Books like The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman

The Blackbird Girls follows Valentina Kaplan and Oksana Savchenko in the spring of 1986 after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The girls—long-time rivals—find themselves thrust onto a train bound for Leningrad to stay with Valentina’s estranged grandmother, Rita Grigorievna. In the Soviet city, they begin to learn what trust and genuine companionship look like, as Oksana confronts the lies her parents have told her, while Valentina must protect her grandmother’s dangerous secret. The narrative alternates perspectives between the two modern girls and Rifka, a girl in 1941, showcasing how hatred, intolerance, and oppression can be overcome by the resilience of true friendship amid historical turbulence. Set against the backdrop of Europe’s 20th‑century history, this story blends family drama with the profound impact of Chernobyl on ordinary lives, exploring themes of loyalty, secrecy, and the lengths one will go for a friend’s safety.

First publish date: 2019