Withwarloomingonthehorizonandwintersettingin,cantwochildrenescapeNorthKoreaontheirown?WinneroftheFreemanBookAward!NorthKorea.December,1950.Twelve-year-oldSoraandherfamilyliveunderanironsetofrules:Notravelwithoutapermit.Nocriticismofthegovernment.NoabsencesfromCommunistmeetings.Wearred.HangpicturesoftheGreatLeader.Don’ttrustyourneighbors.Don’tspeakyourmind.Youarebeingwatched.Butwariscoming,warbetweenNorthandSouthKorea,betweentheSovietsandtheAmericans.Warcauseschaos--andwaristheperfecttimetoescape.Theplanissimple:SoraandherfamilywillwalkhundredsofmilestotheSouthKoreancityofBusanfromtheirtinymountainvillage.Theyjustneedtoavoidnapalm,frostbite,borderguards,andenemysoldiers.Buttheycan’t.Andwhenanincendiarybombingchangeseverything,SoraandherlittlebrotherYoungwillhavetogettoBusanontheirown.Canatwelve-year-oldgirlandhereight-year-oldbrothersurvivethreehundredmilesofwarzoneinwinter?Haunting,timely,andbeautiful,thisharrowingnovelfromasearingnewtalentoffersreadersaglimpseintoavanishedtimeandaclosednation.AJaneAddamsChildren’sBookAwardFinalistAnILAIntermediateFictionAwardWinnerAnAmericanLibraryAssociationNotableChildren’sBookAKirkusReviewsBestBookoftheYearAJuniorLibraryGuildSelectionABankStreetBestChildren’sBookoftheYear“Willultimatelyberecognizedasoneofthebestbooks...ontheKoreanWar.“--EducationAboutAsia,theAssociationforAsianStudies
