The Fairview Review: The Crystal Beads: Lalka's Journey Virtual Book Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK

The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey

Written by Pat Black-Gould

Illustrated by Katya Royz

Ages 8+ | 40 Pages

Publisher: Purple Butterfly Press | ISBN-13: 9781955119207

Publisher’s Synopsis: A Star of David necklace or a rosary?

In 1939 Poland, a young girl is asked to give up one of these and accept the other without understanding why. However, what she must part with happens to be her most prized possession—a precious gift given to her by her father before he died.

The child’s mother then teaches the girl a “game” to prepare her for what is to come. As the Nazis invade the country, the mother is forced to make a heartbreaking sacrifice.

This beautifully illustrated picture book is loosely based on a true story. Although told through the eyes of a young girl, the book is written for readers of all ages. It also contains two study guides. One is for children, parents, and teachers. The other is for adults who may gather in places of worship, book clubs, and small groups. Discussion topics include themes of compassion, empathy, and diversity.

PURCHASE LINK

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MY REVIEW

Author Pat Black-Gould takes a story she heard about a daughter being hidden in a convent school and surviving the Holcaust and turns it into a picture book that can introduce topics of kindness, mercy and courage to young readers. Illustrator Katya Royz is the descendant of great-grandparents who fled their home in Derazhnya, Ukraine before the German Sonderkommando shot all the Jewish residents of the town in September 1942. Rabbi Mark W. Kiel, a Holocaust survivor’s son, says “Concerned parents often ask if children can handle the subject of the Holocaust. The answer is yes, if its story is told with subtlety and grace.” These two creators have done their job with grace.

The unnamed girl in the story must give up the treasured Star of David her father gave her before his death and learn about the rosary that her mother gives her in its place. By teaching her daughter about the Christian faith and taking her to stay with Sister Teresa, the mother sacrifices her place in her child’s life, but saves her daughter from the fate of many Polish Jews under the Nazi regime. Sister Teresa represents all those clergy and neighbors who helped Jewish families preserve the lives of their children. As her character says, “I trust that the power that joins us is greater than anything that might divide us.”

With the study guides and other information in the back matter, this story can be used in homes and schools to discuss the difficult historical events, but also to promote empathy and kindness.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pat Black-Gould, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and an author. Her short stories have appeared in several literary journals and anthologies.

Many years ago, Pat heard a powerful story that haunted her until she committed it to paper. The Crystal Beads was first published in Jewish Fiction. net in 2020. The short story then won first-place honors in two writing competitions conducted by the National League of American Pen Women, Washington, D.C.

The first was an award by the Pen Women Florida State Association. She then received the Flannery O’Connor Short Story Award as part of the National Biennial Letters in Competition. Pat felt it important to bring the story to a younger audience. At that point, she rewrote it as a children’s book. She hopes that The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey, will do justice to the story she once heard and carry its message to younger generations.

Pat’s writing explores topics such as compassion, tolerance, and diversity. She continues to examine these themes in her upcoming novel, Limbo of the Moon, written with her co-writer, Steve Hardiman.

For more information, visit www.patblackgould.com.

https://www.facebook.com/PatBlackGould

https://www.instagram.com/patblackgould/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-black-gould-ph-d-a418082b/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22197226.Pat_Black_Gould%20

TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, July 11, 2022

The Children’s Book Review

A book review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Life Is What It’s Called

An interview with author Pat Black-Gould