Slovakia

Materials from Slovakia

Stars Of The Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport

A moving and sensitively told true story of the 669 children who were rescued in Czechoslovakia from Nazi persecution right before the outbreak of World War II. Told from the collective perspective of the children, the story follows them as they journey from foster families during the war in England, to Prague where they have no success with finding their parents, then eventually to their connection with a British former stockbroker, Nicholas Winton, who played a vital part with bringing them to safety.

The Whale, the Sea and the Stars

When Gerda the blue whale was very small, her mother would sing a beautiful song telling her that if she were ever lost she should look to the stars and they would guide her. Then it’s time for the little whale to leave home. Her adventures take her from the warm waters of the equator to the freezing poles. Along the way she meets clever killer whales, playful penguins, a friendly polar bear and the ancient narwhale. Then one day, the little whale realizes she wants to find somewhere to stay forever. How will she know she’s found the right sea for her? With her mother’s song in her heart, Gerda follows the stars to a place she knows she can call home.

Vodnik

Sixteen-year-old Tomas and his Roma family left Slovakia because of mysterious attacks on his life when he was a child, but when they return, the same creatures of folklore begin to strike again and Tomas, aided by his cousin, will have to bargain with Death herself to set things right.

Marushka and the Month Brother

A retelling of the Slavic folktale in which the Month Brothers’ magic helps Marushka fulfill seemingly impossible tasks which prove the undoing of her greedy stepmother and stepsister.