Krysia: A Polish Girl's Stolen Childhood During World War II

(Hardback)

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Description

In the aftermath of the German and Soviet invasions and division of Poland, more than 1.5 million people were deported from their homes in Eastern Poland to remote parts of Russia. Those who made it out of Russia alive were lucky -- and nine-year-old Krystyna Mihulka, called Krysia, was among them. In this childhood memoir, Mihulka (now in her 80s) tells the story of her family's deportation, under cover of darkness and at gunpoint, by the Soviets, and their subsequent two years as prisoners on a Soviet communal farm in Kazakhstan. Although they lived in deplorable conditions, endured starvation and illness, and witnessed death, Krysia also describes moments of tenderness, hope, and even small celebrations while in captivity, and how her mother's strength, courage, and kindness saw her and her brother through until they finally found freedom.

Reviews

Exquisitely detailed, Krystyna Mihulka's Krysia proves in clear and accessible prose that even such malevolent forces as Stalinism and Nazism were rendered powerless in the face of the most basic human order a loving family. Eugene Yelchin, author of Breaking Stalin's Nose
"Elegant, eye-opening, and memorable." Kirkus Reviews
"This memoir has power and does the necessary work of prompting readers to try to imagine what it's like to be among the millions of children undergoing similar upheavals in the war zones of today." Booklist
"The text is exceptionally educational, offering language help, maps, and photographs to fill in the details of Krysia's harrowing tale. Still, despite the tragedy, Krysia's story is also one of hope, making it a distinctively interesting and useful nonfiction text for young adult readers." VOYA
"The child's voice offers a heart-wrenching perspective on the evils inflicted by Nazism and Stalinism along with the suffering the family endured" The Buffalo News Online
"It's an affecting personal story, vividly told" Wall Street Journal
" Krysia is exceptionally well organized and presented, making it an unreservedly recommended addition to school and community library Contemporary Biography collections for children." Midwest Book Review
"Painting a vivid picture of a child's experience as a civilian caught among warring powers, Mihulka's story offers many opportunities for discussion, especially given the current refugee crisis." School Library Journal

Author Bio

Krystyna Poray Goddu is the author of A Girl Called Vincent and An Unlikely Ballerina and coauthor, with Krystyna Mihulka, of Krysia. She has contributed to American Girl magazine, Publishers Weekly, the New York Times Book Review, and the Riverbank Review of Books for Young Readers.