Silver Threads

by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, Michael Martchenko (Illustrator)

Taras Shevchenko writing award winner Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice Favourites selection Ontario Library Association "Best Bet for 1996" Silver Threads is the magical story of Anna and Ivan, two young newly-weds who escape poverty and hardship in Ukraine to start a new life on the Canadian frontier. As they struggle to build their homestead, World War I breaks out. And when Ivan volunteers to fight for his new homeland, tragedy strikes. While Anna works and waits alone, hope comes from an unexpected source. Based on true events, Silver Threads is a stirring lesson in history and a heart-warming tale of love and faith.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Picture Books, Canada, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Marsha Skrypuch is an internationally bestselling children’s author whose books span a century of wars from a kid’s view, concentrating on those stories that have been erased by oppressive regimes. Her best-known book is Making Bombs for Hitler. Her most recent is the Kidnapped from Ukraine trilogy. She has received death threats and honors for her writing. Marsha lives in Brantford, Ontario, Canada and you can visit her online at calla.com

Reviews

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young couple from the Ukraine immigrate to Canada and try to start a new life on a farm. When World War I begins, the young man tries to join up to fight for his new country, but instead is imprisoned by the Canadian government as an enemy.
His wife is left to clear more land and work the farm on her own.

This sad tale with a happy ending is based on the author's grandfather's experiences. It amazes me that I had never heard of this before, so similar to what the American government did to the Japanese Americans during World War II. I really appreciated the list of web sites, books, and a film at the end, so that I can look up more about this.

The spider and the Christmas tree reminded me of a legend about the origin of tinsel. I expected a mention of that legend in the story when Anna saw the tree. It might have been nice to include that as an added note at the end.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Canadian history and the internment of peoples during wartime. It's too bad this book is no longer available here.
I would love to order it for my library!

[Linda Fast · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story of love, hardship and hope. Set on the Canadian frontier, Anna and Ivan are new immigrants who have left the Ukraine to homestead. World War 1 breaks out and Canada is gathering troops to fight. Ivan goes to enlist but instead is taken away as an enemy of the state. Anna is left alone to take over the farm. A theme of tiny spider runs throughout the book, hence the title Silver Threads. The book is beautifully illustrated.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reason for Reading: After reading Marsha's novel Prisoners in the Promised Land, I learned that her very first book was on the same topic and requested in from my library right away.

This is a picture book suited to the elementary grades and based on the true story of the author's grandfather, George Forchuk, who was sent to a Ukrainian internment camp for the duration of WWI as a Canadian immigrant from the Ukraine. The story is a tender one of love and hope as the wife waits year after year for her husband to return to her as he promised, to spend another Christmas with her yet. A lovely little story that doesn't go deep into any of its particular topics but stays age appropriate for young elementary. It does emphasize historically the fact that Canada advertised in Eastern Europe for immigrants to come settle and farm in Western Canada. This makes the Ukrainian internment during WWI especially bitter since these people were invited to come here in the first place.

But the story pays more attention to the hardships Ivan and Anna endured cutting down trees, removing stumps, planting a small part of their land that first year. Then Anna's time on her own and finally after the war wondering if Ivan was alive or dead, whether he would return home or whether she would be kicked off her land because she had not been able to continue their promise of clearing some land each year. Throughout all this hardship Anna and Ivan remain determined, full of hope and know that together they will always pull through.

Michael Martchenko is one of Canada's eminent children's illustrators and the book is wonderfully illustrated with realistic paintings of the period. A charming book!

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of a young couple who are forced to flee the Ukraine and come to Canada. They start homesteading and then the war begins. When Ivan is sent to an internment camp because he is thought to be an enemy of Canada, Anna must look after their land by herself.

[Donna L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone interested in Ukrainian history and culture, this children's books is a good start. The story is moving.

[Stacey Socholotuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again, Skrypuch brings to light the tale of struggle and challenge in an accessible story. A strong resource for teaching empathy and concepts related to immigration.

[Walter]

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