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.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: First Second
Published: 01/21/2025
ISBN: 9781250869814
Pages: 256
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 1.00d

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 10/14/2024
School Library Journal 11/01/2024 pg. 76
Kirkus Reviews 11/15/2024