A Sky Full of Song

By Susan Lynn Meyer

In 1905, Shoshana must choose between fitting in or preserving her heritage on the North Dakota prairie.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 429 ratings

272 pages

$16.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In 1905, young immigrant Shoshana embraces the vast North Dakota plains, eager to forge a new identity. Yet, as prejudice looms, she hides her Jewish roots, clashing with her sister Libke, who clings to their past. Torn between acceptance and tradition, Shoshana must discover if her family's differences are their true strength. Can she find harmony in the music of her heart and the resilience of her heritage?

From the publisher

This heartwarming, beautifully written middle-grade historicalnovel about an untold American frontier story is destined to be a cherished classic. North Dakota, 1905 After fleeing persecution in the Russian Empire, eleven-year-old Shoshana and her family, Jewish immigrants, start a new life on the prairie. Shoshana takes fierce joy in the wild beauty of the plains and the thrill of forging a new, American identity. But it’s not as simple for her older sister, Libke, who misses their Ukrainian village and doesn’t pick up English as quickly or make new friends as easily. Desperate to fit in, Shoshana finds herself hiding her Jewish identity in the face of prejudice, just as Libke insists they preserve it. For the first time, Shoshana is at odds with her beloved sister, and has to look deep inside herself to realize that her family’s difference is their greatest strength. By listening to the music that’s lived in her heart all along, Shoshana finds new meaning in the Jewish expression all beginnings are difficult, as well as in the resilience and traditions her people have brought all the way to the North Dakota prairie.