Holocaust, Military & Wars, Chapter Books 

Daughter of Light martha attema Sidney Taylor Book Award Notable Book from the Association of Jewish Libraries CCBC Our Choice 2002 In the darkest days of WWII, nine-year-old Ria is determined that her mother give birth in a home filled with light. Despite the cold, harsh winter, German occupying forces have cut the supply of electricity to civilians all over the Netherlands. Now the whole population must scrounge for wood to heat their dwellings and make what light they can with the few available candles. At home in Friesland, Ria's father is in hiding. Her closest friend, Rachel, and her family have been taken away because they are Jewish. The local mayor is a Nazi sympathizer. And Ria's mother is about to have a baby and is afraid to give birth in a cold, dark house. Ria knows the risks, but she is determined to find a way to bring light into her family's home in time for the baby's arrival. Her bold plan may place others in danger, but, in carrying it out, Ria learns something that has the power to save lives. Based on a true story, Daughter of Light is martha attema's second novel about World War II, her first for young readers. Ria feels powerless in a world filled with horror. The author steers a path throught that world, allowing her heroine to triumph in a small, but significant way, without diminishing the tragedy and evil of war. Martha Attema's two earlier novels, A Light in the Dunes and A Time to Choose, have been nominated and shortlisted for numerous awards. A Time to Choose won the Blue Heron Book Award and was an American Booksellers Association Pick of the List in 1996. - from Amzon