The Wise Owl Tween Book Club meets every month to discuss a book! The first 15 readers who register will receive a copy of the book to keep, limited to one copy per household. To make the most out of the discussion, please finish reading the book by the time of our meeting.

The book is available to check out from the library here.

A middle-grade survival story that traces a family secret back to the Holodomor, a terrible famine that devastated Soviet Ukraine in the 1930s.

Thirteen-year-old Matthew is miserable. His journalist dad is stuck overseas indefinitely, and his mom has moved in his one-hundred-year-old great-grandmother to ride out the pandemic, adding to his stress and isolation.

But when Matthew finds a tattered black-and-white photo in his great-grandmother’s belongings, he discovers a clue to a hidden chapter of her past, one that will lead to a life-shattering family secret. Set in alternating timelines that connect the present-day to the 1930s and the US to the USSR, Katherine Marsh’s latest novel sheds fresh light on the Holodomor – the horrific famine that killed millions of Ukrainians, and which the Soviet government covered up for decades.

Inspired by Marsh’s own family history.

Thank you so much to the Friends of the Children's Library for sponsoring events like these to help us bring more fun programs to our readers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still sign up even though all the copies of the books have been given out?

Yes! Our budget allows us to provide copies of the book to the first 15 registrants, but anyone is welcome to read the book and join us for the discussion in person or on Zoom. You should still register (on the waitlist) so you can receive reminders, or updates in case changes occur, and to be notified about the next books.

What does it mean to be waitlisted?

That just means you weren't one of the first 15 registrants eligible to receive a free copy of the book, but you are still welcome to join the discussion in person or online! You should still register to receive the meeting link and updates!

When and where are books handed out?

Books are handed out at the previous month's book club meeting so readers have plenty of time to read the book in time for our next meeting. Priority is given to readers who attend the book club meetings. If you are not able to make it to the discussion and need to pick up next month's book, they will be available at the Children's Research and Information Desk at Central Library. Please try to pick up books early enough to give readers enough time to finish reading by our meeting!