and/or historical fiction. However, this story has a twist that will surprise them.

Excellent!
( )

This was close to a 5-star read for me. It reminded me of [b:Number the Stars|47281|Number the Stars|Lois Lowry|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630542426l/47281._SX50_.jpg|2677305] because it includes the story of a girl trying to save another girl from becoming a victim of a historical atrocity.

I listened to the audiobook, which was well done, but felt slow to me at times. I didn't like the Matthew chapters where he was fighting with his mom during the early days of the Covid pandemic. His angst about having his Switch taken away felt extraneous to the main story, which was the 1930s Soviet famine. But I did like Matthew's relationship with GG.

Maybe I missed something because I listened to the audiobook at 1.5x speed, but what is the meaning of the title in relation to the famine? It doesn't make sense to me. ( )

A beautifully wrought tale of the Holomodor in Ukraine in the 1920s anchored by a grandson living through the pandemic-ness of 2020. Incredibly solid storytelling, strong characters, very well-structured. ( )

Told in four narrators, the book focuses on the Lomachenko cousins in the 1932-1933. The famine is happening in Ukraine, but the Soviets deny it. Helen, Mila, and Nadia are caught in the middle. Helen is in New York, Mila is the daughter of a Communist party member and wants for nothing. Nadia is living in a farming community and has lost most of her family due to the famine.
The book jumps to 2020 to tell the story of Matthew who is helping his great grandmother who has moved in with the family during the pandemic. She begins to share her life story which has been kept secret since she was a child who escaped Ukraine to get to America. ( )