Student Review: "The Blackbird Girls," by Anne Blankman

Oksana and Valentina's fathers both work at the nuclear power station when one of the reactors collapses and sets the building on fire, releasing tons of radiation into the air. Oksana's father dies, and her mother along with Valentina's father is sick and are taken to a special hospital while Valentina's mother takes them both to a train station that will take them both to live with her mother. Valentina and Oksana are not friends, but soon learn to be in the six months they live with Valentina's grandmother and Valentina's father dies. Oksana had been beaten by her father and when her mother comes to take her home, she is beaten by her mothers boyfriend. Valentina and her grandmother rescue her and send her to live with one of there very close friends. I thought this was a wonderful book, and would read it again.

Review by Elliana G.

This book was about two girls who faced Chernobyl and a girl who faced the Nazi's. Valentina and Oksana (the girls who faced Chernobyl) hated each other at first, but when they left there town after the accident and where with each other all the time, they soon became best friends. They stayed with Rifca, who was Valentina's grandmother, until Oksana's mother came and got her. Both girls had lost there fathers in the Chernobyl accident and Oksana's mother got a new bachelor which hit and beat her. She was not getting any love from either of them and realized that she got more love from Valentina and Valentina's grandmother. She escapes her parents and goes to a safer home that Rifca was at years ago when she almost died. I really liked this book and would definitely listen to this book again!

Review by Ester G.

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