UNDER ATTACK (KIDNAPPED FROM UKRAINE #1), by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, Scholastic Press, Jan. 7, 2025, Paperback, $7.99 (ages 8-12)
Follow a girl as she tries to survive when Russia invades Ukraine in Kidnapped from Ukraine: Under Attack, by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch.
12-year-old twin sisters Rada and Dariia Popkova couldn’t be more different. Dariia is outgoing and chatty while Rada is a quieter and artsy. But what they have in common is their love for each other and their home. The family lives in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which is attacked by the Russians on Feb 24th, 2022.
The attack separates the family — Dariia is with her mom and Rada with her dad. Dariia and her mother are then separated by Russian officials and Dariia is sent to live with a Russian family. As the war rages around them, the sisters and their family must overcome unimaginable hardships. But they will learn how powerful hope is in the face of disaster. —Synopsis provided by Scholastic Press
Under Attack takes place at the beginning of the war in Ukraine — which is ongoing. Though the characters are fiction, the events and experiences are based on day-by-day testimony, interviews, and documented accounts.
Because Under Attack is set during what is currently an active war, the book has a sense of urgency. Skrypuch’s tone and pacing heighten the drama, and you really feel as if you’re next to Dariia as she fights to not only survive, but maintain who she is as a Ukrainian.
Under Attack is fast moving and gut punching. It will appeal to a vast audience, hitting on current events, adventure, family and friendship.
Skrypuch doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war. Death, assault, and bloody imagery are all present. Parents should be aware and ready to discuss these elements with their middle-graders.
Copyright © 2024 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.
