Song of a ­Blackbird

Gr 10 Up–Van Lieshout’s graphic novel debut opens with a blackbird who acts as a third-person omniscient narrator, calling out to those who are suffering to hear its sympathetic song. “Retelling. Remembering. This is how we keep stories and memories alive. This is how we keep people alive.” ­Readers get two alternating yet intertwined storylines: Annick in Amsterdam, 2011, and Emma in Amsterdam, 1943. Annick is a young girl ­searching for answers to her ailing grandmother’s past, while Emma, a student, is searching for small gleams of light, which she finds in helping those in need through an era of darkness. The illustrations and coloring are sharply contrasted, with slight hues of color to differentiate the point in time readers are being immersed in. These striking illustrations are blended seamlessly with actual photographs that ignite emotions for those following both protagonists on their riveting journeys. Through different characters, the horrific intent of Hitler and the Nazis is made transparent, and the text on how Hitler came to power is comprehensible for developing minds, allowing for critical thinking and discourse about historical events. The story builds a powerful connection from the near present to the past, as readers learn about these tragic moments in history. Though the story is fiction, photographs and historical background at the end of the book reveal the harsh realities of world history.