Hanna Michelson considers herself only a half-jew. Her father was not Jewish – but her mother is. And so, in the eyes of the Nazis that are storming Latvia – Hanna is Jewish. But how can this make so much difference? For all her life Hanna has mixed with people not of her religion. Her boyfriend, her friends at dance school. But, even though she protests that she is half Jewish, Hanna will have to watch everything slip away as she enters the concentration camp of Latvia.

A story of betrayal and trust, a story of death and disappearance.

The Earth is Singing provided the first detailed description of a concentration camp that I have ever read. The daily routine, food and work was described. I was thrust into a harsh world as I turned the pages. In most books about concentration camps, the protagonist  states that he/she is proud to be Jewish. However, in this story, Hanna proclaims that she does not want to be Jewish. In addition to the fact that Hanna was only half-Jewish, this provided an entirely new aspect to the story. The Earth is Singing is a book that tore through my heart, and although there is no inappropriate content, due to the sad and terrible subject matter, I would recommend this to any ten-year-old and up.

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!