What the Night Sings

What the Night Sings is a heavy read, both because the pages are folio-thick and because the setting is the Holocaust and its aftermath for young survivors. This was a library read for me, passed along by my sister who found it in the YA section for her 14-year-old. We all cried, from sorrow and joy.

Author & illustrator Vesper Stamper does not shy away from the brutal details of the concentration camps, but the main character's passion for music and her choice to live makes the story soar. The illustrations, in stark sepia tones, complement the text. The author's notes detail both her search for her own family history and her pivot from music to art following an accident that left her arm paralyzed. This was the author's project for an art degree, and her passion for both music and art lend another layer of authenticity to Gerta's story. Recommended for mature teens and adults.