Ukraine: Lessons in Liberty and Compassion, Part 3

In this third part of our series, Hayley shares a list of nonfiction titles that encompass both Ukraine and Russia. (Here are links to part one and part two.)

Eyewitness Books: Russia by Kathleen Berton Murrell

Did you know that the first Russian state, during the Middle Ages, was the Kievan Rus’?  Name look familiar?  Yes, it was based in Kiev!  As you learn in this book, Ukraine and Russia have much in common historically and both share a Slavic heritage.  While DK’s Eyewitness Books can be visually overstimulating, I would recommend Russia as an excellent overview, particularly for middle-grade readers.  This book will introduce readers to many aspects of Russian/Slavic history and culture that in turn can be read about in detail in the following books.

Myths of Russia and the Slavs by Anita Dalal

Speaking of the Kievan Rus, this book traces the mythology of the Slavic peoples, focusing particularly on early Slavic history.  While Dalal presents a one-sided, secular view of Christianity and makes several blatant statements regarding Christianity,  these can be used as excellent discussion starters.  As a fairytale lover, I have seen better fairytale retellings, but this book provides an excellent overview of Slavic mythology and I particularly enjoyed the emphasis on mythology and culture.

Catherine the Great by Elizabeth Raum

As a voracious middle-grade reader, I loved reading biographies, particularly biographies about women.  The older I got, the pickier I became –I wanted biographies about interesting women who while famous are not as well known.  (Interestingly, I developed quite an aversion to Florence Nightingale probably one of the most famous women connected to Ukrainian/Russian history due to her involvement in the Crimean War.)  One of the biographies I loved was that of Catherine the Great.

Catherine the Great, the 18th century ruler of Russia, is akin to Queen Elizabeth the First for her amazing power and success as an independent female ruler.  This book provides an interesting, well-written overview of Catherine’s life, from an obscure German princess to the most powerful woman in the world.  Raum does an excellent job covering Catherine’s personal life without going in to too much detail.  (Catherine’s official marriage was probably childless, yet she had several children through at least one affair.)

Anastasia’s Album by Hugh Brewster 

 Growing up, I loved getting this book from our library!  In a beautiful scrapbook style, full of pictures and excerpts of Anastasia’s own words, Anastasia’s Album offers a personal glimpse of the opulent life of Russia’s last tsar.  Younger children will love looking at all the pictures, while children 8 and up will enjoy reading this book.  (So will you!)

Witness to History: The Collapse of Communism by Stewart Ross

Part of an excellent nonfiction series that is intended for middle grade readers, this well-organized book provides interesting pictures and primary source, eyewitness accounts, in addition to informative text.  The book’s succinct text does not shy away from big words.  Readers can turn to the book’s one-page glossary to find definitions for words like glasnost (open-speaking), Politburo (chief Soviet decision-making committee) and more.

Chernobyl and other Nuclear Accidents by Judith Condon 

While Chernobyl is synonymous with “nuclear disaster” it is not often synonymous with “Ukraine.”  This interesting book provides a play-by-play account of the unfolding disaster at Chernobyl.  Though written before the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, it is eerily relevant in light of recent events.

Recently, BBC did a feature, “Cooking in the Danger Zone,” about a BBC food writer who visits the area around Chernobyl.  After reading about Chernobyl, I decided to look it up.  It is fascinating!  There is one expletive (which might be missed due to the speaker’s British accent) and also social drinking.  For families with older children, particularly middle-grade and up, here is a great film that provides both a snapshot of modern Ukraine and a haunting look at history.  (For more information and a closer look at Chernobyl, there are several excellent slideshows.  My favorite is one of the deserted ghost-town of Pripyat.)

These books are only a sampling of the many excellent, nonfiction titles about Russia and Ukraine.  Do you have any personal favorites you would recommend?  Please comment and tell us!

Also, click HERE for Redeemed Reader’s review of Breaking Stalin’s Nose and Between Shades of Gray: two historical fiction novels set during the Communist era.