Katya's Sunflowers

'Katya's Sunflowers' is inspired by a true story and is dedicated to the current war and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. It tells the story of Katya, a Ukrainian woman who saved two Jewish boys during the Second World War. The boys she saved grew up and left Ukraine but remained in touch with Katya and her family. 80 years later, after Katya's death, when the current Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the children of those two boys flew back to Ukraine. They rescued Katya's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, moving the whole extended family from Ukraine to a nearby Poland. My name is Julie. I am a half-Russian, half-Ukrainian and the author of this story. Barbara, the wonderfully talented illustrator of this book, is Polish. Our hope is for this book to reach as many people as possible, helping children understand the current situation and its place in wider history. 

 

All the funds from 'Katya's Sunflowers' sales will be donated to refugee families.