Song of a Blackbird

Young girls are united through the decades in this touching and tender graphic novel exploration of grief, family, and the vital importance of artistic expression, told by van Lieshout (the Big Kid Power series) through intertwining stories set in Amsterdam between 2011 and the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in 1943. When donor testing reveals Annick’s sick oma was adopted, a series of prints from Oma’s childhood signed by the mysterious Emma B. sets Annick on a path toward uncovering the truth of her oma’s family, which was torn apart by Nazi violence against Jewish Netherlanders and one person’s reluctance to stand up to it. Using a limited palette of red, black, white, orange, and pale blue, van Lieshout blends fluid figure drawings with b&w photographs that ground the narrative in its historical setting; the stark red of artist Emma’s jacket against the backdrop of real photos adds a sense of immensity to the character’s situation. The included through line that follows Emma’s own artwork—something that once felt so small to her but that she soon learns the value of—is a powerful testament to art and its ability to foster change and connection. Ages 14–up. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Jan.)