A Boy Is Not a Bird

A Boy Is Not a Bird #1

by Edeet Ravel

A young boy named Natt finds his world overturned when his family is uprooted and exiled to Siberia during the occupation of the Soviet Ukraine by Nazi Germany. In 1941, life in Natt’s small town of Zastavna is comfortable and familiar, even if the grownups are acting strange, and his parents treat him like a baby. Natt knows there’s a war on, of course, but he’s glad their family didn’t emigrate to Canada when they had a chance. His mother didn’t want to leave their home, and neither did he. He especially wouldn’t want to leave his best friend, Max. Max is the ideas guy, and he hears what’s going on in the world from his older sisters. Together the boys are two brave musketeers. Then one day Natt goes home and finds his family huddled around the radio. The Russians are taking over. The churches and synagogues will close, Hebrew school will be held in secret, and there are tanks and soldiers in the street. But it’s exciting, too. Natt wants to become a Young Pioneer, to show outstanding revolutionary spirit and make their new leader, Comrade Stalin, proud. But life under the Russians is hard. The soldiers are poor. They eat up all the food and they even take over Natt’s house. Then Natt’s father is arrested, and even Natt is detained and questioned. He feels like a nomad, sleeping at other people’s houses while his mother works to free his father. As the adults try to protect him from the reality of their situation, and local authorities begin to round up deportees bound for Siberia, Natt is filled with a sense of guilt and grief. Why wasn’t he brave enough to look up at the prison window when his mother took him to see his father for what might be the last time? Or can just getting through war be a heroic act in itself? Key Text Features
historical note
map
author’s note Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3
Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Chapter Books, World War II

232 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2019

About the author

Edeet Ravel is the author of sixteen books for children and adults. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and have won numerous awards, including the Hugh MacLennan Book Award, the J.I. Segal Award, the Canadian Jewish Book Award (in two categories), the Janet Savage Blachford Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature, and the Snow Willow Award. Edeet's books have also been shortlisted for the Giller Prize, the Commonwealth Book Prize, and the Arthur Ellis Crime Award. Edeet was a three-time Governor General's Award finalist in two categories. Her novel The Saver (Groundwood) was adapted into film by Wiebke von Carolsfeld. Her latest (crossover) novels are A Boy Is Not a Bird and A Boy Is Not a Ghost, about a child who is exiled to Siberia in WWII, and Miss Matty, in which a teenager in Montreal of 1942 dreams of being a Hollywood star. In the words of one young reader, "Edeet has a vision where what is strange is loved and what is beautiful -- our planet, our humanity -- is protected." Edeet lives in Montreal, Canada.

Reviews

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in Zastavna, Romania, 11-year-old Natt Silver, a Jewish boy with asthma, has had a pretty comfortable life. He has a loving family, a best friend named Max Zwecker, and he can already speak five languages: German, Ukrainian, Romanian, Hebrew, and Yiddish. The only thing that makes life difficult is the presence of Iron Guard, a nationalist, anti-semitic Romanian movement whose members resemble those of the Hitler’s Brownshirts. When the Iron Guard comes to town, everyone hides.**

Then in the summer of 1940, just like that the Iron Guard is gone, replaced by Soviet soldiers. Even the teachers at Natt’s school are replaced with Communist teachers. Life without the Iron Guard is better until the Communists arrest Natt’s father, along with 15 other men. While he’s in jail, Natt and his classmates are taught how to be Pioneers, causing him to be torn between love for his father, now considered an enemy of the Soviets, and being a good Pioneer.

While his father is in jail, Natt is sent to stay on a farm with friends of the family for his safety. But in the summer of 1941, when Natt is taken into custody and questioned about his mothers whereabouts, he honestly can’t tell them what they want to know. After a few days, his mother shows up, gets Natt released and they go home - to pack. Natt’s father has already been sent to a gulag in Siberia, and now Natt and his mother are being exiled to Siberia, along with thousands of others, all labeled as an “enemy of the people.”

A Boy Is Not a Bird is an eminently readable novel, in part because the author starts Natt off as a kid who just wants to belong, and who wants to be the best Pioneer he can be. He often misreads people and their motives, leading him to believe that everything will eventually be OK. Part of the reason Natt can hold on to his innocence for so long is that there are enough kind people in his life that really like this winsome 11-year-old. Interestingly, his best friend Max is just the opposite of Natt. Max's cynicism is the window of reality that Natt lacks, but that the reader needs. Natt, it turns out, is a wonderful observer but also an unreliable narrator.

It is, however, sad to see that little by little, Natt's innocence is striped away by the actions and behavior of others. As I read Natt's first person narration of what is happening around him, his naiveté reminded me so much of Felix from Morris Gleitzman’s Once series.

A Boy Is Not a Bird is a fictionalized story based on the ones the author's fifth grade teacher, Mr. Halpern, used to tell her class, about his childhood in Soviet occupied Zastavna. The novel ends with Natt's still on the train to Siberia, his future unresolved, But take heart, this is only the first part of a planned trilogy. And I can't wait to read the rest.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an EARC received from Edelweiss Plus

**FYI: In 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression treaty generally referred to as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. One of the things the pact did was define boundaries where each country had influence. But not long after Adolf Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, and effectively disregarding the Pact, Joseph Stalin launched also invaded Poland. As a result, new borders were drawn and in the summer of 1940, the formerly Romanian territory of Bukovina was divided between the USSR in the north, and Romania in the south. The Soviets demanded Bukovina in the north because it was mostly Ukrainian, whereas the southern part of Bukovina was mostly Romanian. And that is where this story begins.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written and compelling read about a side of WWII that is neglected in Western literature. The story is told from the perspective of a 12year old deportee from what I think is now Hungary. It does end rather abruptly, promising further installments but I like how the voice stays with the boy, he doesn’t try to explain what he doesn’t understand. I would read the next book.

[Lori Rubin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edeet Ravel tells a compelling story in recounting the events that marked the life of young Natt, his family, friends and neighbours, just prior to and during their deportment to Siberia, during the ugly years of WWII in Eastern Europe. I am not a "young adult" by any means, however I enjoyed the memoir as much as I have enjoyed many of my favourite books that were written for adults. Due to Ravel's flawless knowledge and research on the topic, I was able to learn about many little-known facts that were rolled out gently during the course of the story. The main characters were both likeable and humorous, and I found myself feeling real compassion for their unimaginable plight . The concept reminded me a bit of Roberto Benigni's 1997 film Life Is Beautiful, in the funny, sweet yet poignant way in which Natt manages to endure the horror of living under the influence of the demonic leaders (Stalin, Hitler) during one of the darkest times in recorded history. This should be a "must-read" for school-aged students (grades 5-12) of any cultural group.

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first in a trilogy about an eleven year old Jewish boy growing in the Ukraine. Natt’s life was comfortable up until 1940. Then the Russians arrived. Bit by bit things change. They are removed from their house. His father is arrested. Eventually he and his mother are rounded up and sent to Siberia. They are on the train when the novel ends.

I appreciated reading about this aspect of history and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

[BRBRB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Natt Silver is living in 1940, and Stalin just took control of Ukraine.
Natt's father belonged to an organization that is now illegal, and has to go to prison in Siberia. So, Natt has to come to live in exile in Siberia with his mother.

I enjoyed this, but it was a slow start at the beginning of the book. It also ends suddenly.
However, this is a good book and I am surprised that it did not get any praise to be seen on the cover or awards.

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the way this book presented the events of the time through a child's eyes - a not entirely observant child, at that, which feels so realistic to me. I think kids will enjoy this but...

It's so so very middle grade. The writing feels very simplistic, the main character has little depth. As an adult reader, I just didn't love it. I believe middle grade writing can be stronger than this.

So, yeah. Not my favourite of the Forest of Reading Silver Birch nominees.

[Kasi Bly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. The best part about this book in my opinion was the historical points all being told from the little boy's point of view. I think stories like this are always sad from a Child's point of view but also make older readers come to the realization of truly how sad and heartbreaking it had to of been to experience these awful things at such a young and developmental age. Overall, I would most definitely recommend this book to middle-level readers.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Life in 1940 Stalinist Soviet Union through the experiences of an eleven-year-old Jewish boy. A good companion to Esther Hautzing's memoir, The Endless Step.

[Haley Thomas]

Read for Forest of Reading (Silver Birch) 2021.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't realize it was the first to a 3 part series to come. It makes me want more

[Jurgen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept my interest.

[Jillian Briand · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book a lot, though it can be confusing at times

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Sheila Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her authentic young narrator is compelling. I couldn't put this book down, despite the heartbreaking subject matter.

[Keyauna Bickley · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was very good, had a hard time understanding the time line recommend for older readers

[MaCkenzie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book, it has a cute story. Very deep and scary that this is a school grade 5th-7th, but I get it. I say this because of the events and topics they go over. It also is very detailed and a lot for a younger child to understand or read.

[Maria Antonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

1) I loved the friendship between Max and Natt. I think I was particularly drawn to Max because, while Natt buys into the lies being taught at school, Max seems to know something is a little odd about it. I love how Max comes up with various "illnesses" to get out of going to school!

2) I did like how the teachers are not necessarily "evil" in this book. Comrade Martha and Comrade Minsky are shown more in a complex light, especially Comrade Minsky (who we learn *slight spoiler* is also Jewish). While Comrade Martha pushes the Russian and Soviet agenda, she doesn't vilify Natt, even after his father is arrested. She actually gives him Soviet prizes. I found this interesting and made me think she, like others, is just caught in Soviet web and just tries to do her best to survive.

3) I loved the theme of negative numbers which Comrade Minsky introduces during math class. I loved how it plays into the plot as Natt loses things, one by one... his dad, his house, etc. The book is even separated into sections labeled 'Minus a House' and 'Minus a Town.'

4) I also enjoyed Mr. Elias, Natt's Hebrew teacher. Later in the story, Natt becomes very close to his little daughter, Shainie (who seems about three or four years old). At one point, they are separated, and the little girls reaction shows how much she adores her big kid friend. I like how the author manages to incorporate her into the very end of the story.

5) The author's note at the end of the book explains the true story behind this book.


FINAL THOUGHTS

I think this story is such an important one. I love historical fiction, and I do have soft spot (if you can call it that) for stories about the Soviet Union since that is part of my heritage. I would recommend this to anybody who's interested in history. I look forward to reading the next two books to find out what happens to Natt!