My Real Name Is Hanna

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What to expect

Inspired by real Holocaust events, this poignant historical novel is a powerful coming-of-age story.

Hanna Slivka is on the cusp of fourteen when Hitler’s army crosses the border into Soviet-occupied Ukraine. Soon, the Gestapo closes in, determined to make the shtetele she lives in “free of Jews.” Until the German occupation, Hanna spent her time exploring Kwasova with her younger siblings, admiring the drawings of the handsome Leon Stadnick, and helping her neighbor dye decorative pysanky eggs. But now she, Leon, and their families are forced to flee and hide in the forest outside their shtetele—and then in the dark caves beneath the rolling meadows, rumored to harbor evil spirits.

Underground, they battle sickness and starvation, while the hunt continues above. When Hanna’s father disappears, suddenly it’s up to Hanna to find him—and to find a way to keep the rest of her family, and friends, alive.

Sparse, resonant, and lyrical, weaving in tales of Jewish and Ukrainian folklore, My Real Name Is Hanna celebrates the sustaining bonds of family, the beauty of a helping hand, and the tenacity of the human spirit.

Critics Review

“Well written and highly recommended.”

Jewish Book Council

“Poetic and vivid.”

Foreword Reviews

“Unreservedly recommended, especially for middle school, high school, and community library YA fiction collections”

Midwest Book Review

“It is refreshing to find an original voice that delivers such a harrowing, yet inspiring message for young readers..in this highly readable, affecting novel.”

Historical Novels Review

“Offers seeds of compassion to young and experienced readers alike.”

Small Press Book Review

“A brilliantly rendered memorial to survivors of the Holocaust…A strong choice for young adult shelves.”

School Library Journal

“Toren’s narration makes the plight of these characters palpable…Toren skillfully conveys Hannah’s hope for an Allied victory and for building a new life.”

AudioFile

“A carefully researched, often moving narrative of one family’s struggle and survival.”

Kirkus Reviews

“Masih is to be commended for shining light on a little-known piece of Ukrainian history.”

Tilar J. Mazzeo, author of The Widow Clicquot

“A stirring story of survival, resilience, and love.”

Crystal Chan, author of All That I Can Fix

“A gripping story of courage and endurance in the face of Nazi terror.”

Diney Costelroe, author of The Girl with No Name

“Filled with breathtaking you-are-there historical detail, filigreed with touches of Jewish and Ukrainian folklore…a worthy addition to the canon of Holocaust literature for young readers.”

Helen Maryles Shankman, author of They Were Like Family to Me

“In bringing light to the caves of memory, Tara Masih gives us the redeeming power of storytelling in this extraordinary story.”

Bobbie Ann Mason, author of The Girl in the Blue Beret

“It’s said the Holocaust defies imagination. Tara L. Masih defies that notion. My Real Name is Hanna…is an unforgettable odyssey.”

Greg Dawson, author of Hiding in the Spotlight

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