Freedom Pancakes for Ukraine by Dr. Janice Cohn

Young Artem lives in Ukraine and, when war breaks out, his father stays to fight for freedom while Artem and his mother take the train to safety in neighboring Poland. Sad and confused, Artem worries about his father and his own future. But warm meals served by Paolo, a volunteer with World Central Kitchen, and the kindness of Paolo and others give him strength and hope. In an interconnecting storyline, Hannah, a girl in the United States, worries about the plight of Ukrainian children and finds a way to counter her own feelings of helplessness and take action. As children today often absorb narratives of violence and fear from the news, it is important to offer them stories about the powerful antidote of goodness and courage, and to inspire them—no matter how overwhelmed they may feel—to create change in the world around them one step at a time.

Picture Book • Historical Fiction/Military • Diversity Representation • War and Military Fiction/Contemporary • Children’s Fiction/Picture Books • Children’s Fiction/Historical Fiction