Threads

Starred review from November 1, 2023
Drawing inspiration from the experiences of her grandparents, Maslo offers a window into the Ukrainian spirit. It's 1932, and Communists are going door to door collecting extra taxes and grain. Zlata's mama starts hiding food, and Papa buries bags of grain. On Zlata's eighth birthday, her best friend and neighbor, Yeva, and Yeva's parents come over to celebrate. Zlata wears the blouse her mother made with colors traditionally used in Ukrainian embroidery: red for love, black for sadness. The conversation between the girls reveals their parents' opposing political views. When Yeva's father informs on Zlata's family, their food and goods are confiscated, including the birthday blouse. Maslo effectively uses dialogue, a first-person narrative with plenty of helpful historical context, and a controlled palette to create a meaningful, engaging tale. Golden wheat is a recurring image, at first suggesting sustenance, then forbidden food. With spring, wheat symbolizes hope. A stark white page--with a corner of shadow--reveals that Zlata's papa has been taken. Brown sets the mood for hunger. The girls mend their broken relationship when Yeva explains that her father was taken, too, but that he had rescued the blouse. Reflecting on the importance of holding on to what "made us Ukrainian--our language, our beliefs, our traditions," the protagonist notes: "Beauty made life bearable." A poignant yet accessible entry into Ukraine's ongoing suffering--and survival. (author's note, bibliography) (Picture book. 5-8)

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March 29, 2024

PreS-Gr 2-Maslo weaves a poignant tale that explores betrayal, survival, hope, and renewal. Zlata, based on Maslo's grandmother, is a girl living in Ukraine with her mother and father in the early 1930s during the country's perod of famine and genocide, known as the Holodomor. Under Soviet Communist rule, Ukrainians lost their properties and rights. On Zlata's eighth birthday, her parents gift her a handmade shirt adorned with beautiful embroidery in black and red threads. "'Red is for love, and black is for sadness, ' Papa said. 'Life has good times and hard times. Even though the Communists are making life difficult, we still have each other.'" But dark times are ahead. Zlata and her best friend, Yeva, have a disagreement; one day a brigade shows up unannounced. With them is Yeva's father who reveals the family's belongings. The officers seize their farm animals, land, and take Zlata's father. Yeva, whose father was also taken away by the officers after losing his job, informs Zlata that she has her embroidered shirt, one of the items they were allowed to keep as a reward for betraying Zlata's family. Thereafter unfolds a story of survival, embroidery, and hope. With vibrant acrylic gouache illustrations, the picture book includes an author's note, delving deeper into her family's past, the political history, and the cultural significance of vyshyvanka and Ukrainian embroidery to provide more context for families and educators. VERDICT This picture book reads like a memoir, historical drama, and a poignant story about friendship; for educators wishing to delve into the current conflict and its past.-Jane Huh

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