Brainstorm 354: Chernobyl stories

This past week marked 40 years since the Chernobyl disaster. I thought it would be an opportune time to share some stories that bring to life what the people living in the area experienced. My full summary and review of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings is down below for those who don’t have access to GoodReads.

Full Summaries/Reviews

Anya Flees the Fallout: a Chernobyl Survival Story (Girls Survive) by Erin Falligant, ill. by Soia Di Chiara Manetti

Anya’s family has a comfortable life in Pripayat where her father works as a firefighter. They are looking forward to the May Day festivities coming up. But when a fire starts at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Anya’s father is called to put out the flames, and no one realizes just how dangerous or serious things are about to get. Soon Anya and her mother and brother are evacuating, leaving behind their stubborn grandfather Dido who refuses to leave his farm and their dog, Bear, who isn’t allowed to evacuate with them. Their father has been sent to Moscow for treatment because of radiation burns. Will they ever be together again or able to return to their home?

This book really brings to life how sudden the evacuation came on the average person in Pripayat and how the repression of information by the Soviet government made it so that people really didn’t understand how much danger they were in. The book has Anya and her mom and brother go to stay with an uncle who is a nuclear scientist and he has insider knowledge of what kind of danger they are in and how to treat their clothing and such to be safer. Anya’s brother so staunchly believes in the government that he refuses to listen to some of the things his uncle tells him. It was a clever way for the author to educate readers on the dangers that the average person wouldn’t have known about and why some would have refused to believe the truth even if they were told. The book ends just a few weeks after the event, so we don’t get to see the long-term effects on residents of Pripayat, but the back of the book touches on them.

Notes on content: Language: None. Sexual content: None. Violence: One of the other firefighters dies off page of radiation poisoning. Ethnic diversity: The characters are all Russian/Ukrainian. LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: Anya’s brother is pretty brainwashed by Soviet teaching. Anya’s forced to abandon her pet dog and it is mentioned that soldiers may kill some of the pets left in Pripayat. Anya’s family has to abandon their home without knowing they can never go back.

The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman

n 1986, Valentina and Oksana barely stand each other at school. Oksana's father has warned her that Valentina is a cheat and a liar like all Jews so she should steer clear. Valentina tries to avoid Oksana's snide comments about her heritage. Both girls' fathers work in the nuclear reactor, and neither came home that morning after the test last night. There's also weird blue smoke filling the sky and a red haze from fires. But everyone knows that nuclear power is perfectly safe and an emergency there is practically impossible. At least, that's what they've been told. As the day goes on, people are increasingly concerned and eventually both girls find out something has gone badly wrong. Soon they find themselves on the run from the radiation, desperate for a place to stay, and forced to go together to stay with Valentina's grandmother. A grandmother she's never met because her mother says she's dangerous.

In 1941, the Germans are closing in on Kiev, and Rifka finds herself on the run, trying to find a safe place in a world that is decidedly unfriendly to Jews. Where's a girl to go when she's separated from her family and the world is at war?

Valentina, Oksana, and Rifka all have things to learn about trust, their personal worth, and seeing people for who they truly are as they look for a home.

This was a fascinating read for the historical tidbits on what it was like for those living in the town around Chernobyl in 1986. The author shares in the back that she has a friend who lived through the experience and her story inspired this story. I loved watching Valentina and Oksana grow under Babulya's care. Oksana's story, especially, was very touching. She blossoms as she learns she is treasured and talented and valued was really touching (she comes from a physically and emotionally abusive home). (There's an important note in the back of the book about abuse and where readers can get help if they experience things similar to Oksana.) It was also heartwarming to hear Babulya share with Valentina why she clings to her Jewish faith, despite it being illegal in the USSR. The way the different time periods had similar themes and eventually come together was done very well. Overall, this is a powerful story of hope in the midst of bleak times, and the way kindness and love can bring down walls and heal hearts.

Notes on content: Language: No swearing, but there is some verbal name calling by parental figures to children (this is portrayed as being very bad). Also Jews verbally attacked. Sexual content: None. Violence: Deaths from radiation poisoning are mentioned. Deaths in WWII are mentioned. Some beating and burning of a child by parental figures is somewhat described (again, this is portrayed as very bad and there is a good note in the back of the book about how this is wrong and where to get help). Ethnic diversity: Jewish and Gentile Ukranians/Russians. LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: Alcohol consumption of adults mentioned, usually resulting in worse tempers.

Escape from Chernobyl by Andy Marino

Yuri is an intern at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. He was super excited about the position. He left his home to come live with his Aunt & Uncle and cousins Alina and Lev, but when he arrived he found that it really just means he's a janitor. His uncle is a well known radio announcer who spouts the Party stuff on the radio but lets his children listen to Western radio stations at home and isn't afraid to criticize the powers that be within his own walls. That really rubs Yuri the wrong way, but his Uncle says he'll learn. The one bright spot of his time in Pripyat has been meeting Sofiya, a friend of Alina's whose father also works at the plant. All of their lives will be forever changed on April 26, 1986 when something goes very wrong at the plant.

Marino obviously did his research. He weaves stories of all these various characters so that each of them know different truths about the disaster and how much the government is keeping from the general public and what should be done. You really get to learn what happened in and around the plant in the hours after the disaster from all these various perspectives. Most of the characters Marino made up, while a few are real. It was interesting to have characters on a spectrum of dedication to the government to see how fast each is able to accept the truth of the depth of the emergency and just how brainwashed some Soviets were at this time. There is also a character with severe anxiety who uses music and repetition to try and cope. It was an interesting choice to include such a character in a tense situation, but also makes readers aware that anxiety issues aren't new, that people in the past in these horrible circumstances also often had to deal with ongoing emotional health issues too. This isn't a very easy read, as you know many of the characters aren't going to make it, but there is hope in that some do. Due to the nature of the story and the fact that the main characters range from 12 to 16 this feels like a borderline middle grade/YA book good for those segueing from one to the other. Recommended to disaster story fans, Russian setting fans, and historical fiction fans.

Notes on content: Language: About 2 minor swears as I remember. Sexual content: None. Violence: Radiation poisoning is accurately described and all that happens along with that. Some are severely injured in the explosion and there's some description of a couple of those injuries. There's one shooting that results in an injury. Others are threatened with death or know they are likely not to survive after the levels of radiation exposure they are getting. Ethnic diversity: All characters are Russian LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: Sudden upheaval from homes. Yuri is wrestling with the Party lines he's been fed all his life, and the truths his uncle shares with him. One character deals with anxiety/mental health issues.

Brainstorm 353: Basketball, Soccer, and Volleyball Stories

This week's Brainstorm features basketball, soccer, and volleyball reads for a variety of ages. My full summary and review of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings is down below for those who don’t have access to GoodReads.

Full Summaries/Reviews

🏐Volleyball books🏐

Spike It, Mo by David A. Adler, ill. by Sam Ricks

Mo and his family are at the beach when Mo and his dad are invited to join a volleyball game. Mo is frustrated he isn't tall enough to spike the ball, but he still has fun.

I'm pretty sure this is the only picture book featuring volleyball I've ever seen. It does a pretty good job of explaining the basic terminology and parts of volleyball for kids.

Haikyu!! Vol. 1 by Haruichi Furudate, transl. by Adrienne Beck

When two volleyball players who were rivals in middle school end up at the same high school, they are both thrown for a loop. Their new captain locks them out of the gym until they can learn to work together, but that may take a while. Kageyama just wishes he could play all by himself because he doesn't trust anyone else to play well enough to win. Hinata just wants to play. He cobbled together enough friends to play one official game in middle school but hasn't really had anyone to practice with. He has crazy natural skill, but needs some practice. Also, in the one game he got to play, Kageyama brutally killed his team and Hinata was looking forward to getting better and trouncing him in high school. To prove they can work together, the boys must win a game of 3 on 3 versus 2 other first years with a 3rd year on each of their teams.

Oh man, I just wanted to take both Kageyama and Hinata's heads and bang them together a couple times. They are just so prideful and stupid. Hinata isn't quite as stupid so I liked him more. This book ends in the middle of the game of 3 on 3 so if you want to know whether they make the team or not you'll need book 2. I'm not a huge volleyball fan and I work with real live teens enough I don't need any fake teen angst, so I didn't super enjoy this myself, but that's just me. I can totally see this appealing to volleyball fans, though. And it is a pretty clean manga for those on the hunt for "safe" manga for teens. I also like the messages about being a good teammate and having good sportsmanship woven in. This is hands down the most popular manga series in our library.

Notes on content: Language: If there was any swearing it was just a couple minor swear words. I don't remember any. The boys call each other some names but they are pretty mild. Sexual content: None. Violence: Just some sports bumps and bruises. Ethnic diversity: Japanese. LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: There's quite a bit of pressure that some teammates put on each other and it isn't exactly healthy, but you can tell the book is trying to work towards those people learning to be better teammates. 

🏀Basketball books🏀

Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros

Isaac and Marco are best friends, even though they don't have a ton in common except living next door and having tough family situations (Marco's parents just divorced and his dad ignores him, Isaac's parents are in the process because of Isaac's dad's drinking problem). They are starting middle school and each is both excited and anxious for different reasons. Marco is excited for the bigger academic challenges and opportunities, and he wants to try a sport for the first time. However, he's super short and he doesn't like the girls calling him cute and the boys making fun of him for his stature. Isaac is excited for better basketball and further developing his game. He is worried about keeping his grades up; he's always forgetting things and academics doesn't come naturally for him. The two friends will need each other's help to make it through the challenges of middle school, from basketball to academics to their family situations.

This was a sweet story of two opposites being good friends through thick and thin. Through a series of misunderstood conversations, Marco ends up on the basketball team and Isaac has to figure out how to help him be a contributing member of the team without hurting his feelings. Isaac needs Marco's help with homework and getting through what's going on at home. They are a great example of good friends. I liked how Cisneros managed to write something that could be very serious with heart and humor. There's a scene with Marcos and the principal talking that made me unexpectedly laugh out loud, it is comedic gold for the way they completely misunderstand each other and the unexpected results of that. It's also humorous how Marcos gets on the team. Cisneros handled the topic of a parent dealing with alcoholism tactfully and in a way appropriate for the target reader group; he doesn't disparage Isaac's dad but does convey how the problem affects the whole family. There are positive steps in that area by the end of the book. A great contemporary fiction read for middle graders.

Notes on content: Language: None. Sexual content: None. Violence: There's some bullying, and Marcos gets picked up at one point, but others intervene before it gets bad. Isaac pushes a bully and a sprained ankle results; both are sobered by the event. An accident puts a character in the hospital. Ethnic diversity: Both boys are Hispanic American. LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: Alcoholic parent, bullying, divorce, a distant father who doesn't pay attention to a child unless they succeed athletically.

Games of Deception by Andrew Maraniss

The history of the Olympic debut of basketball, a brief history of the game, how the US team was chosen that year, and a look at human rights/racial issues of the time and how the Nazi's were using the Olympics for their own purposes in 1936.

An eye-opening look at how basketball came to be an Olympic sport and the turmoil surrounding the 1936 Olympics both in the US and in Germany. I've read lots of books on WWII, but none that looked at how the Nazis used sports for their own ends or how it kind of backfired on them in some ways at the Olympics. The conditions that the first US Olympic team had to play under, the weird way the team was formed, and how racial issues in the US even came to bear on the US selection of Olympians were fascinating (sometimes in a horrifying and/or sobering way). This isn't just a sports read. It has a lot of depth in the look at culture, racial issues, politics, and how neutral things like sports can be used for great good or great evil.

Notes on content: Language: About 4 mild swears in quotes, and one strong use of profanity in quotes. Sexual content: None Violence: Both Nazi persecution of Jews and persecution of black people in America are talked about, including killings. Nothing graphic, but definitely sobering.Ethnic diversity: Black and white Americans, Jewish Americans and Europeans, white EuropeansLGBTQ+ content: None specified that I rememberOther: Racism

⚽️Soccer books⚽️

G is for Golazo by James Littlejohn, ill. by Matthew Shipley

An alphabet book of soccer terms, slang, player nicknames, and famous moves. Each page highlights a different famous player or players from around the world.

Soccer is insanely popular with our students so I am very happy to be able to add this to our elementary shelves. The book introduces a whole host of players past and present and manages to include three women players who are well-recognized internationally. I felt like the country representation of the players was quite balanced and no one country dominated. It's a truly international book, and every little soccer/football fan's perfect book. Highly recommended.

Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett

When the Unseen University professors discover that much of their comfortable living (and multiple meals) depends on a bequest that demands they enter a football game at least 1x per century, they are a bit worried. Football is a back alley game that is illegal, has a huge fan base, and an astonishingly high mortality rate. But their addiction to a good cheese board, means the Archchancellor works up the nerve to go approach Lord Vetinari about the game. Much to his surprise, Vetinari wants Unseen University to set up an official football league, reinstate some old rules that have been found, and help make the sport legit (which of course is handed off from Ridcully to the overworked Ponder). Mixed up in all this are the candle workers at UU Trevor Likely and odd newcomer Nutt, as well as the Night Kitchen staff at UU Miss Glenda and Juliet. There are secrets about Nutt, Miss Glenda takes to worrying about everyone and doing something about it, Trevor is trying to avoid following in his father's football steps, and the rather simple Juliet is about to find her calling.

This ranks right up there in Discworld novels with Guards! Guards! and Going Postal as one of my favorites. It's actually got some hidden depths to the moral of the story, with recurring themes about not judging others based on their genetics or where they grew up but by their actions and heart. The reinventing of soccer Discworld style is quite humorous. Nutt is a delightful character to follow around and watch him discover his worth. Glenda is the best. And Vetinari and the UU profs are all their inimitable selves. You don't have to read the Discworld books in order, but it does help to have read the Night Watch books before this as some events in that subseries are referenced quite a bit.

Notes on content: Language: Occasional mild swearing, but it felt less than normal for a Discworld book. Sexual content: Some couples are told they can hang out as long as there is no "hanky panky." There's a couple kisses on page, but that is it. Violence: The back alley football before Vetinari gets his hands on it is like rugby meets streetball times 11. Multiple fatalities are mentioned, and some disturbing little facts about heads being mistaken for balls and such are woven in with morbid humor. A past war is mentioned in which certain creatures took out a whole lot of people and then were themselves wiped out. Pratchett manages to convey how much you are supposed to be disturbed without giving you much of any of the actual gory details. Ethnic diversity: Most characters are vaguely European/Eastern European in their descriptions, and others are fantasy creatures/animals. LGBTQ+ content: None specified. Other: Some prejudice based on where someone is from or genetics.