Long Summer Nights

“Appelfeld (1932-2018) was a master storyteller, and his approach here resembles that of Isaac Bashevis Singer. But there is also a kind of naivete—Yanek does not quite understand what has happened to his parents and grandfather—that is reminiscent of Morris Gleitzman’s Once trilogy. While Grandpa Sergei instructs Yanek to wear a cross to protect himself against anti-Semitic harm, the danger they both face is prejudice against wanderers. The illustrations are strong yet stark and add to representation of the wanderers’ existence. This book adds a simple yet unexpected depth to the cadre of Holocaust refugee narratives. It offers memorable characters and little-known experiences. It could become a new favorite.” -Barbara Krasner, Association of Jewish Libraries newsletter

“[A] poignant tale of loss and survival.”–Publishers Weekly

“This haunt­ing account of a young Jew­ish boy in World War II Ukraine embod­ies both myth and his­to­ry. . . . The sub­tle­ty with which Appelfeld avoids com­fort­ing con­clu­sions about human inde­struc­tibil­i­ty in the face of evil is one of the most pro­found achieve­ments of this novel. . . . .Although Long Sum­mer Nights is not a pic­ture book, Vali Mintzi’s illus­tra­tions — inter­spersed through­out the text — are an essen­tial com­ple­ment to Appelfeld’s text. Drawn in the style of char­coal sketch­es, they cap­ture the link between human beings and nature which reflects Yanek and Grand­pa Sergei’s life in the coun­try­side. Peo­ple are dark sil­hou­ettes or have min­i­mal­ly defined fea­tures, lend­ing a folk­loric qual­i­ty to this tale of the lost world pre­served in Appelfeld’s poet­ry of anguish and love. Long Sum­mer Nights is high­ly rec­om­mend­ed for both chil­dren and adults.” -Jewish Book Council