English / USA
What the night sings. A novel
Stamper, Vesper
(text/illus.)
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, [2018]. – 266 p.
ISBN 978-1-5247-0038-6
World War II (1939-1945) | Jews | Concentration camp | Trauma | Liberation | Palestine
Reading age: 14+
White Ravens issue: 2019
Children’s and young adult novels about World War II are not exactly scarce. Yet there a several points that set “What the Night Sings” apart. Most importantly: Unlike many other books, which usually finish with the end of World War II, this story begins with the liberation of the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen by British soldiers. Jewish teenage girl Gerta has barely survived all the cruelties and torture – but how is she going to go on without her beloved dad, a violist and music aficionado? What good are her dreams of becoming a famous opera singer now? Should she stay in Europe or try to escape to Palestine? Aided by her friend Lev, a Hasidic Jew from Poland, and other fellow survivors, Gerta tentatively redefines her life, one step at a time. This quietly told and powerful novel draws in readers and carefully explores the question of how you can overcome such a trauma. The sepia-coloured illustrations underscore the special atmosphere of the text while adding a metaphorical level to the story.