Sky Song

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They become friends with a good neighbour. Evie, and her family are a welcoming change in their life. The theme of the whole story is “never to forget your true identity, who you are, and from where you belong.” The affection for animals and having faith in their love to respond is very powerfully portrayed. The Ice Queen tilted her head and the sunlight flashed off her crown of snowflakes. “Work through the night, Slither. Get it done. To achieve immortality, I must steal every single voice in the kingdom before the midnight sun rises in two weeks’ time.” She paused. “Even your fiercest warriors have not been able to find the Fur and Feather children, but if I have Eska’s voice, I can use it to summon the tribes to Winterfang. Then I will tear the Sky Gods down from the heavens and all will surrender to me.” The second I saw the cover, The Little House on the Prairie popped into my head...and that wasn't wrong. The first chapters take place in the Ukraine, opening with the persecution Shoshana and her family face. While the family boards the ship, sails to America, and then, takes a train until they finally arrive in North Dakota, the reader has a chance to get a glimpse at Shoshana and several of her family member's personalities, hopes, and concerns. From there, life on the northern plains with all of its difficulties, wonders, and dreams unfolds...and this in a way, which offers nods toward the still-loved novels of Laura Ingalls Wilder. There's the father's fiddle, a mother's beloved belongings, a lofty shop-owner's daughter and so on. Even the pacing and direction reminds of the above novel. And yet, this book takes on a life of its own. Eska is one of many prisoners of the Snow Queen, a villainous ruler who threatens peace in the kingdom of Erkenwald. Eska, with no memories of her past, only knows that she cannot allow the Snow Queen to take her voice, that it might be special in some way... Flint is a boy that creates magical inventions, much to his brother and tribes anger and discomfort. He sneaks into the Snow Queen's palace in an attempt to rescue his mother, yet ends up rescuing Eska instead... Shoshanna and her mother and four sisters are in Liubashevka, Ukraine, and her father and older brother Anshel have emigrated to North Dakota because life is becoming increasingly difficult for Jewish citizens in the early 1900s. When life becomes too dangerous in Ukraine, the family is fortunate enough to be able to join the men on their claim in the US. The boat trip is rough, and Shoshanna is angry with her mother that she couldn't take her cat, although she does find one in the port that she manages to smuggle onto the train. The father has a dugout, and while it looks odd to the girls, he assures them that it has advantages in the winter and summer. Shoshanna and her older sister Libke are able to attend a local school, and their teacher is very nice. Some of the other students, however, are not. Some are actively cruel, like Irene and her brother Clive (whose parents run the general store) who give them a hard time for being Jewish, and use a variety of slurs against them. Some, like Evie, speak out of ignorance and repeat what they have heard at church. Evie's mother doesn't quite understand why Shoshanna's mother wouldn't want to attend a church and meet "good Christian people", although she brings food to the family and greets them warmly. There are lots of chores to do on the claim, and moments when the prairie seems to actively want to kill the inhabitants; the school children are caught in a blizzard, and Evie and Shoshanna barely make it to the dugout. As Christmas approaches, the children at school are excited about decorations and the program, but Libke doesn't think she and Shoshanna should take part in singing songs about Jesus. Shoshanna wants to fit in, and doesn't see a problem with it. Clive continues to bedevil the girls until the family helps him save his horse.

Eska, on the other hand, I warmed to immediately. She was smart and strong and worked hard to overcome her struggles. She was special without becoming annoying so. The Ice Queen has imprisoned Eska in a cursed Music Box at Winterfang Palace. In her quest to take full control of Erkenwald the Ice Queen must steal Eska’s voice but in one unguarded moment and a little help from a stranger Eska is able to escape. Finally free but finding her memories have deserted her, Eska must find out not only where she belongs but also why her voice is so important to the Ice Queen. With the Queen hunting her and the freedom of Erskenwald at stake Eska must try to convince the tribes to work together again to free all the imprisoned voices and bring an end to the Ice Queen’s rule. This is kind of a cross between the Little House on the Prairie books and the All of A Kind Family books and The Children’s Blizzard too. I looked up North Dakota blizzards in the early 1900s. My thoughts: I really loved this one so much. I loved the [North Dakota] prairie feel. I loved the family dynamics. I loved the one room school house. The historical vibes were just my cup of tea. I thought it was a lovely coming of age novel. I loved the role of music in this one! The ending was so perfect. A five star review. If only for the descriptions of the cranes migrating overhead, and their calls filling the sky with song.

Llaisis Cardiff’s annual international arts festival inspired by the instrument that connects us all – the voice. And, at the sound, Eska felt her body stir. First her head lifted, then her hands pushed down and her legs extended until she was standing on the pedestal. She tried to hold the curse at bay, to take control of her body, but she was up on the balls of her feet now and her arms were outstretched. The Ice Queen breathed a crystal mist over the glass dome, making it disappear from sight, and, as the pedestal turned, round and round, Eska danced on trembling feet. In the snowy kingdom of Erkenwald, whales glide between icebergs, wolves hunt on the tundra and polar bears roam the glaciers. But the people of this land aren’t so easy to find - because Erkenwald is ruled by an evil Ice Queen and the tribes must stay hidden or risk becoming her prisoners at Winterfang Palace. At first, I found Flint very unlikable. He was awful to Eska! He didn't want to help her escape, he didn't want to teach her how to survive and - when she grew capable - he didn't want to admit to her that she was doing a good job! He's from a tribe that is basically 'Toxic Masculinity Central' where their only thoughts are to kill rivals with weapons, never show weakness or emotion and never allow yourself to think outside the box. (His tribe and brother hate that Flint is an inventor and won't allow him to use any sort of magic, despite how this could massively help them in a fight). Throughout the book, Eska has to undo this to make Flint a better person. I ended up sympathising with him; the way he was raised had obviously impacted him and he was far more likeable by the end. Yet personally I would rather read about a progressive male character rather than one who needs someone pointing out how troubling his thoughts and actions are.

Sky Song made my heart sing - I loved it!' Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink and Stars The prologue (and epilogue) of this book are told in a folktale/myth kind of style which does a great job of setting the scene without making it feel like an infodump, and also nicely 'frames' the story, giving it a clear beginning and ending while also making it seem like part of something bigger. It gives the story a magical feel, in which not everything needs to have a logical explanation.

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All Shoshi wants is to fit in, so she finds herself hiding her Jewish identity, which angers Libke. The sisters are at odds for the first time ever, and Shoshi hates how that feels. What does it really mean to be Jewish, Shoshi wonders? She knows that her father would say that there’s one simple truth at the core of Judaism: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man.” She’s heard him quote that passage from the Torah lots of times. But when a fierce blizzard strands a bully at Shoshi’s doorstep, will Shoshi choose to cause more hurt...or to help? A children's classic in the making, Sky Song will whisk you off on an astonishing journey and leave you gripped from beginning to end. Which, lastly, brings us to the characters. They are great. Yes, the villain is just evil for no good reason, but that doesn't feel necessary seeing her origin. Eska is a wonderful main character, who grows a lot throughout the story. Because she cannot remember her past and therefore doesn't really know herself, she is difficult to connect to at the start, but the strength and perseverance she shows is inspiring. Flint is a boy who is an inventor among his tribe of warriors, but eventually he does find his place. I loved that he cries (for good reasons) and it is made clear that that is okay ('tears are just a warm-up for bravery). His little sister may have some form of mental disability (it is stated there is something 'wrong' with her, but never explained what), which is mainly shown in her different and simple way of talking. This is never ridiculed though. She is just as much part of the team, and her heart of gold made me instantly love her. Slither bowed and then scurried from the hall. The Ice Queen followed slowly, but, when she reached the shadows, she glanced over her shoulder at Eska. She raked her nails across the keys. The chords clashed, the voices stopped, and the baubles dimmed. Then the Ice Queen snatched up her staff and strode toward the arches, her sequined gown swishing behind her.

Shoshana is a young Jewish girl who's family has come to America for a new start away from the antisemitism they face in Eastern Europe. She misses her old home but finds excitement in her new kitten, going to school, and learning how to play the fiddle from her papa. Unfortunately she also learns that antisemitism can be anywhere and that staying true to yourself is not always easy. The one theme that permeates SKY SONG is friendship. The relationships between our main characters, and our MC’s and the animals is just so darn special. I especially gravitated towards Finn and Blu’s relationship–it was so caring and loving, but tough at times–realistic. What I love is how the story takes on a version of The Long Winter, by Laura Ingles Wilder, which also happened in the Dekota territory, and uses it to tell Shashana’s story. The Wilder book too place in 1880. This story is taking place in 1905, but blizzards can be just as deadly no matter when they are happening. Here’s an idea that popped into my head while reading that might be a good classroom activity: a Venn diagram comparing/contrasting Laura Ingalls Wilder and Shoshanna, for those who have read about both. (Every once in a while the former teacher in me just re-surfaces!)😀

LoveReading4Kids Says

She looked beyond the dome, through the ice arches in front of her, which faced out over Erkenwald. The first sunrise in six months spilled across the horizon. Frozen rivers shimmered, the snow on the tundra sparkled, and the sea was a dazzling jigsaw of ice and meltwater. It was mid-March then, Eska thought. That was when the light returned to the kingdom—she’d heard the Tusk guards talking.

A melody rippled out from the silver trees lining the hall. Their roots sprawled over the ice floor, and from their bony branches, hundreds of glass baubles hung, each one filled with a golden glow. This was where the melody was coming from, because inside each ornament was a voice. And as the chords grew louder, the baubles shimmered and the voices of the Fur and Feather men and women singing a wordless anthem joined with the organ’s steady pulse. The story ends on a wholesome note which I really appreciate when it comes to books for young readers. Unscrewing the orb from the top of her staff, the Ice Queen held it before Eska. “Your voice is cursed by the Sky Gods, child. But I can relieve you of it.” She moved the orb nearer Eska’s mouth. “Speak now—let your words slip into my orb—and you will no longer have to bear such a burden.” A magical wintry story filled with adventure, wonder and edge-of-your-seat excitement, this is the perfect read for fans of Michelle Harrison, Piers Torday and Emma Carroll.This is a story about an eagle huntress, an inventor and an organ made of icicles. But it is also a story about belonging, even at the very edges of our world . . .