Uprising is about a young Polish girl named Lidia whose life is turned upside down after the German Invasion during WWII. Lidia demonstrates remarkable bravery and character as she fights for not only her country and freedom, but for the Jewish people imprisoned by the Nazis. This story was emotional and incredible to read, made even better by the notes at the end that share the real-life dates and further information about Lidia Durr. I highly recommend this book for all readers, but especially ones looking for in-depth perspectives of WWII and the German occupation of Europe.

Jenn8fer Nielsen weaves a gripping tale of resistance in Poland during WWII. Young readers will delve into history while grappling with the question: Would I stand up for what is right in the face of danger?

This book covers many years, beginning when the Nazi’s began taking over Poland in 1939 and concluding in October, 1944. The main character, Lidia, is only 12 years old at the beginning, but the readers grow up with her as her character goes from angsty teenager who hates her mom, to brave fighter with the Polish rebellion. While the pace and writing of the story is generally good, there was a point midway through where I had to take a break from the constant tension within the book. Without giving away too much from the story, I did appreciate the endnotes with pictures and explanations of how some of the characters were based on real people and how the plot was based on real events.

Thank you to Netgalley and @Scholastic for a copy of Uprising by Jennifer A. Nielsen for my honest review. It will be published March 5, 2024.

I absolutely loved Uprising. At first I was skeptical of another WWII book. However, twelve year old Lidia’s determination and loyalty to help her country won me over. When Lidia’s father leaves the family to fight for Poland, Lidia realizes her family will never be the same.

“Be compassionate and full of honor, and in that, you will find your strength.”

Lidia is a pianist but she wants to help the Jewish people and her country. She is always looking for ways to help other people throughout the city despite her mother’s warnings and the danger it may cause herself and her family. As the war continues, Lidia wants to join the resistance just like her brother. She begins as a messenger and works her way up to helping people escape through the sewers.

It’s amazing to reflect on this story because it is based on a real person. Lidia Zakrzewski, a real polish teenager who inspired this story. She was part of the resistance fighters who fought against the Nazis in Warsaw Poland. If you or any of the young readers you know love historical fiction, this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book will appeal to them. It has all the feels and emotions and is inspiring.

“Heros are those who stand up to do the right thing, no matter how their story ends.”

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. I love this author and this one didn't disappoint. Young readers get historical information in a way that relates to them. I will continue to read her books!!!!

First off, I just have to admit how much I love this author. She is so talented, can write in different genres, and I love how she brings history to life for our youth.

Poland in WW2 was different than other European countries. They were hit on both sides by two different countries. Lidia is a young girl, a talented pianist, whose family is impacted by this, as were all families in Poland. But Lidia is not a weak young woman, she is headstrong and willing to fight for what is right. She watches what happens around her and wants to help, to stop the murders and crimes against her people.

This story, taken from journals and retellings, helps us understand what children go through during war and conflict. But it also shows us the strength that comes from doing what is right. I imagine we could find some of these same stories in some of our current conflicts around the globe.

History is supposed to help us learn from the past. I hope this book encourages our young people to fight for what is right, to not give up, and to look forward to find that hope.

Thank you to Scholastic Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Jennifer Nielsen’s latest historical novel focuses on the Polish Resistance in Warsaw during WWII. It is based on Lidia Durr, a real-life Polish teenager who joined the Resistance. Her father enlisted in the early days of the invasion and was sent to Russia. Lidia’s mother, older brother Ryszard, and Lidia were forced out of their home by the Nazis and moved into a tiny apartment overlooking the Warsaw Ghetto. From there, they were able to see the atrocities occurring in the ghetto. Ryszard secretly joins the Resistance while Lidia, a piano prodigy, sneaks lessons. Eventually, the lessons must stop and Lidia joins the Resistance as a courier with the code name Cello along with her friend Maryana. Lidia is very good at what she does and is given more responsibility within the group thwarting the Nazi war effort. In 1944, Poland is stuck between the Germans and the Russians and will fall shortly. During a ceasefire, Lidia and Maryana and a few others manage to leave Poland for Allied nations.
This book is quite the page turner, as are most of Nielsen’s books. There are many middle grade books written about WWII and the Holocaust but not as many about the Polish Resistance. I highly recommend this book for grades 4 and up.
#Uprising #NetGalley

Although I'm very fond of Nielsen's fantasy books, this was my first time reading one of her historical fiction stories.

While it's not the best-written book I"ve ever read, the story is quite interesting. Nielsen writes in a brief, fast-paced style, moving quickly through the events of Lidia's life in a way that reminds me of a reporter giving you just the facts, only the facts, because there's too much to say and not enough time to do it.

It's also one of the few MG books I've encountered that focuses on the Polish Resistance, especially beyond the events of the Warsaw Ghetto. There are scores of historical fiction books for young readers about the American involvement in the war, but somehow, Poland's history hasn't received the same attention.

I'm glad to see this story, this part of history, getting into the hands of new readers through Lidia's determined, fearless young voice.

Uprising is a very inspiring book about not giving up no matter what. I am a huge fan of historical fiction and specially really enjoy World War 2 era books. I truly devoured this book. The story line kept my attention and was a fast paced read. However, I felt that the writing style was a bit off and did not seem like Nielsen's other books. Overall a good read and a book I would recommend.

From an 11 year old reviewer:
The story of a girl and her family in WWII Germany. I liked that it’s about WWII, the main character is a girl, and how it was written. I think it’s cool that it was based on a true story. My favorite part of the book was that it was an adventure and that the main character became a messenger to help.

Jennifer A Nielsen’s Uprising falls in line with the beauty and historical intrigue of her previous books. Nielsen fans will surely be pleased! Based on the true story of Lidia Zakrzewski, this story presents the full circle of heartbreaking effects of the German invasion of Poland during WWII. Lidia is no longer able to practice her beloved piano or attend school, her father departs Warsaw to fight on the Russian front, and her brother joins the underground resistance unbeknownst to their mother. It takes time, but Lidia also finds her place in the resistance. Her bravery and tact in dangerous situations proves valuable to the brave Poles defending their country and their people. Told through the eyes of a twelve year old girl, this story is packed full of lessons worth pondering.

Both fast-paced and impeccably detailed, this text establishes itself as one readers will not want to put down. Young historical fiction fans will devour the knowledge shared about the lesser known Polish WWII experience. I cannot wait to hand this book to my history buff students.

NetGalley provided me with an advance copy of Uprising in exchange for an honest review.

Uprising is an inspiring book about a real-life, unlikely hero named Lidia Durr. When WW2 came to Poland, Lidia was a young girl without worries beyond struggles in her relationship with her mother and spending as much time practicing the piano as possible. After Germany invaded Poland, however, Lidia became a fighter. As part of the Polish Resistance, Lidia risked everything time and time again, doing all she could to help her country and her countrymen survive the war.

Though this story is heavy, it is heartfelt and written in such a way that I did not hesitate to share it with my own eleven-year-old daughter. Though we both were hesitant about some of the choices Lidia makes throughout the book, I enjoyed our discussions about the fine line between bravery and stupidity, and what might have happened had the characters made different choices. My heart ached for the strained relationship between Lidia and her mother, but I loved how Nielsen was able to take their true story and show us that both women were courageous in their own ways. I was disappointed that the ending felt so very abrupt, but I was grateful for the author's note at the end sharing what was fact vs. fiction and how Lidia was able to continue to live out her life with compassion for the people around her.

Thank you to NetGalley, Scholastic, and Jennifer A. Nielsen for providing me with an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Uprising was a really good middle grade novel about a young girl who decides to try and make a difference for the Jewish people living in the ghetto near her during World War II. Based on a real girls’s resistance fight, Uprising is heartfelt and will leave you will all the feels.

Jennifer Nielsen is my favorite author of historical fiction for middle grades. Uprising is a WW2 novel set in Warsaw Poland. The main character Lidia really lived and fought against the Nazis. The book itself was a little hard for me to get into. I liked some of Nielsen’s other historical fiction books a little better. That being said, I love that she picked a real person and tried to stay as true as possible. I hope she continues to do that moving forward.

A master of middle grade, Jennifer Nielsen’s Uprising will satisfy tweens with a love of historical fiction, specifically the WWII time period. This story is set in Poland and tells the tale of Lidia and how drastically her life changes when Poland is invaded by Germany. Her father joins the Polish army, leaving her to fight for survival with her mother and brother. Forced out of their home by German officers, Lidia is heartbroken to leave behind her beloved piano. Finding themselves sharing a one bedroom apartment right outside the Warsaw Ghetto, Lidia struggles as she sees Jewish friends arrested and moved into the prison camp. This fuels Lidia’s growing desire to join the resistance. Her brother is already a member, but he refuses to let her join saying she is too young. Eventually, even he can’t stop her and she begins to work as a courier, smuggling weapons and messages for the resistance throughout the city. Even when it feels like a losing battle, Lidia and her “resistance” army friends continue to fight the Nazis in order to reclaim Poland from tyranny. This story was action-packed and revealed a different side of WWII historical fiction that is not as prevalent in middle grade. I didn’t realize until the end that it is based on a real person! I rated this 41/2 out of 5 stars.

This book started slow for me. However, by the end, it became one of Jennifer A. Nielsen's best books to me. I loved the characterization of Lydia and her mom. Lydia is outspoken, determined, and fearless. The scene where Lydia plays the piano in the middle of destruction with German soldiers firing at her showed all of these characteristics.

Confession: I requested this book because I'm already a fan of the author. This book did not disappoint. 12 year old Lidia is visiting her grandfather outside Warsaw when the first german bombs started falling on Poland. This story follows their journey back to Warsaw, out of the beautiful house she grew up in where the piano she excels at playing sits idle because they don't want to draw any attention to themselves, into a smaller apartment because German officers commandeer the family home. Lidia joins the resistance and fights until the end of the war to save her beloved country. The backmatter was a great addition to the story as it helped add in the facts that historical fiction can blur and put a real face to the character I'd just followed through one of the most devastating events her country would endure in modern history. I finished it last night and recommended it to a class of 5th graders this morning.

A Night Divided is a fav among our students in 4th and 5th grade! Uprising will be an easy sell just based on the fact that it by the same author. The description will lure in some others who haven’t read any of her work because of the WWII storyline. But most importantly, what is going to get this book into many hands is my book talking about it! I intend to tell the students about the great aspects that will make them want to turn page after page. Lidia is a character that shows strength and bravery in ways that will inspire readers to stand up for what’s right and to take charge when the world is a mess around you. There’s so much truth about the harsh realities of war in this book, and shared in an engaging and meaningful way.

In 1939 Warsaw, Lidia Durr has to deal with the new reality that the German Nazis are in control of her country. Her father, a veteran of WWI, has gone off to fight, Leaving Lidia, her mother, and her older brother Ryszard behind in a damaged house. The three take in an old family friend, Doda, and her mother, even though the women are Jewish. Right behind their house is the area the Nazis have set aside for the Jewish Ghetto, and Lidia is able to see how bad things are. While Lidia at first thought that things would improve fairly quickly, it's clear that this is not going to happen. She does continue to take piano lessons for a while; she is a keen player, and the family moved to Warsaw so that she could study at the same university where Chopin studied. As the situation in Warsaw worsens, and Doda and her mother are taken away, Lidia takes an interest in being part of the Resistance. Along with a neighbor, Maryna, she starts to deliver packages of wheat to the Ghetto, but eventually becomes a messenger for the Resistance. Things become more and more grim, and the chances of survival seem so slim that Lidia just hopes that she can make the Nazis regret having taken over Poland. Once she has packed her mother off to Sweden, and her older brother is killed, little stops Lidia from doing whatever it takes to help the Poles fend off the Nazis. Many of her friends die, but a cease fire finally occurs in October of 1944. After all the years of surviving, Lidia makes her way to Sweden, and eventually manages to locate her mother in the US. End notes describe the lives of the real Lidia Durr and her family.
Strengths: Like this author's Resistance and Rescue, this is a well researched look at a slightly different facet of WWII. There are lots of books from the point of view of Jewish citizens in Poland who ended up in the Ghetto, but certainly there were many people who had to survive while still living in Warsaw. Lidia is a strong character who rises to the occasion and is willing to help in any way she can. Nielsen always provides really good details about not only the military actions, but about the conditions of daily life.
Weaknesses: This was not a great choice for a gray, rainy day, and it just made me wonder why there are still wars. Didn't WWII teach us that was is bad? This was heart breaking to read, which is, after all, the point.
What I really think: This was an excellent look at World War II, but there are so many books about that conflict that I wish we would see more on different historical events, especially since WWII is no longer in the 8th grade curriculum. I understand why writing about WWII is so popular; it's easier to know who is "good" and who is "bad", and my students still read the books eagerly. Still, there's very little on the military conflict in Vietnam and Korean, and given the current problems in Gaza, it would be helpful for my students to know some of the history of those areas of the world.

After Germans invade her home country of Poland in 1939, twelve-year-old Lidia tries to help those people who are being herded into the unsafe and unfit conditions of the infamous Warsaw Ghetto. After a shocking turn of events, Lidia joins the Polish resistance to do her part in fighting back against the Nazi regime.

Uprising is a powerful new historical fiction release from Jennifer A. Nielsen, the author of Iceberg, Rescue, and A Night Divided.

Highly recommended for your middle school library or classroom collection!