Rada and her mother are living in a ski village in the Carpathanian mountains after their harrowing experiences after the Russian attack of Ukraine in Under Attack and Rada's twin sister Dariia's journey Standoff. Her mother is working in the spa, and the two have assembled a small community around them that includes Babushka, who is making drones for the Ukranian army, Alina, Viktor, and Mr. Yani. When they hear from Dariia and learn that she is in Russia with a family, they start making plans to rescue her. They reach out to the family's of the children with her, although Genya's family doesn't respond right away, and there is little information about baby Sasha. Since children can only be reclaimed by official guardians, and it isn't safe for Rada's mother to travel alone, it's important to find family members. Rada's father is still missing, and there is little information about him. When temporary housing is constructed in Prytulok, those living in the ski chalet get units, and move to town. Babushka decides to live near a shop where she can work, but the others are fairly close. Rada, whose hair had to be cropped close after she couldn't wash it for months, is relieved to be in her own space with her mother, and appreciates the community that places like Lydia's Kitchen provides as she and her mother try to heal after their experiences. While there is no imminent danger, the stress of trying to get Dariia back, and of not knowing where her father is, still is difficult. Once Genya's family is located, a reporter, Mr. Semeniuk, offers to go in her mother's place with a power of attorney if he can report on the conditions in Russia. This sounds like a great solution, but there is still a war on, and he is injured. There is some brief contact with Dariia, who is being aided by her foster mother's son, Anton. Anton has seen first hand how badly Russia has treated Ukranians, so is willing to stand up to his mother. Will Dariia be able to make it safely back to Rada in Prytulok, and will their father ever be found?
Strengths: My students don't read a newspaper or listen to the news, so many have no idea what is going on in other parts of the world. Books like the Kidnapped from Ukraine series are essential in helping them to understand that the way they live their lives is very priviledged, and to develop a sense of empathy toward other people. Seeing events unfold from two perspectives gives a wider understanding of the various realities of life in Ukraine; Dariia and her father and Rada and her mother have had very different experiences. Shedding some light on the egregious Russian practice of stealing children and having them "adopted" by Russians is good, because I haven't heard much about this even though I do keep up with the news. It's helpful to see that there are moments of happiness and lightness even in the midst of a war, and I particularly liked the scene where Rada works on psyanky for Easter. There are great notes at the back of the book that help the reader understand what has happened since February of 2022.
Weaknesses: There are a lot of characters to keep straight, so this is a series where reading the books in quick succession works well. Since the storyline is very compelling, this shouldn't be a problem. Again, because of the horror of the war in Ukraine, this book will be best suited to middle schoolers reading independently, or upper elementary students who have good support.
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