The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys is the story of Lina, a 15-year old girl living in Lithuania during World War II. One night the Soviet secret police enter Lina’s home and send their family to forced labor camps in Siberia, with her father going to one camp and the rest of the family going to another. Lina, her younger brother, and her mother must labor in inhuman conditions to survive. Lina takes solace in art, embedding clues in her artwork that she hopes will one day help her father rejoin the rest of the family. This haunting and moving work of historical fiction exemplifies the untold story of ethnic Lithuanians during World War II, a story eerily similar to the Jews of Nazi Germany. The movie Ashes in the Snow is based on this book. The library has multiple copies available for you to read, including a graphic novel version.

Looking for a heartwarming children’s tale for Easter? Rechencka’s Eggs by Patricia Polacco is a story about Old Babushka (grandmother) whose hand-painted, Russian Easter eggs are the most beautiful in all of old Moscow. One day she takes in an injured goose who repays Old Babushka for her kindness by laying the most beautiful Russian Easter eggs anyone has ever seen. Illustrated in vibrant color and detail, this charming book was a favorite for both of my daughters when they were growing up.