I was initially drawn to this story because I don't think I've ever read a book set in Indonesia during World War II. I was hooked from the beginning. This is excellent historical fiction. The author based this book on her grandmother's experiences during the war, and you could feel the love and admiration she holds for her throughout the story. Emmy is an amazing protagonist. So strong and courageous. This book is a great example of how we can become our best selves when everything is stripped away from us. She goes through so much in this book, but it never breaks her.

I loved the relationships in this story. The found family in the concentration camp is one of the best things about this book. The way they all help each other was beautiful. I also adore Bakti and Emmy's friendship, and the frenemies to best friends relationship between Emily and Violet. They were all incredibly inspiring and gave me hope that most people are good and that the good can shine through in the darkest of places. I think this is why I'm so drawn to stories written in this period - I need to see that goodness, courage, and bravery.

This is one of those books that you will not be able to put down. The writing is lush and compelling, and you're going to want to read "just one more chapter" until suddenly you look up and you are not in Batavia, but your own home, and oops, you read the whole book in one sitting. This is a middle-grade story, but it has universal appeal. I think it would make an excellent read-aloud.

Because there are some very harrowing moments, I'd recommend this one for ages 10+

An adventurous middle-grade story set during WW2 on the Dutch-colonized island of Java. We follow 12-year-old Emmy, who gains the will to survive and even save those she loves during the Japanese occupation of her home, while coming to terms with her own complicity in colonial oppression of Java.

The book is well-written and Emmy is a likable, realistic character. Her journey from naivety to growing up happens gradually over the course of the novel.

A content warning, but also minor spoiler - a good chunk of the book takes place in a prisoner camp. The author shies away from the worst horrors - almost to the point of being too sanitized (for example, no beatings are ever mentioned, despite that being a common feature of the camp), though hunger and disease are quite present. The book is inspired by the author's own grandmother's experiences.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to kids and adults alike looking to expand their horizons in history.

This book was so good, even if I forgot until partway through that the blurb mentioned that its set in a Japanese PoW camp in Indonesia, so it caught me off-guard even if it shouldn't have. It was very intense and sad and beautiful all at the same time.

While yes it is technically a middle grade book, its middle grade in the same way The Book Thief is YA. I think its a wonderful read for all ages, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it to young kids, probably 12 and up, because while I think learning about history and wars are important, it did have quite violent scenes (for a kids book) and scenes of very harsh punishment.
The themes however are very relevant for kids today. It discusses racism, colonisation, imperialism, the brutality and unfairness of war, grief, along with the expected kids themes of friendship, family, and identity.

The characters were all great and complex, especially Emmy, Violet, and Bakti (although even the minor characters were nuanced) and the relationships between all the characters felt very real.

It reminded me quite a lot of Eva Ibbotson's books, with its themes of friendship intertwined with darker themes of war and xenophobia.

Very, very good book and I will definitely be recommending it.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me the eArc

The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree by Lucille Abendanon is a fictional tale that is based on the very real events her grandmother, Emmeline Abedanon faced during the Japanese invasion of the then Dutch East Indies now Indonesia, during 1942 to 1945.

This is a book for young adults and does feature mentions of violence, starvation, and other war related horrors to please take this on board before continuing to read this book. There are moments that will make the reader emotional or nauseous, but even if it's fictional, the events of this invasion need to be acknowledged.

Set in Batavia (now Jakarta) in 1942, Emmy is 12 and trying to recover from the aftermath of a family tragedy that leaves her through psychological means unable to sing anymore. She, along with her father, is planning to leave the Dutch East Indies as the aftermath of Pearl Harbour has Japan looking towards the country. Emmy and her father are looking to flee to England, but everything goes wrong as Emmy's stubbornness and refusal to leave the place she calls home? Means that the two never escape..

From then on, everything the young girl has ever known is turned upside-down as World War II comes to their shores. The young girl is taken away by Japanese soldiers to the infamous Tjideng internment camp alongside children she'd gone to school with and their mothers.

Tjideng is a place of horrors, and the author has brought this prison camp, and that occurred there to life from the stories her grandmother, Emmeline Abedanon, recounted. This, of course, is where I have to remind you of my words of caution. The Japanese soldiers were determined to break their prisoners by any means, and the author describes this is in a gentle bur honest manner with many starving or receiving food that was rotten, the fact illnesses such as malaria spread swiftly through the emaciated women and children etcetera. But these brave people of Tjideng stayed strong, and such things as a choir kept them united, and the camaraderie is displayed beautifully as the women worked together as an almost family until 1945 when the Americans came.

Emmy's fictional story made me cry. It was hard to know so many went through this due for no other reasons than their birth and in the specific case of the Dutch East Indies, because the Emperor was determined to expand the Empire and lied to many, convincing the Indonesian residents that they would restore the country to them.

I'm so glad I got the opportunity to read this, I'd suggest this book to anyone wishing to learn more about WW2, and it'd be good as a companion book in schools when the subject matter is taught.

Emmeline Abedanon is an incredible woman if this glimpse of her childhood is anything to go by, as was anyone who endured such atrocities as she did. Thank you to Lucille for telling her story.

I read this in 2023 and enjoyed it.

Congratulations to the author and thanks to the publisher for the copy!

A simply stunning novel that is beautifully written. I am finding more and more middle grade books with a wonderful story and a poignant message and this is definitely one of them

Oh, wow! This book is a stunner! I am happy to say that the first book I have finished reading in 2024 is a 5 STAR READ!

When I went on NetGalley and requested an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book, I based my request solely on the title and the beautiful cover art. I didn't even read the blurb about the story! When I was approved for the ARC, I was so excited!

I have read a LOT of Historical Fiction (and Nonfiction) books that take place during World War II, but this is the first I have read that takes place in the Dutch East Indies.

The author weaved together a stunning tapestry of the beautiful country that is now Indonesia, its native residents, the Dutch colonizers, the unfair treatment towards the natives of the country, and the privilege of the colonizers. It was no wonder that the natives of Batavia fell for the lies of the Japanese, who claimed that they invaded Batavia in order to liberate, rather than dominate.

Amidst all the politics, and the ugliness of war was a naive young girl, named Emmy, her best friend Bakti, and a spoiled rich girl named Violet. Nothing could have preparee the three of them for what was to come, when Japan invaded.

If you were to ask me just one book to read this year, this one is it! The fact that this book is based on the real-life experiences of the author's grandmother only enhanced the story's appeal. (Be sure to read the author's note at the end of the book.) Even though the author changed some of the details of what happened to her grandmother, she honored the beautiful spirit of her Oma Emmy. I can hardly wait for the publication date, so I can purchase a copy of this book to share with my friends!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an Advance Reader Copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

Highly recommended!

This is a story of Emmy's journey. A wonderful and well-written novel told from another perspective during World War II. The experiences and the nuances portrayed in this novel were all genuine. I love how even during times of war, compassionate hearts triumph and always shine through.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an opportunity to read this wonderful book.

First and foremost, thank you to Netgalley and Jolly Fish Press for this arc. My opinions are my own.

Set during WW2 in the Dutch West Indies, Emmy Abendanon has lived a rather privileged life. Although she has lived across Europe in her short 11 years, she considers Batavia her home. However, war is coming, and her father wants her to be in the safety of a music school in England. The only problem is Emmy can’t sing anymore, not since the death of her mother. Emmy decides to do her best to make sure her father doesn’t ship her off and due to her determination, she succeeds. However, her actions lead to grave consequences when she ends up in a war camp run by the invading Japanese. Emmy, alone and afraid, must survive the camp with hopes to reunite with her loved ones.

I absolutely loved this debut novel! I didn’t know anything about the Dutch West Indies during WW2 or that after the war, it led to the independence of the country from the Dutch becoming what is today known as Indonesia. I learned so much during my reading and loved the information in the back of the book regarding the history of the Dutch West Indies.

Although this is a middle grade, it doesn’t shy away from the brutal reality that the war brought. Abendanon did an excellent job of balancing the struggles of Dutch expats in the war-torn camps and also explaining the struggles of native people being treated horribly in their own nation.

I highly recommend it!


I will post a review of this novel to my Instagram around the publication date.

Thank you the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC of The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🇸🇬 want to learn more about history
🎶 love to sing
💥 are interested in WWII
📦 have ever had to move

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Batavia, Dutch East Indies, 1942.

Emmy has the voice of an angel but hasn’t sung a note since a family tragedy. With war looming, her father plans to ship her off to a singing school in England for safety. But all Emmy wants to do is stay in Batavia with her best friend, Bakti, even if it means putting up with her snooty classmate, Violet. Then the Japanese army invades―and as war erupts in the Dutch East Indies, Emmy’s world falls apart.

When her own actions sabotage her chance to evacuate the island, Emmy is captured and confined in the Tjideng prisoner-of-war camp with other women and children. Separated from her family and friends, and silenced by her grief, Emmy will need all her strength to survive the war, find her voice, and reclaim her freedom.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was such an incredible and inspiring story about something that I never really knew about before. I’ve read a lot of WWII stories but most of them involve Europe rather than Asia, so this was a really eye opening read for me. Written through the eyes of a young girl, this story is perfect for younger kids who want to learn more about WWII and this history. While a bit dark at a times, I think it’s important that this kind of stuff isn’t forgotten about.

Truly one of the most beautiful and poignant middle grade novels I’ve read recently!

My grandfather spent two years in a POW camp in South-East Asia, so when I noticed that this novel – based on the author’s own family history – was set in the 1940s in what is now Indonesia, I knew I absolutely had to read it. And I was not disappointed: I cried, I felt in turn hopeless and hopeful, and I learnt about strength and resilience.

The topics the novel covers are very complex: they include colonisation and decolonisation, as well as war-time invasion and imprisonment, but the author really manages to capture with honesty and sensitivity the sometimes contradicting emotions of all the people involved. The characters learn, grow and evolve, and a glimmer of hope is always present. Language is also a key part of the story: by telling us which languages the characters speak (or do not speak), we delve yet again in the complex relationships of all those present.

I cannot recommend this book enough! Beyong the young protagonist’s story, the novel represents a chapter of history that is sometimes overlooked in WWII fiction. It is an essential read.

Many thanks to North Star Editions and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. This is my honest opinion of the book. Review available on Goodreads now, and retailer sites after publication date.

The story is well written enough to flow easily, making for a quick read. Having read a relatively large number of novels set in this time period, it was interesting to find one set in a place I knew little about. The author does a good job of offering many perspectives on events, at least for a book written in the voice of a European character. The main character begins the story ignorant of the inequalities around her in a Dutch Colony in Asia. Through the story she learns how unfair life is for the native population with whom she lives, although this unfairness, and her dawning awareness are all fairly lightly depicted. The horrors of the prisoner of war camp however are very clearly drawn, and harrowing. I was interested to learn in the authors note that the story is based on her grandmother's experience, but her grandmother was a young adult when it happened, rather than a child. This may account for the slightly off feeling of the narrative, particularly in the camp. It did feel like the narrators feelings and reactions were not quite right, perhaps it's because they are a bit above her age level. Knowing very little of the history of Batavia/Jakarta, I can't speak to the realism of the setting, but overall, the novel is well done.

One of the best book I have read this year . The book is amazing . What makes it exciting are the twists and turns . It is unpredictable. The character development makes the story amazing . Specially bakti had a huge character development. And ofcourse I cannot forget about violet . With her character development, she became my fav in the last .definitely 5 star . The writing style is beautiful . Can't wait to read more books from the author

The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree is a breathtaking middle-grade novel that many adults also enjoy. Lucille Abendanon is a debut author from whom I hope we hear more in the future. The novel is a WWII story set in the Dutch East Indies rather than Europe, as most are. The story is related through the protagonist, Emmy, a twelve-year-old girl who lives a very nice life and whose best friend is the son of the family’s servant. WWII is waging in other places, but nobody thinks it will affect Batavia (modern-day Jakarta, Indonesia.) However, the Japanese invade the island, and Emmy’s life is changed forever. She is separated from her father and sent to an internment camp for women and children.
Abendanon’s descriptions of Batavia paint a vivid picture for the reader, whether it be the lush, beautiful garden area of Emmy’s house, the dust and bustle of the streets of Batavia, or the sparse nightmarish internment camp. Her writing is spare, not overly flowery, yet gives a complete picture of the sights and events. The reader feels Emmy’s desperation, confusion, and sadness.
The novel is based on the experiences of the author’s grandmother. The conditions described in the internment camp are harsh but not overly so for younger readers. I think this is an exceptional educational book for all ages.
Thank you to NetGalley and North Star Editions for the ARC.

I have read many books about Dutch internees at Japanese POW camps. Lucille's book is a lovely rendition geared toward younger readers. It's true to life, full of emotion and I love how it presents POVs of the local Indonesians, a Japanese already living in Batavia as well as young Emmy. A well-rounded book that kept me engaged and on my toes wondering what was going to happen next.

Twelve-year-old Emmy feels right at home in Batavia, a bustling focal point of the Dutch East Indies in the 1940s. She has a strong friendship with a local boy named Bakti, and even though she stands out as a colonizer among the native Javanese, she respects the people and the culture as her own. But when World War II arrives on her doorstep and Emmy is taken to an internment camp run by the Japanese, she must summon all her courage to not only survive, but also to find her way back to the life and the people she loves.

This is a unique approach to the genre of World War II historical fiction, particularly because it takes place in the Pacific theater and focuses on one of the civilians caught in the crosshairs of a global conflict as opposed to the soldiers themselves. Japanese and Melayu words pepper the narrative, and even though Emmy primarily speaks Dutch, the bulk of the text is written in English. Local culture, flora, and fauna are frequently described within the novel, placing readers on this small island whether they have ever visited themselves or not. Detailed paragraphs bring the story to life for the reader, especially as they depict Emmy’s surroundings and experiences—both good and bad—in vivid detail.

Emmy is the primary protagonist of the story, and she speaks in the first person which gives readers insight into her myriad feelings as she undergoes her transformation. Initially a naive colonizer, Emmy begins to realize the injustices around her as she experiences many of them herself. Though she continues to be a flawed character as the narrative progresses, she has redeeming qualities that endear the reader to her. There are occasional slow moments within the narrative, but for the most part it is engaging and provides a potentially new perspective on the history of World War II for readers of all ages. This is a unique addition to historical fiction collections for middle grade readers.

The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree by Lucille Abendanon is a truly amazing middle grade historical novel set in Indonesia during WW2. It’s such a unique take on this time period, I think I’ve only ever read World War stories that were set in Europe. Being Australian, the war in the Pacific was so much closer to home and it was great to read a book that highlighted the struggles people had in this region.
Emmy was a wonderful character, strong but vulnerable after losing her mother. The theme of singing is woven through the story and is a beautiful conveyance for Emmy’s arc.
Yes there are hard truths in here about women and children’s treatment in POW camps but nothing a middle grade reader couldn’t handle and we really need books like this to understand not only what should never happen again but that caring for others and standing together is one of humanities greatest strengths.
This book was inspired by the stories told to the author by her grandmother and I’m sure this enhanced the heart of the story. The language was beautiful and I loved the touches of local words sprinkled generously throughout.
If I could’ve given this more than five stars, I would’ve. It deserves a sky full.

Highly recommend for readers 9+
Thank you to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was made all the more poignant as it is based on a true story. The children and I have read many books about World War 2 and they are almost always based in the UK or France. This was so different being set in Indonesia.

The first thing that caught my attention for this book is the title! as an Indonesian, ofc I'm familiar of the word "Rambutan" the exotic tropical fruit and I also love the taste. So, I find the title interesting + the book cover is pretty..

The book follows Emmy, a 11-yo Dutch girl, who live in Batavia, Dutch East Indies on 1942. She's a nice girl, she has a bestfriend, Bakti. When The Japanese Imperial Army invades Dutch East Indies and the war comes, Emmy is captured and detained in a women and children's prisoner camp in Tjideng. Separated from her family, Emmy tries to survive and regain her freedom.

It was a well written middle grade book and I love how the story flows. It was enganging, the pacing of the story is just right and its short chapters makes me can't stop reading it. Oh and it was interesting to see the war through children's eyes. They are innocent and naive but they have to experience bad things.

The characters development is so good and it feels so real and relateable with modern days. Emmy, from innocentness and naiveness became a strong, open minded, and brave because of her circumstances. Another characters are just the same as good as Emmy and they have their own uniqueness. I love to read a book with good characters growth and development.

OH! and please read the author's note because it has an interesting story behind her writing. I just love to know what's inspire her so she finally wrote this book.

Definitely a recommended book for all of my friends! But maybe you wanna consider of its trigger warning, such as : war, violence, death of a loved one.

Thank you to the author, North Star Editions, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This story was amazing, and I can't believe it was based on a true story! I loved hearing how she escaped and then went back just to help her friend, and I loved seeing how the two girls became friends!