When Jays fly to Barbmo by Margaret Balderson illustrated by Victor G Ambrus

"The whole of Continental Europe was now in the hands of the Germans. Little Denmark had been completely over-run. The Dutch army had surrendered. France had collapsed. Now only Britain remained as the last block against Hitler's dreams to complete European conquest. It left little scope for optimism. We realized that we were a small nation of relatively few people. How could we fight back against the powerful monster that had overtaken us?"


Several years ago a friend mentioned When Jays fly to Barbmo was one of her all time favourite books. I was curious. Then I made some discoveries.  This book was the 1969 CBCA Book of the Year. I was in Primary school when it won and this was a time I devoured books set in Northern countries such as Avalanche by A Rutgers van der Loeff. Why had I never heard of this book? Luckily I found a mint condition second hand copy a couple of weeks ago. Last weekend I sat down and read the whole book in two sessions.

Let's begin with the title.  Here is a jay in the snow in Norway.

Jays fly (migrate) - no as you can see this bird species does not migrate - well as far as I can discover. You can see it here in this photo in the snow. I guess in a simple way the title means "when pigs might fly".  The place Barbmo is explained in a glossary at the back of this book "In north Lapp this word has two meanings (i) the place where migratory birds live in winter and (ii) a place of fictitious delights."

The little bird is also a gift given to Ingeborg by a reclusive man who works for her father.  He loves to carve and he gives her a little wooden jay. She keeps it safe through all the twists and turns of these confusing times.

The setting for this book is Norway World War II. Norway is invaded by Hitler and Ingeborg's life is in turmoil. Adding to this terror are the seasonal hardships of living in this remote location. Living so far north means there are months of 24 hour darkness and months of 24 hours daylight.

"Morning was no different from night. ... if the weather continued to show a cloudless face all morning, we were at least assured of a period of struggling grey dawn round about noon. ... Then everybody would give thanks and we would all, little by little, start airing our summer personalities again."

"One morning I chanced upon a small yellow flower thrusting its head bravely above the snow. I plucked the bloom gently and turned it over again and again in my hand marvelling as I always did, at how a life so infinitely fragile could have survived the cruel grip of our Arctic winter and be born a thing of such exquisite perfection."

Ingeborg needs to understand her heritage, understand the complex relationships of the people in her life and move from her childhood into the beginning of adulthood. Here is a detailed review where you can read more plot details. This is a book for an older/junior high school, sensitive reader with stamina. The print size is small and the historical setting, while beautifully described, will be unfamiliar to most Australian children. The illustrations by the famous Victor G Ambrus are wonderful. Here is a copy of the original review in the Canberra Times from July 1969.  If you are looking for a similar title you could take a look at Belle and Sebastien. The relationship between Ingeborg and her Aunt reminded me of Inge Maria in The Girl who Bought Mischief.