Böcker av Susan Lynn Meyer

This heartwarming, beautifully written middle-grade historicalnovel about an untold American frontier story is destined to be a cherished classic. North Dakota, 1905 After fleeing persecution in the Russian Empire, eleven-year-old Shoshana and her family, Jewish immigrants, start a new life on the prairie. Shoshana takes fierce joy in the wild beauty of the plains and the thrill of forging a new, American identity. But it's not as simple for her older sister, Libke, who misses their Ukrainian village and doesn't pick up English as quickly or make new friends as easily. Desperate to fit in, Shoshana finds herself hiding her Jewish identity in the face of prejudice, just as Libke insists they preserve it. For the first time, Shoshana is at odds with her beloved sister, and has to look deep inside herself to realize that her family's difference is their greatest strength. By listening to the music that's lived in her heart all along, Shoshana finds new meaning in the Jewish expression all beginnings are difficult, as well as in the resilience and traditions her people have brought all the way to the North Dakota prairie.

Eleven-year-old Shoshana and her family flee from Russian pogroms to North Dakota, where land is available to those who are willing to farm it--even Jews. Shoshana loves the wild freedom of the prairie, and, at first, loves school, making friends, and learning English. But when she is bullied for being Jewish, Shoshana starts to feel like it might be easier to hide her faith, even in America. Only by listening to the music that's lived in her heart all along can Shoshana embrace the differences that allow her family to thrive and grow together in their new home.

Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winner Black Radishes is a suspenseful WWII/Holocaust story, in which one boy learns what it means to be Jewish and French at a time when everything is changing. Gustave doesn't want to move from the exciting city to the boring countryside, far from his cousin Jean-Paul and his best friend, the mischievous Marcel. But he has no choice. It is March of 1940, and Paris is not a safe place for Jews. When Paris is captured by the Nazis, Gustave knows that Marcel, Jean-Paul, and their families must make it out of the occupied zone. And when he learns that his new friend Nicole works for the French Resistance, he comes up with a plan that just might work. But going into Occupied France is a risky thing to do when you are Jewish. And coming back alive? That is nearly impossible.And don't miss Skating with the Statue of Liberty, the gripping and poignant companion to Black Radishes, which follows Gustave as he embarks on new adventures in New York City.Praise for Black Radishes"Full of tension, this coming-of-age story presents a picture of life during the early days of World War II."-Bulletin"An excellent recent novel that can introduce readers to a wider world. . . . Meyer builds the tension by using real-life events (detailed in an author's note) and creates in Gustave a very believable boy who behaves bravely when he must."-The Horn Book"Meyer shines light on the bravery of Resistance fighters, and her story...[is] a gripping read comparable to Marilyn Sachs's classic A Pocket Full of Seeds, Carol Matas's Greater Than Angels, and Norma Fox Mazer's Good Night, Maman."-SLJ"Partly based on Meyer's father's experiences, the story derives its credibility from the vivid details...[a] fine first novel."-Booklist"This debut novel, loosely based on the author's father's experiences,...raises important questions about nationalism, equality and identity and fills a void in Holocaust literature for this age group."-Kirkus ReviewsA Sydney Taylor Honor Award WinnerA Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the YearAn Instructor Magazine Best Kids' Historical Fiction BookA Massachusetts Book Awar Must-Read Book