Tag: scholastic

Standoff: Koota Ooma Book Launch!

This young reader had so many interesting things to say! His favourite of my books is Stolen Child — but he’s read a lot of them. He said that reading my books is more interesting than being on his device. High praise!
Mirka and I are wearing our Ukrainian colours!
Before the book launch, I met up with Sophia Isajiw for an early dinner and chat.

Speaking with Planeyo Book Circle

In 2024, I was honoured to see that Nigerian literary scholar, Eyoh Etim had written an insightful paper titled Memories of Women and Children’s Representation in Marsha Skrypuch’s Making Bombs for Hitler and Tiyam be Zeleza’s Smouldering Charcoal so when Dr. Etim contacted me for a video interview, I jumped at the opportunity to connect. Here’s the link to that interview. There are three authors interviewed in this session and my portion is at the beginning. Thank you, Dr. Etim, for all that you do!

Book talk at St. Volodymyr Cathedral

One day after the PYI conference, I traveled back to Toronto to participate in a new initiative at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church & St. Volodymyr Cathedral of Toronto, organized by Artem Galchuk. It was interesting to hear the other speakers, including authors Mykola Latyshko, and Alla Topchii. I was particularly interested in Anastasia Baczynskyj’s presentation about the early Ukrainian community in Toronto. Koota Ooma was there with a wonderful array of books, including mine.

How’s this for Ukrainian spirit? Between Mirka Werbowy-Onuch of Koota Ooma and myself, we’ve got the Ukrainian colours represented!

Thanks for the pics, Jen!

Here are some pics from last night’s book launch for Standoff, book 2 in my Kidnapped from Ukraine trilogy. Thanks so much to Jen Rudyk for taking them. Had I been thinking, I would have taken a pic of the audience: it was a full house. I was very impressed with Griffin, in the blue shirt, who bought a whole whack of books, plus brought in a couple of well-thumbed copies from home to get signed. He asked such great questions and knew a lot about WWII and WWI history. Sergio from Brant blog had been waiting patiently for an interview so once all the books were signed, Jen got a pic of him doing the interview.

Standoff launch in Brantford

Thank you The Ukrainian Village presented by Village Ukraina Dancers for hosting last night’s book launch for Standoff, book 2 of the Kidnapped from Ukraine trilogy! It was wonderful to see so many people wearing blue and yellow and Ukrainian embroidered blouses in support of Ukraine. For those who were not able to make it to the launch but who still want an autographed book, please visit the Riverside Bookshelf 32A Dundas St W, Paris, ON N3L 1G2

https://brantblog.ca/2025/10/09/author-marsha-forchuk-skrypuch-launches-second-book-in-ukrainian-war-inspired-trilogy-in-brantford/
Thank you Sergio, for the great interview!

Seeing stars for Standoff!

What a wonderful book birthday present from School Library Journal. Not just such quotable quotes like these:

“brilliantly written”
“sensitive portrayal of the reality facing innocent children and families in a war zone”
“historically accurate quotes and events interwoven”
“VERDICT Purchase for all middle grade shelves.”

But a STAR. Full review here.