Olya & Olena Escape the Invaders

Introducing global events to young readers can be challenging, but this book presents the Russian invasion of Ukraine in an accessible way. Olya & Olena Escape the Invaders is told from the perspective of two ballet students who must flee when the bombings begin. The human way in which this topic is addressed makes it easy for young readers to connect with the protagonists. Many pages feature large colourful images, which also makes it a good fit for storytime. The book includes a QR code for a song, so educators could tie in music or art lessons, in addition to using this work in English classes.

Supplementary Resources: “Behind Two Walls,” a song of Ukrainian resistance by Volodymyr Shyba.