What the Night Sings

By: Vesper Stamper

Narrated by: Deborah Grausman, Vesper Stamper

A Morris Award Finalist
Longlisted for the National Book Award

For fans of The Book Thief and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas comes a lushly illustrated novel about a teen Holocaust survivor who must come to terms with who she is and how to rebuild her life.

"A tour de force. This powerful story of love, loss, and survival is not to be missed." --KRISTIN HANNAH, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale

After losing her family and everything she knew in the Nazi concentration camps, Gerta is finally liberated, only to find herself completely alone. Without her papa, her music, or even her true identity, she must move past the task of surviving and on to living her life. In the displaced persons camp where she is staying, Gerta meets Lev, a fellow teen survivor who she just might be falling for, despite her feelings for someone else. With a newfound Jewish identity she never knew she had, and a return to the life of music she thought she lost forever, Gerta must choose how to build a new future.

"What the Night Sings is a book from the heart, of the heart, and to the heart. Vesper Stamper's Gerta will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her story is one of hope and redemption and life--a blessing to the world." --Deborah Heiligman, award-winning author of Charles and Emma and Vincent and Theo

A WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF 2018
A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF 2018

Critic reviews

"...will leave readers gasping."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Generously illustrated with Stamper’s haunting spot images and larger scenes, all in deep brown hues that evoke profound emotion, the book is a strong addition to the bookshelf of Holocaust fiction."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"The narrative is spare but powerful as it depicts the daily horrors of the camps and the struggle to survive, hold on to humanity and, once freed, understand how to live again."—School Library Journal, starred review

Loveliness in suffering

This was a fascinating book. Audio helps because it plays some of the music pieces referred to in the book. Every chapter had a phrase or two that was simply beautiful. I recommend for 15 and older.

EXCELLENT!

I listened to Ms. Stamper’s interview on Ancient Today on Ancient Faith Radio, and immediately bought all three books for the family (most especially my 14 and 11 year-old daughters). Testing the waters for myself, I’m very glad to say this work has not disappointed.

I look forward to them reading and our discussing this one. I’m hoping the next one will be just as good.

KUDOS to Deborah Grausman! She brought life to this for me. Excellent job!!!

Beautiful

Beautifully woven words that create the tapestry of a hard but lovely story. The narrator wonderfully conveyed the depth of joy, pain, disappointment and hope.

When The Night Sings

I loved this book! It was so moving to read! I liked the large text of the book and the pictures!