But escape means abandoning her parents to a terrible fate.As Audra embarks on a journey to deliver the mysterious package, she faces unimaginable risks, and soon she becomes caught up in a growing resistance movement. But Audra knows her parents are involved in something secret and perilous.In June 1893, when Cossacks arrive abruptly at their door, Audra's parents insist that she flee, taking with her an important package and instructions for where to deliver it. She always avoids the occupying Russian Cossack soldiers, who insist that everyone must become Russian - they have banned Lithuanian books, religion, culture, and even the language. Nielsen transports readers to a corner of history with this inspiring story of a girl who discovers the strength of her people united in resisting oppression.ĭanger is never far from Audra's family farm in Lithuania. Nielsen melds these topics into a fast paced adventure that a portrays Audra as a courageous, heroic girl determined to fight the Cossacks at all costs.New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Verdict: This book deals with many different topics, death of parents, the Cossacks, occupation by another country and the determination of a country to retain their language and culture. This hurls Audra into a secret group who smuggle and hide books for the people of Lithuania. They will do anything to get the books, even if it means your home will be burned and you imprisoned. People like Audra’s parents have defied the Russians by smuggling books, in their language, to the people of Lithuania. The Russians feel that banning these books the will erase the Lithuanian culture and language, making it easier for the Russians to assimulate them into their country. The package holds a book written the in Lithuanian language, a language banned by the Russian government. She escapes with the secret package in a back pack.

The Cossack soldiers break into Audra’s farm house and arrest her parents. Audra is 12-years-old the year she learns what her mother’s and father’s secret missions entail. Living in Lithuanian under the occupation of Russia and the Russian Cossack soliders is difficult.

Jennifer a nielsen words on fire