Until the Robin Walks on Snow by Bernice L. Rocque

With a bit of trepidation, I suggested we might try historical fiction. It did seem there were too few facts to tell the story as nonfiction.īetween us, my uncle and I had known most of the characters.

And, in my father’s family, questions and curiosity seem to drive us. Could we reconstruct the story about the tiny baby? As we yakked, we became more and more intrigued. My uncle knew I had been writing memoir-type vignettes. We were talking about the 1.5-pound preemie born to his parents in 1922-the tiny baby my grandparents were determined to save. This story idea surfaced during a conversation with my uncle. Thank you for inviting me for this interview, Liza. Great storytelling, coupled with impressive genealogical research, family stories and local history, I would highly recommend this captivating story about love, hope and faith, and the unwavering determination of a family to sustain one fragile life.įirstly, the most obvious question: what made you decide to write about this subject? And for me, this family’s long battle to save their child symbolises that same long struggle many immigrants face when they arrive in a new country. The story follows the birth of a premature baby, Antoni in the early twentieth century, “the smallest baby the doctor has ever seen––dead or alive”, and continues with the family's struggle to save this 1.5lb child during an extremely cold winter.Īs well as precise details of how the family battles to save the baby, we also learn much about the culture, religion and celebrations of the author’s Lithuanian, Polish, and Russian ancestors, allowing the reader to truly feel a part of this 1920s community. It is suitable for ages 10 and up.įrom the moment I opened my copy of Until the Robin Walks on Snow I was hooked by the author’s eloquent prose, as she creatively marries fact and fiction.

We like to say that this is the story that 'might have happened.' I wrote it so that most members of a family would be able to read it. My uncle and aunt, who grew up in the 1920s, served as advisers for me. The mother in the story was my Lithuanian grandmother. This work of fiction is based on actual events. You have just moved - from a city with some conveniences to a farm with no electricity or running water. Imagine that you are the parent of a newborn weighing one-and-a-half pounds. Until the Robin Walks on Snow was named a Finalist in the National Indie Excellence Awards in the category, FACTION (fiction based on fact). MCA recognizes the best in family-friendly media, products, and services. Until the Robin Walks on Snow is a Mom's Choice Award (MCA) Gold Recipient for YA HISTORICAL FICTION. Firstly, a few words about this charming book:

Until the Robin Walks on Snow by Bernice L. Rocque