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Candle on the Tree
At nine years old, it is hard to understand the news that you might not ever go back home.
In this tender and observant coming-of-age memoir, an American daughter of Ukrainian immigrants, Sophia Tyutyunnyk, writes about the anxious and formative months she spent living in Ukraine during the final stages of her family’s path to legal residency in the United States. Named for the chestnut flower that is a symbol of Kyiv, Candle on the Tree takes the reader on a journey through loss, homesickness, realization, and resilience as Tyutyunnyk discovers the motherland of her parents. But even as the shy nine-year old from small-town Maine finds deep roots in Ukraine, she copes with the agonizing uncertainty of being uprooted.
What if Sophia has to return to America without her parents? Can she belong in Ukraine? Is the girl on the marshrutka in Kyiv the same person as the one who left her fourth-grade life in America?
Against the backdrop of a war that has been raging for years, Tyutyunnyk introduces the reader to the resilient and creative people of Ukraine and the culturally rich tapestry of the country’s capital city.
In this tender and observant coming-of-age memoir, an American daughter of Ukrainian immigrants, Sophia Tyutyunnyk, writes about the anxious and formative months she spent living in Ukraine during the final stages of her family’s path to legal residency in the United States. Named for the chestnut flower that is a symbol of Kyiv, Candle on the Tree takes the reader on a journey through loss, homesickness, realization, and resilience as Tyutyunnyk discovers the motherland of her parents. But even as the shy nine-year old from small-town Maine finds deep roots in Ukraine, she copes with the agonizing uncertainty of being uprooted.
What if Sophia has to return to America without her parents? Can she belong in Ukraine? Is the girl on the marshrutka in Kyiv the same person as the one who left her fourth-grade life in America?
Against the backdrop of a war that has been raging for years, Tyutyunnyk introduces the reader to the resilient and creative people of Ukraine and the culturally rich tapestry of the country’s capital city.
211 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 18, 2026
greatest book of all time
April 29, 2026
This memoir written by a young writer is insightful and filled with vivid sensory details that paint a beautiful picture of home in Kyiv. Sophia has taken her incredible experience on the terrifying teeter-totter of the US immigration system, and turned it into a humanizing and engaging story about being “the new kid” or “the outsider” even when you’re home. She also deals with questions of “where is home?” and “how will I belong?”She traveled with her family to Kyiv during a tumultuous step in the journey to become American citizens. There, she learned about the culture, people, geography, history, and food of Ukraine. I learned so much and felt so connected to her ups and downs. I highly recommend this amazing book. It’s at the top of my list of 2026 recommendations.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews