Kidnapped From Ukraine: Under Attack
A harrowing story of things happening in the present day, Kidnapped From Ukraine: Under Attack by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch is an eye opening account of things happening in Ukraine.
Rada and Dariia Popkova live in an apartment in Mariupol, Ukraine with their parents. On February 24th, 2022 their lives change and bombs begin raining down, the attack by the Russians begins. This story follows Dariia as she is separated first from her sister and father and second from her mother and the journey to find home once again.
Admittedly, I try to stay away from the news these days as many of you may do as well so I knew of the war in Ukraine but not all of the details. Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch has crafted a middle grade story that tells the truth about what is happening to children in Ukraine, how they are being kidnapped and adopted out to Russian families. It’s a fictional story full of broad truths about war, disinformation, the power of propaganda and the realities in Ukraine.
From page one, this story did not stop. The action kept pouring out page after page. The atrocities are described in an age appropriate manner but not glossed over and made to be less scary. The reality of war is terrifying and this book clearly lays that out for readers. Lives are lost and families are separated but the throughline is hope. In a story like this, there has to be a flicker of hope even though things are devastating and terrifying and Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch excels at keeping the flicker of a flame alive through the actions of the brave children throughout the story.
I love Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch’s author’s note as she provides additional context to the narrative as well as a link where you can learn more and support Ukraine’s kidnapped children.
The story felt very dystopian which is frightening as these things are happening in real time. There were moments when I felt like I was reading a story about residential schools or a story about WWII and I had to remind myself that these are things that are happening now, not in the past. It’s just so sad that as humans, we don’t learn from the mistakes of the past.
