Uprising

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Twelve-year-old Lidia is outside her grandfather's house when planes fly overhead, bearing the Nazi cross on each wing. Before the bombs hit the ground, Lidia realizes her life is about to change forever. Poland has fallen under German occupation, and her father makes the brave decision to join the Polish army to fight against the Nazis. Lidia wants to follow him into war, but she's far too young, and she's needed by her mother and brother. After her family returns to Warsaw, where life has changed irrevocably, Lidia continues to play the piano, finding comfort in Chopin, Bach, and Beethoven. But she also wants to aid the Jewish people held captive in the Warsaw Ghetto. With the help of a friend, Lidia begins to smuggle wheat and food into the ghetto. Still, she feels like she could be doing so much more. She wants to fight. After her brother joins the resistance, Lidia wants only to follow in his footsteps. Soon, she begins to work as a courier, smuggling weapons and messages for the resistance throughout the city. When the Warsaw city uprising begins―one year after the more well-known Warsaw Ghetto uprising by Polish Jews―with gunfire and bombs echoing throughout the streets, Lidia joins the Polish nationalists’ fight, too, and she and her peers fight with everything they’ve got. Life will continue to surprise Lidia, as she and the resistance fighters do their best to defeat the German soldiers. No matter the consequences, they’re willing to defend their freedom and their homes from the Nazi invaders―even with their lives.

Drawing on the real-life story of Polish teenager Lidia Zakrzewski.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Historical, World War II, Fiction, Holocaust

356 pages, Hardcover

First published March 5, 2024

About the author

Jennifer lives at the base of a very tall mountain in Northern Utah with her husband, three children, and a naughty puppy. She loves the smell of rainy days, hot chocolate, and old books, preferably all at once. She is a former speech teacher, theater director, and enjoyed a brief but disastrous career as a door-to-door pollster. In her spare time, Jennifer tends to panic, wondering what she has forgotten to do that has allowed her any spare time.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daughter. Sister. Pianist. Medical student. Messenger. Fighter. Survivor. All these describe Lidia Janina Durr Zakrzewski. This latest middle grade historical thriller from Jennifer A. Nielsen features this teenage resistance fighter. She spent almost all of the WW II years in Warsaw sandwiched between the Nazis and the Russians. Her work with the resistance earned her the Polish Cross of Valour. There is one scene in the book where she bravely comes out of their fortress holding a garbage can lid as a shield so she can disable a Goliath tank by cutting the fuel line. I couldn't help but think of the scene in 'Wonder Woman' where she is deflecting bullets with her bracelets. This is such a thrilling read. While Nielsen tweaked the timeline a bit for her audience, it is full of real history and there are photos included as well as some notes on Lidia Durr's real life. If you haven't tried one of these historical reads from Jennifer A. Nielsen yet, this is a great place to start.

Thank you to Scholastic Press and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars 🌟


Would have loved to hear Lidia's life story in her own words. Imagine everything she would have to say...

Amazing, courageous person. Her story deserves to be told and known everywhere.

I was immersed in the story, but there were times I wasn't fully connected to things and sometimes it didn't feel quite... real. Some of the people didn't feel fleshed out as they should have been.

The ending felt rushed and I almost skimmed some of it.

Still a worthwhile read, would recommend.
Her writing is still good, she has a talent for sinking you into a time period.

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Jennifer Nielsen has knocked another one out of the park!
I started this book last night, and finished it today because I could not put it down! (Housework, phooey!) Wonderful historical fiction about the Warsaw City Uprising, which occurred a year after the more widely known Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The story itself is great, and the author’s notes and photographs at the end are phenomenal. I will be purchasing a copy when it’s released in March 2024, definitely.
**I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.**

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a powerful read. 4.5 stars!

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful

[Avery Gruber · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was for a book report that’s all ima say

[Curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Uprising” by Jennifer A. Nielsen is a middle-grade novel that focuses on important events during a critical period in world history. The story takes place in Warsaw, Poland, beginning with the opening volleys of World War II. The storyline follows twelve-year-old piano prodigy Lidia Durr throughout the war, from 1939 to 1945, mostly outlining her efforts to help the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto and her exploits while a teenage messenger and fighter for the Polish resistance. For the most part, the story is historically accurate, and Lidia and the other main characters are fairly well-developed. However, at times, the characters—particularly Lidia—seem a bit too cavalier about what they’re doing and disconnected from what’s happening around them. Warsaw was a terrible place to be in World War II, which doesn’t always come through in this story. Two other things worth noting are the story feels too long—as Nielsen attempts to cover a tremendous amount of ground—and the ending is abrupt and unsatisfying. In conclusion, "Uprising" is a book many people will enjoy and others may not. In my case, I can say it’s not one of my favorite Nielsen novels.

Many thanks to Scholastic and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

[Brinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall was a great book! However it wasn’t my favorite my this author. To me the ending felt rushed and kind of lacked the details. The beginning while not slow did lack some details that would have pulled me into the story as well.

Side note: although this didn’t affect my rating of the book, I thought that the whole Drill thing was just sad. I wish that the whole love situation wouldn’t have been pushed so much at the end just for us to never get closure (but I know that she wanted to keep it historically accurate). In the authors note she does mention that he did die but I think that would have been nice to know in the actual book just so it wasn’t like Lidia and the reader doesn’t get closure on their story together.

[Rachel Dando · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
While the characters were great, the satisfying ending that I hoped for never really came. I would recommend this book for Jennifer A. Nielsen fans, but not for Historical Fiction fans in general.

[Allyson Jamison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not okay...

This book. 😭😭 How can so much heartache be contained in one book?? By the end I was sobbing. Literally sobbing. I always know when I pick up one of Jennifer Nielsen's historical fictions that it's going to wreck me... But I didn't expect it to that much!

Ack!! I have no words for this story. 🥰 It was incredible. That's all there is to it. And I especially loved how it was slightly connected to Resistance!! ACK! That literally had me gasping and running to find my copy of Resistance to reread parts.

All in all, a remarkable book. I don't know why it took me this long to pick it up! I highly recommend this to lovers of WWII fiction!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Bella Raine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping peek into the story of one tenacious resistance fighter trying to save her homeland of Warsaw Poland against the invading Nazis.

While this wasn't my most favorite of Nielsen's historical fictions it was stunningly written and captivating nonetheless.

While I know it was true to life, the mother-daughter relationship really set my teeth on edge. 🫣 I have a strong relationship with my mother so reading about a mother that was so awful was hard for me. But nothing against Nielsen since I know that was part of the true story.

ARGH how I wish we would've discovered Drill's real name though... 🥺

Nielsen balance so many characters in this story and made me love them all! (well except for the Nazi's that is. 😜) I love the vibes of the resistance ring, and how each of the resistance fighters had their own place in the story. It really made it come alive!

All in all, a really good historical fiction read! 🤎

Content: There are quite a few deaths though none terribly descriptive. A few mentions of flirting/flirtatious smiles. One line saying German wouldn't want to "mix his blood" with a Pole. A tiny bit of romance but barely any romantic touch, one instance of hand-holding is it I think.

[Siya Mahalwar :D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet again, another WW2 book by Jennifer Nielson. It was really unique, because most WWII books tend to focus on the prisoners, while this one was about a girl in the resistance.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer Nielsen has written several historical fiction novels for middle grades and young adult readers, A Night Divided, Resistance, and Words on Fire, the latter a nominee for the Texas Bluebonnet Award and a particular favorite of the my 4th and 5th grade library patrons. Uprising is based on the life of WWII Polish Resistance fighter and messenger, Lidia Durr Zakrzewski and will thrill readers with its blend of fast-paced action, drama, and large dose of history. Those who love history will appreciate Nielsen’s attention to detail in the telling of the start of the war on Poland, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the Warsaw City Uprising. Lovers of action-adventure titles will be on the edge of their seats as Lidia, her brother, fellow resistance members Hawk, Drill, Arrow, Halana and others create grenades, outwit the Germans and their Goliath tanks, and take to the sewers to move from place to safe under the feet of German soldiers. Outstanding addition to libraries serving grades 5 and up. Text is free of profanity and sexual content but with the subject matter, violence is prevalent but, understandably, a critical part of the book. Back matter includes photographs of real life Lidia, her family and some members of the Polish Underground Army plus author notes concerning some changes made for purposes of the book.

Thanks for the digital arc, NetGalley and Edelweiss.

[Rachel {bibliopals} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Based on a real girl. Loved the authors note in the end.👍👍

[Alisa Arkhipov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but it was obviously clear that somethings would happen. Ofc she never sees her love again 🙄

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer Nielsen bases this story on the extraordinary real-life story of Polish teenager Lidia Zakrzewski, receiver of the Polish Cross of Valour. This tale of the war in Warsaw begins when twelve-year-old Polish-born Lidia rushes outside to see planes flying over, planes with the Nazi cross on each wing. Nielsen shows the father leaving to take a military position because he was an officer in World War I. Soon they learn he has been captured by the Russians. Yes, they were on the other side of Poland, also fighting to invade. Remember, Poland was the first country that Hitler invaded and soon surrendered. This is a tale of citizens in an occupied country, and like many who were fairly wealthy, Lydia's family soon had to give up their home to Nazis moving in. They moved to a small apartment in a poor neighborhood, in fact, next to the soon-to-be erected Warsaw ghetto, for the Jewish population! It's a complicated story of surviving, and performing dangerous acts while frightened, but doing them anyway because they are needed. It's a story of wanting to follow her brave older brother in the resistance but at first, she is too young. She is a pianist, but must leave the piano behind when they move. Schools were closed but Lidia defied the law and went to an secret school, punishable by arrest and taken as a POW if caught.
Nielsen takes us on this courageous journey of this life, and as it unfolds, the wonder of the brave people who never stopped fighting, resisting, even in the circumstances of extreme hunger and watching friends and countrymen die and/or betray is a story to know and to understand that humans often do what might be thought to be impossible. And they survive and conquer! Lydia did many, many courageous and dangerous deeds, and lived a long life, continuing her piano playing and achieving a PhD, married and had three sons, immigrated to America. It's a new and inspiring story from Jennifer Nielsen.

[Ailey Leman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, 4.5 stars really.
Wow! That was definitely a Nielsen book. Here I sat racing to finish this book when I have a hundred other things to do…oops.
Anyways, I tried to keep in mind that this book was based off of true events and a lot of people would probably die, but it still tore me up. It really opens your eyes to how many people really died fighting in the resistance.
Lidia’s adventures were pretty cool and Jennifer always does amazing creating characters! The code names were cool, but it’s kinda sad they never knew each other’s real names.
My biggest problem was Lidia and her mom. Their relationship was kind of sad, really. I wish Lidia would have made more of an effort to mend their relationship, but I’m glad they made up (or in real life, at the end of her mom’s life).
Overall, this one still didn’t top the classics, but I think I like it better than some of her more recent ones.

[Rebecca Shelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Uprising" is an important and well-written historical novel that spans the entirety of WWII through the eyes of Lidia, a courageous young girl who refuses to stand by as injustice unfolds. Jennifer A. Nielsen brings to life the bravery of the Polish resistance fighters and highlights a lesser-known aspect of history with gripping detail. The story is not only a powerful testament to resilience and sacrifice but also carries unsettling parallels to modern-day political struggles in the U.S. A compelling read that reminds us why history must never be forgotten.

[Janae · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this book I read by accident. I really was supposed to be reading another book as preview to teach in class. When I realized my mistake I was already invested and liking this book. This is the first historical fiction novel I have read by this author. If it were allowed by Goodreads, I would rate this 4.5 stars.

This story is based on the story and journals of a real girl who fought with the resistance fighters in Warsaw, Poland during WWII. She was very courageous and was able to survive attempts on her life many times by the German army. She was eventually awarded the Polish army medal of valor for her courage.

I not only enjoyed this story but the many tough questions that Lidia faced as she navigated the war scene and the many ways people tried to survive but even further do the right thing.

For a YA read this is a great one.

[Jackie Markowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous read from Jennifer Nielsen! A story about a courageous girl in the war - torn city of Warsaw! Based on a true story, Uprising sheds light on the turmoil and reality of war in Poland, yet follows Lidias determination and pride for defending her homeland! I couldn’t put it down, and it will rank up there with my favorite books for young adults! I can’t wait to recommend this to my students!

[Haley Durfee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If I'd known what was coming that morning, I'd have done things differently." -Lidia

Based on the true story of a young Polish woman who was a resistance fighter, Uprising is both tragic and faintly hopeful, as the characters refuse to be crushed by their impossible circumstances. Lidia, Maryna, Drill, Weasel...these characters captured my heart. And the music element...simply beautiful.
Highly recommended for teens interested in WWII or Polish history.

Content:
War violence.

Ages 13+

(An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a light read. The subject matter, as with most WWII books, is rough. This was the first I had read about what Poland went through in that war and it was unbelievable. I really struggled with Lidia’s mother. I just couldn’t reconcile a mother that would treat her daughter that way. The authors note at the end of the book was very interesting as the book is based on the life of a real person and real events. There was obviously some fictionalization to support the story but much of what is written really happened. This author is great at pulling you into the story and making the characters seem real to you. When you are not reading you are thinking about the story and when you finish it stays with you. This is a hard but a good read.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!! This is one of Jennifer Nielsen's best books yet!! A great story I hadn't heard before! And it's true which makes it even better!!

[Dakota Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best World war 2 books I’ve ever read! Powerful, strong characters and inspiring!!! Will definitely read more by this author!! ( 🇵🇱)

[Holly (IG Hollys_Book_Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Book Review of Uprising by Jennifer A Nielsen

Genre: Historical Fiction; Based on true story

"That we all live in this great symphony, each of us an instrument that we play for the world. If we lose one, the song is never quite what it was meant to be."

Uprising tells the story based on real-life events from the life of Lidia Zakrzewski, code name: Cello, a teenager growing up in Warsaw, Poland during the invasion and occupation by German Nazis. Broken into parts, the story is told from the point of view of Lidia as she navigates life and the hardships of poverty and danger lurking around every corner in war-torn Warsaw, Poland.

"This looked like a war zone. No, it was a war zone. My home had become a war zone."

Things I found interesting:
-What life was like during World War 2 in Warsaw Poland
-The hardships faced by many
-The resistance and uprising brought about by the citizens of Poland
-The strategies and tactics those citizens employed to end the occupation of German Nazis

"Safety," I muttered. "There's no such thing in Warsaw."

Do you enjoy reading about World War II in novel form? This was an excellent middle grade read about a young girl and her fight to survive Nazi-occupied Warsaw. It is also a story of her will-power to keep going and the courage it took to be a resistance fighter during the uprising.
What an awful time to be alive. To have everything stripped away from you, your father gone off to war, and you are made to live in a tiny apartment that overlooks the Warsaw Ghetto, the place Jews were crammed into and forced to live in by the Nazis. But what astounding bravery and courage, and sheer grit was had by so many during that time. It is also a story of redemption and learning to forgive.
I loved that this was based on a true story and that the author included photographs from the narrator's life at the end of the book as well as an Author's Note.

CW/TW: death of loved ones, emotional/mental abuse, without detail: cruelty and brutality, poverty, harsh living conditions, blood and wounds

Thank you Netgalley and Scholastic for the free ecopy of the book. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own. Note: The quotes were taken directly from a physical copy of the book.

[B.D · Rating 5 out of 5]

5🌟
Wow, just wow. I have to say, this is my second favourite novel by this author. I connected with the characters more and cared for them more than her other books, although words in fire will always be my favourite.

I was so close to tears by the end and I think I might cry now writing this review.

I loved the characters from the beginning and I can’t stop thinking about them. Lidia was such a strong, brave FMC and definitely one of my favourites. I loved Drill and Hawk too and really all the characters in this book have a special place in my heart.

Throughout all the deaths I found myself mourning with Lidia. They made me so sad I felt like I was in the book and knew these characters just as well as Lidia.

As for the romance, it’s one of my favourites. I don’t think I’ll ever stop thinking about them. SPOILERS: Lidia and Drill’s goodbye broke my heart and smashed it into pieces. It was so bittersweet and Drill never coming back to her and possibly have died made me even sadder. I like to think that in heaven they have reunited. SPOILERS ENDED.

Oh, and the CAMEO FROM RESISTANCE??! That was one of the best parts of the book for sure for me and I hope we get more and more in the future. SPOILER: Maybe of Drill if he lived? SPOILER ENDED.

I loved Jennifer A. Nielsen’s writing like always and I flew through this one.

In conclusion, this was an amazing read and I’m so excited to read more of this author. If you took anything from this review, please go read this.

[Marinda (rindasreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uprising is an inspiring book about a real-life, unlikely hero named Lidia Durr. When WW2 came to Poland, Lidia was a young girl without worries beyond struggles in her relationship with her mother and spending as much time practicing the piano as possible. After Germany invaded Poland, however, Lidia became a fighter. As part of the Polish Resistance, Lidia risked everything time and time again, doing all she could to help her country and her countrymen survive the war.

Though this story is heavy, it is heartfelt and written in such a way that I did not hesitate to share it with my own eleven-year-old daughter. Though we both were hesitant about some of the choices Lidia makes throughout the book, I enjoyed our discussions about the fine line between bravery and stupidity, and what might have happened had the characters made different choices. My heart ached for the strained relationship between Lidia and her mother, but I loved how Nielsen was able to take their true story and show us that both women were courageous in their own ways. I was disappointed that the ending felt so very abrupt, but I was grateful for the author's note at the end sharing what was fact vs. fiction and how Lidia was able to continue to live out her life with compassion for the people around her.

Thank you to NetGalley, Scholastic, and Jennifer A. Nielsen for providing me with an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Hailey Buddenborg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uprising was a very interesting book to read, I myself have German ancestry, so I basically have German blood running through my veins. This book was interesting to read to me because of both my ancestral heritage and just learning the history of what happened throughout those horrible years to the jews of the world. This book is about a sister and brother, the little sister ( Lidia ) sees/finds out about her big brother working for the Jewish/Polish resistance and wants to take part, she witnesses her brother take part in a Jewish/Polish resistance activity against Hitler and the Natzi's. Lidia's father is on the front lines fighting against the Natzi's at the countries borders. This author did such a good job of staying very realistic and the imagery in this book was very good, this author described things in the book so well that I was able to play this book out in my head like a movie which I always look for in a book, 5 out 5 stars from me 💓

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Jennifer Nielsen's newest book "Uprising"! This middle grades novel is based on the real life of Lidia Janina Durr Zakrzewski and her journals.

The story follows a girl, Lidia (code name: Cello), who joins the Underground Resistance in Poland during World War 2. I have read many stories set in World War 2, but as I was reading this book, I realized I had never read one set in Poland. I learned so much about Poland's efforts to fend off Germany.

The pacing and characterization was excellent. At the beginning of the story, Lidia is a young, self-centered girl whose world quickly changes when her home is bombed and Papa leaves to join the war. We see her grow into a young woman who is willingly throwing herself into the middle of perilous situations to defend her country. The book sees her to the outcome of the war and rebuilding.

I highly recommend this to people who like reading World War 2 stories, as this novel lends a new voice to the conversation. I will be adding this book to my classroom library.

**I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

[Brynna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love world war 2 books and this one wasn’t any different! Lidia was a real person who did so many amazing things in her life even after the war. She became a doctor, author, and so much more! When she relocated to the United States she became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and even helped translate the Book of Mormon to Polish. She went back to Warsaw and served a LDS mission there! It was so great for me to personally relate to that! She happens to be buried in my dad’s hometown! The only reason I didn’t give this book a 5 star was that it was too easy of a read for me and I felt details were missing. However, I wonder if there is a more in depth book, detailing Lidia’s life. If so I would definitely read it!