Publisher blurb: Russia in 1938 is a place of great terror. Joseph Stalin is in charge. His Secret Police are everywhere, searching for anyone who might be his enemy. People have no idea who they can trust. Seven-year-old Shura doesn't know about any of this. He's happy in his little home in Leningrad going to school in the mornings, playing with his best friend in the afternoon, fighting with his big sister, spending time with his Mama, Papa and baby brother Bobka. Until one day everything changes. Mama and Papa and Bobka disappear without a trace. The whispers of their neighbours are that Mama and Papa were spies, enemies of Stalin and so they have now been taken by something mysterious called The Raven. Desperate to reunite his family, Shura decides to hunt down The Raven, finding help in the most unexpected places but facing more danger than he has ever known . . .
Here are some text quotes to give you a flavour of this writing:
"Shura sighed bitterly. What a waste of seven years! There was so much he hadn't done; he'd never even owned a dog. And now this pointless end. All because he wanted to try the new Eskimo (icecream) before the rest of the kids in their year. How stupid."
"And where's Papa? ' 'He's gone away ... Not for long. He had to go on an urgent business trip. They sent a telegram and asked him to come. So he had to go away for a bit. But he'll be back soon. Definitely. They'll sort it all out and he'll be back soon."
"He knew it wasn't good to be petit bourgeois. Shura had heard Mama and Papa say so, although he wasn't really sure what it meant."
"The floor was scattered with photograph albums, the one's Mama had been tearing pictures out of and feeding to the fire yesterday. They lay open with empty pages sticking up in the air helplessly. Things were strewn about as if someone had picked the whole room up, turned it upside down, shaken everything out and then dropped it back down."
"Now, like the building where Tanya and Shura lived, it was inhabited by new tenants who had never experienced luxury, who lived with one family in each room. Because in the Soviet Union everyone was equal."
"Soon after the first frosts, the shop windows were decorated with portraits of Stalin. Mostly, the portraits showed a large beaky nose and a black moustache; some had something distinctly raven-like about them."
"How could Shura make him understand that everyone who arrived at the Grey House ended up broken? That everyone fell under their control. It made not difference whether you were brave, kind, cheeky, strong-willed, shy, smart or quick witted. Everyone was reduced to identical grey shadows. They walked in formation, They obeyed every command and worked their fingers to the bone."
This book is very different - perhaps because it comes from Russia. It is based around a period of history that is sure to be unfamiliar to Australian readers (aged 11+). This book will appeal to readers who are curious about history especially Russian history, readers who enjoy books with a political layer and readers who enjoy books with touches of magical realism (talking birds).
Here are some reviews with more plot details:
Here are some other books which explore history through the eyes of a young child:
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