WAITING FOR STORKS BY KATRINA NANNESTAD

Waiting for Storks is the third book in Katrina Nannestad’s series set during World War II. This time we join Zofia, a Polish 8-year-old who lives in Krakow with her parents and aunt. Zofia and her family struggle with the severe restrictions imposed by the Nazi invaders but even though their clothes are patched and they never have enough to eat, at least they have each other.

 Zofia’s life falls apart when she is taken away by soldiers and thrown into the back of a truck in the middle of the night. She has no idea what is happening and is terrified she will never see her family again. Blonde haired, blue eyed Zofia joins hundreds of other children just like her at a school to begin their German re-education. Slowly and sometimes violently, she is brainwashed into believing the new story of her life. She is now a German orphan called Sophia and with some guilt she excels at fitting in. She is adopted by a top Nazi doctor and her life of poverty and discrimination is left behind.

 As the war comes to an end, Sophia’s life gets complicated and she is torn between two worlds. Katrina Nannestad has given us an insight into another version of life for children during World War II. She explores, through Zofia/Sophia, the emotions, confusion and terror of the children kidnapped to fuel Germany’s Lebensborn Program.

 The themes of family, hardship, death, loyalty and survival all play out here in an exciting and captivating novel. This is a story of the horrible choices that had to be made by some the most vulnerable people in order to survive. It is also about hope and redemption. It is a complex set of thoughts beautifully crafted into a very readable novel.

For Ages: 12 + years

Number of Pages: 358 Hardback

Published: May 2022 ABC Books Au/ Harper Collins

Themes: Family, resilience, loyalty and identity

Purchase here: https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780733342271/waiting-for-the-storks/