A sea of gold

In this extended picture book telling, three generations of Ukrainian women--Alina, Yana, and Oksana--flourish raising sunflowers, the radiant petals symbolizing plenitude and hope "as far as they could see and their hearts could reach." Signature illustrations rendered in pencil, marker, and acrylic by Polacco (Palace of Books) immerse readers in the characters' daily lives as sovereign citizens celebrating myriad happy occasions. But the government of Russia becomes increasingly ruthless toward Ukraine, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine shatters this world. "You need to get away. RUN. RUN!" shouts a neighbor as billowing black smoke fills the sky. After harrowing, chaotic scenes of escape and displacement, a new life begins in South Dakota, where a Ukrainian community cultivates sunflowers that slowly lead to a familiar "sea of gold" and the idea that "the hope and love that is our homeland will grow and grow and grow!" The prolific creator's most expansive work to date, this historical accounting that feels ripped from the headlines also offers a visually stunning testimony to resilience and renewal. Characters are portrayed with pale skin. A glossary and author's note conclude. Ages 4--8. (Dec.)

Three generations of Ukrainian sunflower farmers thrive until Russia wages war on their country. Every good family saga features a wedding, and this one boasts two. First, Alina marries Fedir. The newlyweds receive land with a dacha built on it to set them up for the future. Soon they'll have a "sea of gold"--sunflowers that provide food, oil, and mulch. Alina becomes a baker and makes offerings to "BA BA SPODIVATYSYA," an ancient oak tree. The couple's daughter, Yana, is born in 1991, as Ukraine wins its independence from Russia. Years later, the second wedding--Yana's, to a young man named Andreyev--is accompanied by rumors of Russian aggression toward Ukraine. Yana and Andreyev's daughter, Oxana, is born with the expectation that she, too, will farm sunflowers. Then the Russians invade. The family house is set on fire; Oxana stops speaking. Alina, Yana, and Oxana, separated from their husbands and fathers, escape to Poland, then to America to live with Alina's brother. Oxana's sadness persists until it's time to plant sunflower seeds there. Hidden within her doll are her family's sunflower seeds, and sharing them reawakens her joy as she's reminded of her homeland. With this methodically paced, poignant story, Polacco draws on her own Ukrainian heritage with illustrations of babushkas, their homes festooned with icons that evoke folksy farm scenes and resplendent sunflower fields. An empathetic, heartbreaking look at how warfare can tear families apart--and how traditions still endure. (author's note, glossary)(Picture book. 7-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.