A Sea of Gold

 

A Sea of Gold / Patricia Polacco
New York : Simon & Schuster, c2024
86 p.

I picked up this recent picture book in my library, for obvious reasons. It's about a family in Ukraine who are displaced by war, ending up in the US Midwest with relatives. 

But it's really not so simple. It focuses on three generations a family living in Cherinovska, Ukraine, who are sunflower farmers. The first generation marries and sets up a new farmstead; their daughter then marries and does the same. But their daughter ends up traumatized by war, only speaking again once she is in America with her great-uncle, once again planting sunflowers. 

This book started out just okay for me; the writing style is dense and expository, much like Polacco's other books, which I think are suited for older readers or for parent-child reading experiences. The illustrations are instantly recognizable as Polacco's work, with the loose linework and bright colours that are her hallmark. Really engaging, especially with all of the historical content around weddings and rituals - great opportunity to show off finery and colour. 

But what I didn't expect was the growing emotion in the story; by the last few pages I found myself unexpectedly moved. It was a powerful ending, to what is a pretty tragic story. After the men in their family do not return home when Russians bomb the nearby village, the three generations of women flee, eventually finding refuge with the grandmother's brother in America. But there is still their shared history to carry them through. 

I think this is a timely read, showing the lengthy history of war and trauma experienced by Ukrainians at the hands of Russians, happening now once more. But there is also the love of family, and hope that finishes off this story - based on Polacco's own Ukrainian heritage through her grandmother. Really touching.