The Enemy's Daughter - by Anne Blankman

Book Synopsis

In the spirit of Lauren Wolk and Ruta Sepetys comes the tale of a girl fighting her way back home after surviving the sinking of the Lusitania--and learning to think for herself rather than accept the prejudice of wartime.

The year is 1915 and the world is at war. Marta and her father are passengers on the Lusitania, desperately trying to get back home to Germany. While aboard, they must keep their identities hidden or risk being mistaken for enemy spies. Then the Lusitania is attacked by a German submarine. They just make it off the sinking ship, but her father is discovered and detained. Marta suddenly finds herself alone in enemy land.

To survive, Marta must draw upon a deep well of bravery she never knew she had. Fortunately, she meets Clare, a young Irish girl who can talk a mile a minute, and her kind family. Believing that Marta is a Dutch refugee, they welcome her into their home. She can't risk letting her new friends know she's actually from Germany--the very nation that the Irish and English are fighting against. But could these people who have shown her nothing but kindness truly be her enemy?

Sweeping from the Irish Sea to a cathedral city in England, this story shows us that friendship, especially in times of war, may be the greatest gift of all.

Review Quotes

★ "In this thrilling tale of escape and intrigue, Marta and Clara learn lessons about discrimination, the cruelties of war, and the potential dangers of patriotism."--School Library Journal, starred review

"Themes of prejudice, friendship, kindness, truth, and wartime inhumanity thread this heartfelt story."--Kirkus Reviews

"The well-paced story offers a look into WWI history from the seldom-told perspective of a child whose native country is often depicted as the enemy."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Anne Blankman has loved to write stories for as long as she can remember. She grew up in Niskayuna, New York, where she met a classmate who had survived Chernobyl and who eventually inspired Anne to write The Blackbird Girls. They are still friends to this day. Currently, Anne lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, Mike, her daughter, Kirsten, and two rescue cats. For several years, she worked as a children's librarian but now she writes full-time. When she isn't writing, Anne likes to spend time with her family, read, travel, knit, and go for long runs. She loves hearing from readers, and you can visit her at AnneBlankman.com or @AnneBlankman.