by Jennifer A. Nielsen (Released August 28, 2018)
Research Board that Jennifer A. Nielsen used for this Novel
How did you come to know Chaya?
Chaya is largely inspired by the actual Jewish couriers who were caught up in a situation more terrible than most of us can possibly imagine. These young girls had to be so tough and focused and driven, and so I think Chaya’s voice emerged as exactly who she would have had to be to survive. But getting to know Chaya was a profound experience for me. The better I understood who she had been before the war, and how certain events impacted her, the easier it became to write from her perspective.
What do you think is Chaya's most admirable quality?
Everything that Chaya does is driven by the intensity of her love: of her family and of her people, and the love of life. She feels this so deeply that when those she loves are threatened or outright taken from her, she reacts with equal passion against the Nazi armies. This love fuels Chaya’s ability to do things that might otherwise be out of reach for many people, giving her courage and passion and a commitment to keep going despite the odds being very much against her.
Is there anything you wish Chaya would have changed or done differently in her story?
Chaya’s story unfolded exactly as I hoped it would, and I don’t think there is a single scene I would change.
What do you think Chaya can offer to other children that are experiencing difficult situations?
Although we hope the most horrible periods of history will never repeat themselves, certainly we know that this is a troubled world and that children, even in the most protected places, will still go through difficult times. This is one of the remarkable ways in which the power of books can be demonstrated. Children tend to read themselves into stories, to experience the story from within the pages and through the eyes of a beloved character. So in the moments when a child is experiencing a particularly difficult time, I hope they will remember Chaya’s strength and courage and use her example to draw their own courage, whatever the scale of their challenge.
How did you research Chaya and the circumstances she found herself in?
I always begin research with the widest scope of the topic and then gradually narrow in to the details. So I started by gaining an overall perspective of World War 2 as it impacted Poland, then moved from there into studying the ghettos, death camps, the various resistance movements, and the individuals who joined them. When my typed notes on the research topped 60 pages (plus all the printed material and books), I created a timeline that spreads over six poster boards in my office. And finally, I created a separate poster with the pictures and brief bios of many actual resistance fighters, to constantly remind myself that I was writing of real events and people, and that I owed it to them to get this story correct.
Do you and Chaya share any similarities?
This is a tricky question because although Chaya is a fictional character I created, she is based heavily on the actual Jewish couriers, who became who they had to be in order to do their jobs and to survive. Having never experienced anything even remotely as horrific as what these couriers went through, I would never presume to compare myself to Chaya, or to any of the real-life heroes of the Jewish resistance movement. If we share any similarities at all, I would consider that a huge honor.
What was the hardest scene to write about Chaya?
The most difficult scenes came early in the book as Chaya is making that transition from innocence into the girl she will have to be in order to survive. There is a definite break into her new self during a visit with her parents when she attempts to give them forged papers to escape the ghetto. It was heart-wrenching to write because there is so much love in the scene, but Chaya has to accept that love is not enough to save them. She cannot change her parents’ minds, nor can she change who she is, and she will just have to carry on alone.
Who do you think was Chaya's biggest supporter and why?Although Chaya doesn’t recognize this for most of the story, I believe Chaya’s biggest supporter is Ester, her companion in her travels. The two girls are very different and don’t always agree, but I think Chaya gradually begins to understand how much Ester admires her and wants to be like her, and that Ester will do all she can to help Chaya succeed.
Why do you think some young people (Chaya) have the strength and determination to accomplish things that sometimes adults can’t?
I find it fascinating to watch toddlers learn to walk. They stand, take a step and fall and get back up again, then inevitably fall, and sometimes they fall hard. Yet still they get up again because something inside them knows they are meant to walk. I think that same concept applies to all young people in their strength and determination. They try and try, even if the odds are stacked against them because something in them believes they will succeed. Imagine our world if we adults approached our challenges with equal grit as so many young people.
What do you think Chaya is doing as the present time?
In my imagination, Chaya did survive the war, though she would have rarely spoken of her actions as a Jewish courier and ghetto resistance fighter. Instead, she would have tried to pass those honors and respects to those who sacrificed their lives for the defense of others. As practical as Chaya became, she would have also determined to move on and rebuild her life in the best way she could, continuing to move forward with honor and love.
