The author's note elevated this book above the average for me. If I had read the synopsis, I would have known the real life basis of the story. Aside form that though, this book felt like an average WWII novel that covered time far too quickly. The main character starts the novel around age 123 and finished around age 16/17 yet the maturity and skill that she gains throughout these years just appears. The development never shoes up in the narrative. this is a decent book but not one that I will seek out to add to my personal or classroom library.

A well-written middle-grade novel about the Warsaw Uprising and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Highly recommended.

I always learn so much from Jennifer Nielsen's historical fiction. Her research is astounding, and she balances tension and details so well that I'm always able to picture the scene without getting bogged down reading too much description.
The Polish uprising in Warsaw was not a story I knew well at all, though I had learned a lot about the Warsaw Ghetto uprising from her previous book, Resistance. Reading this one from the perspective of a Polish (non-Jewish) girl - one who had experienced some privilege, but had no power - I was able to feel Lidia's frustration, her desire to do something, to fight back. As this is based on a true story, during a real war, there is death and tragedy in this book, but also hope, courage, and triumph. And although we in the present day know how that war ended (and the devastation it caused), it was impossible to put this book down until I knew what happened to Lidia. There are many books set during WWII, but there are so many different stories, and each one matters.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jennifer A. Nielsen writes great historical fiction books. I really enjoyed this one, especially discovering at the end that Lidia was indeed a real person!

Jennifer A. Nielsen never fails to deliver a compelling tail with rich historical settings. This book was definitely that. I enjoyed reading this with my middle grade kids. Lidia was such an interesting and strong character. Our only complaint is the relationship between Lidia and her mother was pretty awful and sometimes made us so angry as we read. Perhaps this is the reaction the author wanted. Truly, well-written and interesting throughout. Highly recommend all of her books.

Fantastic WWII novel for middle school kiddos. My students love Jennifer A. Nielsen and WWII historical fiction, but I was nervous that "Uprising" might be too similar to "Resistance." Of course, I needn't worry. While "Resistance" focuses on the Warsaw Ghetto, "Uprising" covers the Polish Resistance and only touches on the Warsaw Ghetto. Based on true events, Ms. Nielsen creates a nail-biting historical thriller.

Jennifer Nielsen's latest historical fiction novel takes place in Poland during the Nazi occupation of World War II. The main character deals with family issues related to her relationship with her mother, missing her father who is captured as a prisoner of war, guilt over not being able to help her Jewish friends, and the urge for autonomy in a time where basic necessities are a struggle. Overall, this novel was an enjoyable read and the research into the people and events of the time period is evident. The ending is where the story falls apart for me, as there is a huge build up and what feels like a rushed resolution. This title was still purchased for my library, but I would recommend Resistance by the same author ahead of this one.

Uprising
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Pub DateMar 05 2024
Scholastic |Scholastic Press
Children's Fiction| Historical Fiction| Middle Grade


Scholastic and Netgalley provided me with a copy of Uprising for review:




Twelve-year-old Lidia is outside her grandfather's house when planes bearing the Nazi cross fly overhead. She realizes her life is about to change forever before the bombs hit. As Poland falls under German occupation, her father joins the Polish army to fight the Nazis. She wants to follow him into war, but she is too young, and her mother and brother need her.




After returning to Warsaw, where life has irrevocably changed, Lidia continues to play the piano, finding comfort in Chopin, Bach, and Beethoven. She also wants to help the Jewish captives in the Warsaw Ghetto. Lidia begins smuggling wheat and food into the ghetto with the help of a friend. Despite this, she feels like she could be doing so much more. She wants to fight. She soon becomes a courier for the resistance, smuggling weapons and messages.


With gunfire and bombs echoing throughout the streets during the Warsaw city uprising - one year after the well-known Warsaw Ghetto uprising by Jews - Lidia joins the Polish nationalists' fight, too, and she and her peers fight with everything they've got. As she and the resistance fighters fight to defeat the German soldiers, life will continue to surprise Lidia. Even with their lives on the line, they are willing to defend their freedom and their homes from Nazi invaders.



The extraordinary true story of Polish teenager Lidia Zakrzewski is the inspiration for bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen presents a captivating and dramatic account of the Polish resistance fighters who struggled to overthrow their Nazi occupiers and reclaim their nation's freedom from oppression.


I give Uprising five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

A book during WWII from a different and unique perspective. I waited awhile after reading this to just let it all sink in.

So many books aren't written from the strength and survival of Jews that made it through the horrors of the concentration camps. This book brings a perspective of others in Poland that were working to fight back against the Nazis too. Not all civilians were passive or enablers.
I really liked the parallel when Lidia witnesses a group of Jews in the Warsaw ghetto fighting back against their captors. She realized that she can do good and help and fight back as well.

The portrayal of Lidia becoming a messenger was done very well. You were able to feel her fear about getting caught and sensed her bravery as well, especially after the fighting broke out.

This is a good book for girls to read because it really shows that girls can be strong and make a difference. Since it is aimed at younger readers(but perfect for adults too), this book is a good learning tool to have discussions about what happened during that time in history.

As with other Jennifer Nielson books, this one is very well written and impactful.

Thank you to Scholastic and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

Loved it!! This is one of Jennifer Nielsen's best books yet!! A great story I hadn't heard before! And it's true which makes it even better!!

First sentence: If I'd known what was coming that morning, I'd have done things differently. I certainly wouldn't have fought with my mother.

Premise/plot: Jennifer Nielsen's newest book is set in Poland during the Second World War. It is a fictionalized account inspired by a real teenager, Lidia Zakrzewski, a Resistance fighter. Lidia, our heroine, is outraged when Poland falls and the Nazis invade. Everything changes dramatically in such a short amount of time. Her home life--which had some tension before with a difficult mother--becomes truly dramatic. Still, she keeps on keeping on--resisting, persisting, doing anything and everything to defy the new regime. "Simple" things like going to an illegal school so she can continue her education. More difficult things like becoming a messenger--running messages for those in the resistance--before ultimately becoming a fighter herself. This is a brutal coming of age story set in a harsh environment.

My thoughts: I have never been disappointed by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Still holds true with her newest book. I found this one engaging. I read it quickly--one or two sittings--because I just got caught up in the story. It was a rough read as many war books are. But it was a GREAT read. Definitely recommended.

This was a great book about courage, bravery, and standing up for the right thing. This is a great book for middle-age children, grades 4-6. I will be adapting this book into my curriculum on injustice. I currently have a few books we read; however this book is a great addition to talk about World War 2. The plot is seemingly accurate, even if the story is fiction. Overall, I enjoyed this book. The only note is that the main character, Lidia, seems a little whiny -- however this character trait changes over time, showing character change over time.

I received a digital copy of this book through Netgalley. I love all of Jennifer A. Nielsen's historical fiction. This one took me a little more to get into than previous titles, but it did not disappoint.

I really enjoyed this book. As a teacher, I could definitely see using this with a group of high school students when talking about WWII.

Another fantastic historical fiction novel by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Add this to all middle school collections where the author's other works or historical fiction novels are popular. Avid readers will fly through this book!

ARC Book Review of Uprising by Jennifer A Nielsen

Genre: Historical Fiction; Based on true story

"That we all live in this great symphony, each of us an instrument that we play for the world. If we lose one, the song is never quite what it was meant to be."

Uprising tells the story based on real-life events from the life of Lidia Zakrzewski, code name: Cello, a teenager growing up in Warsaw, Poland during the invasion and occupation by German Nazis. Broken into parts, the story is told from the point of view of Lidia as she navigates life and the hardships of poverty and danger lurking around every corner in war-torn Warsaw, Poland.

"This looked like a war zone. No, it was a war zone. My home had become a war zone."

Things I found interesting:
-What life was like during World War 2 in Warsaw Poland
-The hardships faced by many
-The resistance and uprising brought about by the citizens of Poland
-The strategies and tactics those citizens employed to end the occupation of German Nazis

"Safety," I muttered. "There's no such thing in Warsaw."

Do you enjoy reading about World War II in novel form? This was an excellent middle grade read about a young girl and her fight to survive Nazi-occupied Warsaw. It is also a story of her will-power to keep going and the courage it took to be a resistance fighter during the uprising.
What an awful time to be alive. To have everything stripped away from you, your father gone off to war, and you are made to live in a tiny apartment that overlooks the Warsaw Ghetto, the place Jews were crammed into and forced to live in by the Nazis. But what astounding bravery and courage, and sheer grit was had by so many during that time. It is also a story of redemption and learning to forgive.
I loved that this was based on a true story and that the author included photographs from the narrator's life at the end of the book as well as an Author's Note.

CW/TW: death of loved ones, emotional/mental abuse, without detail: cruelty and brutality, poverty, harsh living conditions, blood and wounds

Thank you Netgalley and Scholastic for the free ecopy of the book. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own. Note: The quotes were taken directly from a physical copy of the book.

Another great family friendly historical fiction from a master. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys middle grade novels.

Lidia is a 12-year-old living in Poland at the start of WWII. Her whole world is upended when Germany invades. As her family is torn apart, she wants to help defend her country but is too young. Joining the Warsaw resistance proves to be her way of fighting back against Hitler and the German soldiers who are destroying her homeland and killing everyone around her. Daily, she risks her life to aid the resistance. This book is very informative and engaging. While reading the author's note, I was shocked to learn that Lidia Zakrzewski was a real person - incredible! Uprising would make a great addition to any library serving middle-grade readers.

Thank you to Scholastic Press and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

Uprising is a beautifully-written book about a horrific period in history. Coincidentally, I started reading this one right as we began our WW2 unit. I'm sure my kids will learn a lot as they work their way through the experiences of Lidia's life.

Jennifer A. Nielson is gifted when it comes to historical fiction. So many of the stories captivated me! My only struggle was the pacing as years passed -- it was hard for me to "see" time passing as Lidia grew up. I greatly appreciated the photos and updates about the real Lidia at the end of the book -- it definitely added great perspective about what the people of Poland had to endure.

Very well-written historical fiction title based on a true story. I will read anything based in WW2, especially if it’s set around one of the lesser-focused aspects of the war. This hit the mark all around, with a setting in Warsaw, Poland and a focus on the Polish uprising. Lidia’s story is compelling and I found myself picking it up again and again to “just read one more chapter”. This title will be finding a home on my personal bookshelf for my children to read in addition to being recommended for our school library.