Our Graphic Novel Preview series invites readers to look inside graphic novels. This month, we’re highlighting a nonfiction young adult graphic novel, Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout, on sale January 25th!
Fictionalized but based on true events, Song of a Blackbird has two intertwined timelines: one is a modern-day family drama, the other a thrilling tale of a WWII-era bank heist carried out by Dutch resistance fighters.
In the present day, teenage Annick is desperate to find a bone marrow donor that could save the life of her grandmother, Johanna. She turns to her family history and discovers a photograph taken by Emma Bergsma.
Decades earlier, Emma is a young art student about to be drawn into what will become the biggest bank heist in European history: swapping 50 Million Guilders’ worth of forged bank notes for real ones—right under the noses of the Nazis! Emma’s life—and the lives of thousands, including a young woman named Johanna—hangs in the balance.
In this stranger-than-fiction graphic novel, Maria van Lieshout weaves a tale about family, courage, and the power of art. Deeply personal yet universal, Song of a Blackbird sheds light on an untold WWII story and sends a powerful message about compassion and resistance.
Praise for Song of a Blackbird
A Junior Library Guild Selection
★ “This work will claim its place beside graphic novel classics such as Art Spiegelman’s Maus and Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis. Powerful, moving, and utterly unforgettable.” —Kirkus, Starred Review
“Song of a Blackbird illustrates, with great tenderness, how the past lives within us. This is essential, illuminating reading.”—R. J. Palacio, bestselling author of Wonder, White Bird, and Pony
“A visually stunning dive into history, family, and the awesome power of art.”—Steve Sheinkin, bestselling author of Bomb, Most Dangerous, and The Port Chicago 50
