Description
Description
As war escalates between the Russians and Ukrainians in the port city of Sevastopol, can one girl and a pod of dolphins prove that communication is the greatest weapon of all?
It's February of 2014 in the seaport city of Sevastopol in Crimea. Sofiya Oleksandrivna only wants two things: to figure out a way to get Ilya Ilyich to stop bullying her, and to convince her mother to come back home. But as battleships come to populate the waters around their city and Russian forces, including Ilya's father, start to make their presence known, an even greater threat takes over Sofiya's life.
The only escape Sofiya has is the dolphinarium where her father is a trainer at the forefront of teaching sign language to a pod of dolphins. And now the Russian military has ordered the dolphinarium to hand over its animals for military use. As armed Russian troops invade Crimea and conflict and tension continue to rise, Sofiya will do everything she can to keep her pod safe. And what she knows better than any of the soldiers occupying her city, is that the most powerful force is communication.
Based on the true events of the 2014 annexation of Crimea, Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger depicts a familiar world where divisions are sown by hate, but where love can make a world of difference.
About the Author
About the Author
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
Praise for Swimming with Spies
Amazon Best of the Month
* "The rich, detailed descriptions of Sofiya's experience training the mammals, which Lucyk-Berger deftly blends with Ukrainian political history, are captivating and Sofiya's deep bond with them suffuses this affecting story of a preteen grappling with her understanding of her own Ukrainian Russian identity and the loss of her mother." -- Publisher's Weekly, starred review
"As they hatch a daring plan to rescue the dolphins, their steadfast teamwork and mutual trust against a backdrop of conflict is inspiring. A heart-pounding, thought-provoking adventure based on true events." -- Kirkus Reviews
"Nuanced characters and brisk pacing add interest to a novel focusing on historical events that are now current events and rarely written about in middle grade fiction." -- School Library Journal
Publishing Information
Publishing Information

The Allstora Membership
Membership Perks:
- Save 30% on all online store purchases
- Exclusive access to author's content
- You pay less, but authors still earn double
Membership Terms:
- To access membership discount simply log in and add to cart, discount applied automatically.
- One month free trial, cancel anytime. Membership renews on the 15th of each month.

