Tag: Kidnapped from Ukraine

Interview: Chrystyna and Marsha on Nash Holos

Thank you, Paulette MacQuarrie, for this great interview with myself and Chrystyna about our books for kids that are set during Russia’s war upon Ukraine. I consider Chrystyna’s book to be somewhat of a prequel to mine, since hers is set in 2014, during the invasion of Crimea, while mine is set in Feb 2022 in Mariupol, when Russia continued its war. The book in the middle, Ukrainian Food Flair, was edited by Paulette and is available on Amazon. The recipes are GREAT — especially the sweets!

Visiting Josyf Cardinal Slipyj School

It is always such a pleasure visiting students and educators at Josyf Cardinal Slipyj Catholic School in Etobicoke! Ms Daciuk had a big stack of books all sorted and ready to sign — Koota Ooma Ukrainian Bookstore kindly got books over to the school before my visit.

A big crowd of students packed into the tiny gym and I presented Under Attack, comparing Russia’s current actions of kidnapping and brainwashing Ukrainian children to what Nazi Germany did in WWII to Polish and Ukrainian children in their Lebensborn program.

This review made my day

Thank you, Becky, for this wonderful review of Under Attack.

I am particularly gratified with this paragraph:

My thoughts: What a novel!!!! Truly I cannot do the book justice. It’s an incredible read from cover to cover. I am not surprised–I’d expect nothing less from Skrypuch. She excels at everything–writing, plotting, characterization. But it is the characterization that particularly wows me every time. Because though it shouldn’t be rare, it mostly is. The depth of characterization is outstanding. It isn’t just that there’s depth and substance of the main character, but it is how expansive the characterization is. There’s no shortcuts, no character too small to not get treated as important. It makes it impossible not to get invested and thoroughly absorbed in the story.

awesome review of Under Attack by

Thanks for the interview!

It was a pleasure to speak with Sérgio at brant blog dot ca about my brand new book, Under Attack. Thanks so much for the interview!

Canadian-Ukrainian author Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch is no stranger to exploring difficult topics. Her latest novel, Under Attack, launched this week as the first installment in her new Kidnapped From Ukraine tackles themes of war, displacement, and survival through the eyes of a 12-year-old girl.

Set in Mariupol, Ukraine, Under Attack begins on the first day of the Russian invasion. It follows a family torn apart as bombs fall and chaos spreads. The story unfolds with twin girls and their parents separated during an attack. The narrative focuses on the mother and one daughter’s harrowing experience surviving in a basement during the siege before being captured, forced through filtration camps, and separated. The girl ends up in a re-education in Russia and placed in a Russian home.

Skrypuch, who lives in Brantford, will launch Under Attack with a public appearance at Riverside Bookshelf in Paris, Ontario, on Thursday, January 16, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. She has also offered to do a presentation at the Paris branch of the Brant Public Library for for local schools about the importance of historical accuracy and empathy in storytelling.

Reflecting on her writing journey, Skrypuch remains committed to uncovering untold stories and amplifying marginalized voices.

“Empathy and awareness are the keys to change,” she said. “If this book can help even one reader understand the reality of war and inspire them to care, then it’s done its job.”

While the book is fictional, Skrypuch says that its events are firmly grounded in historical accuracy and documented accounts.

“This is a novel, but everything that happens in it is true,” Skrypuch said. “I’ve created fictional characters, but the events described are based on publicly available testimonies, including those presented to the International Criminal Court, which has charged Putin with war crimes.”

Skrypuch’s decision to write the series was not made lightly. Initially hesitant, she was approached multiple times by her publisher, Scholastic, to tackle the ongoing conflict. Eventually, she recognized the urgency of the story.

“I was discouraged by all the disinformation circulating about Ukraine,” she explained. “I felt I had the responsibility and the platform to tell this story accurately. So I set aside the book I was working on and plunged into this trilogy.”

A veteran author, Skrypuch, from Brantford, has made a career of highlighting overlooked stories from history, many focusing on Ukraine. Her first book, Silver Threads (1996), addressed Ukrainian internment in Canada during World War I, while Enough (2000) was the first commercially published children’s book about the Holodomor—Stalin’s forced famine that killed millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s.

Addressing these sensitive topics has often come at a personal cost. Skrypuch received death threats following the publication of Enough, and in 2022 in response to the publication of Winterkill, her novel set during the Holodomor, she was officially banned from Russia.

“I consider being banned for life by Russia an honor,” she said. “I’ve faced backlash before, but I believe in telling the truth about history.”

Her new trilogy continues this mission, focusing on Ukraine’s current struggles. The research process was both rigorous and deliberate. Skrypuch avoided using personal stories shared by refugees she met, relying instead on documented evidence to avoid appropriating their experiences.

“I’ve spoken to many refugees who have hugged me and told me their stories, but I don’t have the right to write them into my books,” she said. “Their stories are still ongoing, and this war is still happening.”

Instead, Skrypuch immersed herself in news reports, legal testimonies, and published survivor interviews to craft her narrative.

Empathy is central to her work. Skrypuch hopes Under Attack will raise awareness about the stakes of the ongoing conflict.

“I want readers to see Ukrainians as people, not statistics,” she said. “It’s easy to ignore distant wars when you don’t see the human cost. But history shows that ignoring injustices allows them to spread.”

The Kidnapped From Ukraine trilogy is aimed at readers aged 10–14, but Skrypuch believes it will resonate with adults as well.

“I write from the perspective of a 12-year-old because that’s my inner voice,” she said. “But the themes—family, survival, and hope—are universal.”

The second book in the series, Standoff, is set for release on October 7, 2025, followed by the third, Still Alive, on January 7, 2026. Skrypuch wrote all three in record time, completing the manuscripts within two years of the Russian invasion.

“This was the fastest I’ve ever written,” she said. “I felt the urgency to tell these stories while the events were still unfolding.”

Deal news: New Trilogy

I never thought I would be writing about a war as it’s happening. When the war in Ukraine began, I had been writing a companion novel to Winterkill, but had to set it aside. I plunged in to a project I had been working on for a long time: a novel set in the 1500s. Then Scholastic asked me to pivot. It took a lot of soul-searching, but in the end I realized I had to do this. The emotional pain of researching and writing these three books is nothing compared to what Ukrainians are enduring every minute, every hour. I invite you to step into the shoes of 12 year old Dariia and her twin sister Rada. Feel what it’s like to wake up one morning to your bed shaking from bombings. To have your country invaded by a jealous neighbor who doesn’t acknowledge your right to exist.

Kidnapped from Ukraine, book #1: Under Attack

Published by Scholastic on Jan 7, 2025.

This gripping, accessible novel by celebrated Ukrainian Canadian author Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch follows two sisters as they struggle to survive the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

12-year-old twin sisters Rada and Dariia Popkova couldn’t be more different. Dariia is outgoing and chatty while Rada is a quieter and artsy. But what they have in common is their love for each other and their home. The family lives in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which is attacked by the Russians on Feb 24th, 2022.

The attack separates the family — Dariia is with her mom and Rada with her dad. Dariia and her mother are then separated by Russian officials and Dariia is sent to live with a Russian family. As the war rages around them, the sisters and their family must overcome unimaginable hardships. But they will learn how powerful hope is in the face of disaster.

Reviews:

*”Gut-punching: This is essential reading.” — Kirkus, starred review

*”Fans of Alan Gratz and Jennifer Nielsen will devour this fictional account of the all-too-real ongoing experiences of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children.” — Booklist, starred review

Starred Selection, Best Books 2025. Canadian Children’s Book Centre.

“important and tough to read novel, which fictionalizes, in harsh detail, true events from a child’s point of view.” — Publishers Weekly

“Despite its hefty 309 pages, this powerful tale of innocence lost moves along at an exemplary pace, engaging readers at every turn. Complete with two black-and-white maps, an author’s note and &A, Under Attack is an invaluable must-read and a must-have educational resource for public, school and home libraries everywhere. Lingering long after the last compelling page is turned, this timely book is inarguably a stirring catalyst for in-depth discussion, empowering readers to engage in further research and get involved in helping to rescue the thousands of Ukrainian children who’ve been kidnapped. Very highly recommended.” — Jennifer D. Foster, Canadian Children’s Book News.

“While a fictionalized story, Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch takes the time and effort to understand the truths, like the truth about how the war started, the propaganda levelled at both Ukrainians and Russians, and the impact of the war on Ukrainians, from children to workers to the elderly. It is a tough story because of these truths which are so distressing and disheartening. Still Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch is a master at telling such stories (e.g., Winterkill, Traitors Among Us, Dance of the Banished, and Making Bombs for Hitler), ensuring a sensitivity to her characters and her readers, and a thoroughness and accuracy of details.” — Helen Kubiw, Canlit for Little Canadians

“I just read this must-read and could not put it down. Thoughtful, gripping, well researched and nicely paced. A hell of an accomplishment. An important novel. A brave author.” — Pam Withers, author.

“Under Attack is fast moving and gut punching. It will appeal to a vast audience, hitting on current events, adventure, family and friendship.” Crackingthecover

“A must-have for all libraries, the perfect historical fiction!! A ‘can’t-put-down’ read!” Goodreads

“I loved the book. It’s my favorite book I’ve read so far. Some people rush through books, but I wanted to understand it, so I tried not to read it too fast.” Coco Kettmann, Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

“This is a must have for libraries serving grades 5 and up and readers should be encouraged to read the author’s note for information on the history that is still unfolding and reminded that this is why learning about world history is so important: If we do not learn from it, we are destined to repeat it as it is being repeated now.” Goodreads

“No one does historical middle-grade fiction like Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch. While “Under Attack’ is set in present-day Ukraine, I am sure fans of “Making Bombs for Hitler” and Skrypuch’s other historical books will enjoy it. The novel is captivating, meticulously researched, and heartbreaking. Another must-read by Skrypuch.” Netgalley

“Teachers and librarians will find this novel to be an important addition to any middle-grade collection. While the language remains straightforward and accessible for readers ages 8–12, the story doesn’t shy away from the harsh, real-life events of the war, making it a compelling way to introduce students to current events and inspire empathy and understanding. It also opens up opportunities for classroom discussions around resilience, survival, and the human cost of war..” Netgalley

What a novel!!!! Truly I cannot do the book justice. It’s an incredible read from cover to cover. I am not surprised–I’d expect nothing less from Skrypuch. She excels at everything–writing, plotting, characterization. But it is the characterization that particularly wows me every time. Because though it shouldn’t be rare, it mostly is. The depth of characterization is outstanding. It isn’t just that there’s depth and substance of the main character, but it is how expansive the characterization is. There’s no shortcuts, no character too small to not get treated as important. It makes it impossible not to get invested and thoroughly absorbed in the story. Becky’s Book Reviews.

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