This was a lovely audiobook, and a very nice accompaniment to the book, which has beautiful illustrations. The story of Zlata's country being destroyed by communism is heartbreaking, and an important part of history that many school-age children may not know. Understanding the deep history of the Ukrainian traditions, and hearing how they were forced to stop, will help students gain new understanding and empathy.

I think the narration would be perfect on its own, or as a companion for the book for readers who benefit from hearing and seeing the printed words.

What a beautiful, heartbreaking story. A family must learn to deal with betrayal and deprivation when the Communists take over their Ukrainian village. This was a beautifully rendered audiobook that I think would be even better if I could see the illustrations at the same time. It is a children's story, and there is an appropriate message of hope and redemption at the end.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this fantastic little audiobook

Threads: Zlata’s Ukrainian Shirt (Hardcover)
by Lina Maslo
The Ukrainians shirt with red thread for love, black thread for sadness. A Ukrainians shirt was a show of wealth. Russian communism took everything from a family because of a neighbors jealousy. The communist ideals everything belongs to everyone they take from everyone give only to a few. It was not proper to resist their ideals the men were arrested the family left destitute. The people who turn in their neighbors lose everything.
Blue is for healing.
Green is for renewal.
Gold hope that Wheatfield will touch the sky.

Lina Maslo's picture book "Threads: Zlata's Ukranian Shirt" is a delightful picture book that helps children understand the importance of maintaining one's culture during times of hardship or conflict. Overall this was a great read and enjoyable from start to finish!

An introduction to war and conflict through a child's eyes, this was a gentle, yet understandably sad read that can provide younger students with context to the ongoing struggles in Ukraine.

5 stars.

Wonderful children’s book that commemorates a horrendous time in Ukraine. As a Ukrainian-Canadian, I truly wish that I had had books like this when I was young, to teach me about the history of my ancestors.

This story demonstrates the stalwart maintenance of Ukrainian culture against terrible odds, the meanings of different embroidery thread colours, and shows the beginning of the egregious genocide of millions of Ukrainians during Holodomor (killing by hunger and starvation in 1932-33 as a result of Soviet policies and practices), from the viewpoint of a newly hungry child.

It is very well written, and tackles this monstrous history in a very age appropriate way, without minimizing the experiences of those who lived through Holodomor.

While the audiobook is very well read by the narrator, I now need to seek out the print version of this book, to see the illustrations. That said, I absolutely believe that audiobooks are essential.

Huge gratitude to the publisher, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley, for an AUDIO ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

This is a cool kid’s book that deals with Ukrainian culture and history (and politics!). The cover is beautiful, and I think I would have appreciated it even more as a physical book where I could enjoy the illustrations throughout. It wasn’t quite the story I was expecting, but I still appreciate what the writer was trying to do.

I received an ARC audiobook from Netgalley. Although primarily a picture book, this story was compelling. Zlata's family has to overcome the pillaging of the communist invaders, leaving them with nothing but their hope and their traditions. They overcome and thrive, retaining their Ukrainian heritage. I would recommend this for my elementary library.

This is a beautifully, sad story that needs to be told. It is 1932 and communism has taken over the country of Ukraine. This beautiful story is about Zlata and her stunning embroidered shirt given to her for her birthday. Zlata’s family doesn’t support communism. This is a great introduction into the basic principle of Communism at a child’s level and a way to you learn a bit of Ukrainian culture.

The threads on Zlata’s beautiful birthday blouse were knotted by the hands of her mother. Red threads are symbolic of love, and black is for sadness, her Papa says. Her Mama warns her not to show it off. Ever since the Communists came from Russia to Ukraine, they prohibited the teaching of Ukrainian culture. They’ve even taken the grain from Zlata's family's fields. Even though it’s dangerous, her parents refuse to give up their art, language, or beliefs.

Lina Maslo Writes from her own family’s experience in the 1932-33 Ukrainian Famine-Genocide. Threads is a thoughtful story challenging readers to never forget the pain of the past as we witness the present conflict in the Ukraine.

Past meets present?

It's hard not to draw parallels of this story from the starving period in Ukraine in the 1930's with what is happening today. Based on her own family's experiences, author Lina Masio gives us a poignant story of one girl's experiences in the starving time. It's a story of not just deprivation, but one of family and love of not just each other but their culture and their hopes for a better future. You'll learn a bit of Ukrainian culture as you read, as well as the strength of human character. I had the audio version and it's a mere 10 minutes but it's 10 minutes that will stick. As we watch human despair in so many areas of the world today, we're reminded that this isn't the first time such horrors happened. The human desire for freedom and life shine through, however, as symbolized by Zlata's lovely Ukrainian shirt. Zlata means "golden" in Ukrainian, btw. It's survival perhaps is the strongest symbolism of the book.

Written for a young audience, the story somehow manages to tell the story unflinchingly without resorting to graphic imagining. The goal is to introduce us to the past with a subtle nudge of how it applies to our current and future lives. I liked the subtle sound effects in the audio version although, I must admit, I rather wished I'd gotten a hard copy for the illustrations as I'm sure the mind-pictures in my adult mind were much more frightening than the actual scenes visualized. The idea of fathers simply disappearing may be a tough one for children but it isn't dwelt on, I noted. In addition, the fact additional colors were used in future shirts and designs, not just the red and black, is symbolism in a simple form. The narrator has an adult voice, btw, but remember that this is a recollection, so it makes sense an adult sounding voice is narrating.

Bottom line, I found it a satisfying, warm, hopeful read/listen. It may serve to open up discussion of then and now while sharing bits of Ukrainian culture and design with us. Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio - #MacmillanYoungListeners for making this sneak peek available to me. The cover is lovely and as full of hope as human longings.

A quick, fun way to learn about Ukrainian culture. Probably better in print form, as illustrations would add to the overall picture.