Don’t tell the enemy – Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

Visiting Montreal for three days during Jewish Book Month

Thank you Talya Pardo and the Jewish Public Library, and also the Ukrainian Jewish Encounter, for making my visit to Montreal schools possible.

I presented Don’t Tell the Enemy to students in grades 5 to 8. This novel is based on the true story of Krystia and her mother who hide three Jewish friends under their kitchen floor during the Holocaust.

Talya Pardo did an amazing job arranging the visits, scheduling six presentations with five different schools, both public and private, for me to present to more than 600 students. She chauffeured me through rain, snow, road construction and traffic jams and we had great conversations over our lunches together.

I loved meeting all six groups of students! The questions were awesome. And so were the hugs:

Talya also took me on a tour of her library and also the Montreal Holocaust Museum.

It was a wonderful week!

I asked students to come up to the front to ask their questions so that everyone could hear them better. By the end of the presentation I think more than half of the students had come up to the front. It was wonderful! Such great questions!

Don’t Tell the Enemy: Toronto Book Launch

Braemar House School, talking about my newest book

Doing the first book talk on a brand new book can always be a bit unnerving. Thank you, Braemar House School, for being the first audience for Don’t Tell the Enemy.

Don’t Tell the Enemy book launch!

A cold night but a great turnout! Launch started at 7pm but people began to arrive at 6:30! Thank you everyone for coming to the launch, and thank you so much to the CFUW Brantford’s book launch committee for making sure everything went smoothly. Braemar School — thank you for the great venue!

Don’t Tell The Nazis

Don't Tell the Enemy CVR — Scholastic Inc

Previously published in Canada as Don’t Tell the Enemy.

Krystia’s family is hiding Jews from the invading Nazis, but the risks are immense. How much will she risk for her friends? A gripping story based on true events.

During the Soviet occupation of Ukraine during World War II, some of Krystia’s family are harrassed; others are arrested and killed. When the Nazis liberate the town, they are welcomed with open arms. Krystia’s best friend Dolik isn’t so sure. His family is Jewish and there are rumours that the Nazis might be even more brutal than the Soviets.

Shortly after the Nazis arrive, they discover a mass grave of Soviet prisoners and blame the slaughter on the Jews. Soon, the Nazis establish ghettoes and begin public executions of Jews.

Krystia can’t bear to see her friends suffering and begins smuggling food into the ghetto. When rumours circulate that the ghetto will be evacuated and the Jews will be exterminated, Krystia must decide if she’s willing to risk her own family’s safety to save her friends.
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