Daughter of Light (Orca Young Readers) [Paperback]

martha attema (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: Orca Young Readers

Daughter of Light martha attema Sidney Taylor Book Award Notable Book from the Association of Jewish Libraries CCBC Our Choice 2002 In the darkest days of WWII, nine-year-old Ria is determined that her mother give birth in a home filled with light. Despite the cold, harsh winter, German occupying forces have cut the supply of electricity to civilians all over the Netherlands. Now the whole population must scrounge for wood to heat their dwellings and make what light they can with the few available candles. At home in Friesland, Ria's father is in hiding. Her closest friend, Rachel, and her family have been taken away because they are Jewish. The local mayor is a Nazi sympathizer. And Ria's mother is about to have a baby and is afraid to give birth in a cold, dark house. Ria knows the risks, but she is determined to find a way to bring light into her family's home in time for the baby's arrival. Her bold plan may place others in danger, but, in carrying it out, Ria learns something that has the power to save lives. Based on a true story, Daughter of Light is martha attema's second novel about World War II, her first for young readers. Ria feels powerless in a world filled with horror. The author steers a path throught that world, allowing her heroine to triumph in a small, but significant way, without diminishing the tragedy and evil of war. Martha Attema's two earlier novels, A Light in the Dunes and A Time to Choose, have been nominated and shortlisted for numerous awards. A Time to Choose won the Blue Heron Book Award and was an American Booksellers Association Pick of the List in 1996.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-Nine-year-old Ria and her family struggle for survival in 1944 in Nazi-occupied Holland. By this time, Jews have been taken from their homes and sent to Poland or Germany, including Ria's friend Rachel. The winter is particularly harsh and German soldiers have confiscated all of the fuel and cut electricity. Ria's father, refusing to work in a German artillery factory, is in hiding and her mother is due to give birth to her third child. The family is desperate with cold and fear: how can a baby be born without light and warmth? Determined to help her mother, Ria petitions the mayor for electricity. Soldiers surround city hall but she makes her way inside to the man, thought to be a Nazi sympathizer, with help from her friend Bram. Softened by the child's request, he promises to help. Her trip is not without consequence however, as she loses Rachel's locket and Bram is captured. In the end, Ria is baffled by this man who did not stop the Germans from marching into town, but who helped her family and gave them light. While readers may have a difficult time with some of the German and Dutch words and names, the story is strong. Through her young heroine, Attema asks a timeless question of why some are singled out for hate and discrimination, and often death. Historical background is included in a concluding author's note.

Alison Grant, West Bloomfield Township Public Library, MI

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Attema, who moved to Canada from the Netherlands, offers a short novel about life during the German occupation of Friesland during World War II. Though Ria and her family lives in fear of the occupying soldiers who have cut off the electricity and taken their heating fuel, they and their neighbors remain quietly defiant. Sensing her mother's fear of giving birth in a cold, dark house, Ria approaches the town mayor, said to be a Nazi sympathizer, to ask that their electricity be turned on. Despite her misgivings and the warnings of family members, she accomplishes this minor miracle when it is most needed. Attema succeeds in realistically dramatizing the hardships and dangers of the times in an exciting story that is accessible to middle-grade children. Printed in fairly large type and illustrated with shaded pencil drawings, this paperback is an appealing choice for reading aloud or reading alone. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 133 pages
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551431793
• ISBN-13: 978-1551431796
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,131,147 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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