Finding Freedom

Finding Freedom
A Ukrainian Tale of Home
by Maryna Kariuk
Pub Date 01 Dec 2022
BooksGoSocial
Children's Fiction


I am reviewing a copy of Finding Freedom through Books Go Social and Netgalley:


This book is geared towards young children but the message is good for anyone of any age.


Close your eyes, allow yourself to feel the breeze, as a little girl searches for freedom through the beautiful landscapes and folklore of her native Ukraine.



Inspired by the resilience of the Ukrainian people to fight back against the invasion of their country, debut author and Ukrainian emigrant Maryna Kariuk brings lyrical rhymes to a powerful message that will kindle any heart.



Allow yourself to immerse yourself in charming illustrations by Ukrainian artist Ksenia Markevych and soar above the roaring rivers, feel the magic of the summer solstice and marvel at the boundless lands and at the spirit of those who call them home.



I give Finding Freedom five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Such a timely book for children to learn the meaning of freedom from a country fighting for it!! The illustrations were beyond beautiful and I believe this is a truly inspiring message.

This is an absolutely beautiful book with a lovely rhyme scheme that would make an excellent way to begin the conversation about the war in Ukraine with children.

Debut author Maryna Kariuk may live in California now, but her heart has never left her homeland of Ukraine. Born and raised there, she has crafted a beautiful children's book highlighting scenes of a Ukrainian childhood.

When Vladimir Putin decided to launch an unprovoked attack on Ukraine, he probably thought his troops would quickly prevail. He could not have been more wrong.

The illustrations in FINDING FREEDOM are simply divine. Ksenia Markevych is a freelance illustrator based in Ukraine and her talent is considerable. She has woven the colors of the Ukrainian flag throughout the book, and the people in the story wear gorgeous and authentic traditional clothing.

The story itself highlights the beauty of the Ukrainian countryside as well as pride in their homes, families, and their country.

I am rating this book as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and I believe it would be a wonderful Christmas gift. It would also be a great book to use to show children that people are similar no matter where they live.

*** Thank you to the author, illustrator, the publisher, and to NetGalley for providing me with a free advance review copy of this gorgeous children's book. ***

🌻Ukrainian culture: keeping it alive & well👍

This book is a valentine to the land & culture of Ukraine. Festivals, food, history and the landscape all feature. For children and adults raised in Ukraine, it's a testament to their rich social and cultural life. For readers less familiar with Ukrainian life, there's an excellent brief guide at the end to explain, for example, Ukrainian terms and the ingredients in the food.

I found the rhyming text and illustrations upbeat and inspiring.

Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

This Picture Book is the Most Thought-Provoking & Heartfelt one I've Ever Read.
(Thanks to Net Galley for this Book).

It is not often that a book has such a great emotional response from our family. The story and illustrations offer an uplifting and beautiful book, but the current reality for most Ukrainians just breaks our hearts. Their strength puts us to shame and we are glad to help in any small way that we can. This book deserves to be on every library shelf and every child's home bookshelf.

Finished in one sitting. A super heart warming book told from a young girl POV about the meaning of freedom. Get to know Ukraine 101. I ADORE THE ILLUSTRATIONS SO MUCH. THEY'RE SO LOVELY.

What a fantastic book!

The illustrations were gorgeous. So full of life, color, and energy. Paired with the rhyming lines, a reader can really feel the story come to life and see the uniqueness of the Ukranian people.

The glossary at the back with explanations and pronunciations was especially thoughtful. I loved learning more about the special words in the story, and no doubt give a child much to ask and talk about throughout the story.

A beautiful ode to Ukraine, its culture and its people. I love how the book explores the meaning of freedom. The illustrations are vibrant and full of life, which really enhanced the story. I wish the book was longer so that I would be fully engaged and invested, but kids will enjoy this timeless read.

I also had historical fiction vibes while reading and was surprised by the author's note saying that this book was birthed during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Really makes you think.

Finished in one sitting with my 6 year old. It was a beautiful experience. - a journey through sweet, beautifully illustrated children's book about Ukrainian heritage. The glossary behind to understand some of the Ukranian words is really helpful. Highly recommended for kids to know the importance of freedom and family relationships.

This is a sweet, beautifully illustrated children's book about Ukrainian heritage, evident in not only in the subject matter and art, but in the writing itself; the rhyme scheme is a bit funky by English standards, but it's understandable given that English is not the author's first language. In my opinion, this definitely adds to the charm of the book. Also, the best way to read this book is physically so you can flip between the text and the glossary in the back; pretty much all of the meaning went right over my head upon first read. This book is accessible to all children with parental/guardian guidance, but I imagine for children of Ukrainian immigrants, refugees, etc., this will be so special.

Unfortunately, I could not post this review to Goodreads as the auto-post feature does not work and I could not find the book on the GR site or on Storygraph. Once the title info is available, I will absolutely do so.

This is such a beautiful book, a love poem dedicated to the children of Ukraine! The rhyming poetry is beautifully written and the illustrations are wonderful.
Highly recommended!

I'm always looking to expand multicultural literacy so this book is great! The illustrations are gorgeous, the only complaint I have is that the font and placement of words felt a little bit awkward when compared to the style of the rest of the book.

Wow. What a beautifully written and illustrated story. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has weighed heavy on my heart this year, but not remotely the same as it has for Ukrainians. This story was full of hope, joy, and the beauty of Ukraine and its culture--even in the midst of war.

Finding Freedom: A Ukrainian Tale of Home by Maryna Kariuk is heartfelt. It has magic that can win a reader’s heart from the very first page. The war in Ukraine has already spoken about the cruelty of Russia over Ukraine and its beautiful people. The story starts with a rhythm. The poetic theme is excellently drawn out by the author. It seems like a journey through a beautiful land with such an amazing culture.

The theme of freedom, bravery, and love is very much present in every line of the narrative. The imagery in words makes the reader appreciate the great skill of Maryna in delivering her thoughts. A graphical representation of the book by Ksenia Markevych makes it more appealing and enjoyable to read. It also goes parallel with the author’s narrative delivering the exact sketch of Maryna’s thoughts.

The reader can go through a series of sentiments like love, joy and a great urge to be free, to win freedom. The yearning for freedom and the courage to stay strong is felt most. One completely falls for the rich culture and the delicious food. Babusia and her motherly affection portray the warmth in the author’s own heart.

All in all, the story of the little innocent girl with a poetic touch for her beautiful Ukraine leave one speechless. Highly recommended for the readers to feel the value of freedom and the cruelty in the shape of war that has been happening there. I think every reader should give a round of applause to Maryna for writing her heart out for her homeland and to Ksenia for the beautiful illustration. Loved reading it.

What a lovely book with beautiful illustrations. This would be a great book to use in my literacy lessons. It’s a great story for children to understand learn about the Ukrainian culture. I particularly like the glossary at the back which gives the meaning of words which are unfamiliar (very useful for a teacher!) I believe this book would create excellent discussion about Ukrainian culture, conflict and freedom. It also fits in really well with the new Curriculum for Wales as it is very current and exposes children to a new language.

This book is so beautiful. I Love the writings and the illustrations. I hope the poem can warm the heart of the readers and to convey the thoughts of both the author and the illustrator. I'm also grateful for the glossary, it was so helpful to readers especially me who isn't too familiarize with Ukraine cultures.

Thank you to NetGalley for this book.

This important children's book celebrates many important aspects of Ukrainian culture. At a time where children may be worried about their heritage and their culture during war, this sort of book can help remind children about the positive elements of their culture and unite them with others. The story is written in rhyme, making it an enjoyable book to listen to for younger readers. The illustrations are captivating and bright. I would definitely recommend this book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

Oh my. This book is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! The art is breathtaking. The text is flowery and free. Really pretty and peaceful. I love it.

Stunning illustrations by Ksenia Markevych are the real highlight of this picture book that explores Ukrainian culture and history. A timely and beautiful book that is sure to be appreciated by all ages.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

This is a cute little rhyming story that could help introduce children to the traditions of the Ukraine. There were a lot of words used that I didn't know what they are or mean, but the book provides a glossary that gives pronunciations and descriptions for them. So even I learned things from this book.

The rhymes flowed really well in spite of my stumbling over the foreign words, so I'm guessing was written in English rather than translated to English. Although I recently read another children's book that the rhymes flowed really well and it was translated to English, so I could be wrong. It just had a nice melodic feeling to it.

The illustrations were bright and colorful helping me to see the traditions and items mentioned, even when I wasn't familiar with them. I could definitely read this book more than once and probably still come away learning something the first few times. Overall I give this book 4.7 out of 5 stars.

Beautiful illustrations for this lovely picture book showcasing some of Ukraine's beauty, culture, and resiliency. Charming, if bittersweet.

I do wish I was able to zoom in on my kindle edition, as some of the text was small and difficult to make out, and the author's note, which I was keen to read, was impossible to make out. I'll have to grab a physical copy at some point!

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a free eArc in exchange for this honest review.

This picture book serves as an introduction to Ukraine, its landscape and its culture. Ksenia Markevych beautiful illustrations bring to life the different seasons, festivals, and Ukrainian identity as Maryna Kariuk explores the concept of freedom through her child protagonist's interactions with other Ukrainians and mythical beings. She also includes a glossary of terms for the different foods, festivals, and folklore. It is a beautiful book and I highly recommend it.

This is a beautiful book, which I plan to purchase for myself. I’m a little wary to have it in the classroom…I believe age and the clientele (students and parents) would play a factor. However, given the right mix of students I feel it could deliver a very powerful message.
The illustrations were stunning and I loved the poetic flow. The author touched on aspects of Ukrainian culture and shared more about Ukraine and its traditions in the back of the book in a glossary and author’s note.
This book offers a very powerful message current with the times. Very well done.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC. Review will be posted on my instagram @lizzies_little_library_

This is a terrific rhyming book for children young and old. It tells of the beautiful culture and some of the language of the Ukraine. It tells of how this will go on even though they are going through a terrible war. From the beauty of the land to the celebrations you will want to read more about the Ukraine. I like the fact that it has a glossary in the back to help with pronunciation and definitions of the Ukrainian words. The illustrations are not only beautiful, but also very appealing and colorful.

This will be a great book to add to my classroom as it explores many aspects of Ukrainian culture. It would allow a student to share things about their culture that would prompt positive memories and storytelling. It defines freedom in many different ways.

Beautifully written and illustrated. I can see this book would be very useful in many contexts, e.g. anyone beginning a new situation in their life, especially refugees and those moving to new countries and environments. The rhyming worked well in this book and the illustrations matched perfectly.
I can see this book in many classrooms as a welcome and empathy laden book.

This is the story of a young girl realizing her people are glooming and struggling to find their freedom. She then tells everything about the beauty of Ukraine’s nature and culture, concluding that freedom is everywhere, and people are freedom.

There are Ukrainian words used in the text, however, there is also a glossary at the end explaining each. The illustrations are lovely and follow the narration perfectly, helping to understand the story.

This book is a very beautiful tool for teaching children about freedom.

I rate it 5 out of 5 stars and recommend this read to all children aged 3 to 5 eager to learn about freedom or struggling to understand its importance.

Simply stunning illustrations! This amazing book showcases the strength and beauty of Ukraine; as well as showcasing many of the cultural and historical significance.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Received for review: I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review, nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.

Why did I decide to turn the pages? The title and illustration struck my interest, as did the subject matter.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: The illustrations are gorgeous. That cannot be understated. This book is also created in a way that readers can learn a lot about Ukraine quickly through interesting pictures, rhymes, and illustrations.

However, the glossary and pronunciation guide would be mandatory for those who have less familiarity with Ukraine. For parents wanting to read to younger children, they would likely need to read ahead of time and consult the glossary so they could seamlessly teach and read with their kids.

However, somewhat older readers would likely enjoy and be fine with reading and using the glossary. For families who enjoy cooking meals from other cultures, they could likely read this one and then make some Ukrainian food together.

The message is simple, timely, and a great one to teach new young readers about the plight of Ukraine.

I enjoyed it. And if all else fails, the illustrations are gorgeous.

So why 3.5 stars? While I did enjoy it, I marked it a 3.5 simply because of the need for glossary for many readers. But I did enjoy it.

Pages: about 36.

Finding Freedom by Maryna Kariuk is a much needed book for what is happening in the world. Finding Freedom shares the Ukrainian pride Ukrainians feel for their country and their culture. It is a beautifully written and illustrated story and I loved reading it and learning about Ukraine. This book would be perfect for any type of story time. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. My review is also on Goodreads.

A timely book that highlights beautiful parts of Ukrainian culture and traditions! My younger brother is Ukrainian and has been devastated by the constant recent news of horrendous acts of war happening there. I will share "Finding Freedom" with him. This book is full of light and the joy of being Ukrainian in a time when the world needs to see that. It is also wonderful to see that the publisher will be donating to the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation in Ukraine.

Finding Freedom: A Ukrainian Tale of Home by Maryna Kariuk

Finding Freedom is a book about Ukrainian culture and their freedom as a people. The book takes you to various locations in Ukraine and the illustrations really help bring the story to life. The book also shows readers Ukrainian foods, traditions, crafts, and more. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to learn a little bit more about Ukrainian culture and customs. The book was written and illustrated by women born and raised in Ukraine, the illustrator is still there now.

Thank you NetGalley, Maryna Kariuk, Ksenia Markevych, and Kohana Books for allowing me to read this advanced copy of Finding Freedom. I stand with Ukraine and wish all of the Ukrainian people the freedom they are fighting so hard for.

This book is so beautifully written and holds such an important and powerful message for children and indeed, for us all. Sometimes we all need reminding of this.

The art work in this book is absolutely beautiful, I loved it so much, the book truly warmed my heart, I wish I was able to read this in a paper book, as I read it on my kindle. I know it would definitely add to the experience. This is a perfect book to have in the home and enjoy reading again and again.

This book shows the importance of connection to the elements, nature, animals, ancestors, community and family generations. So many powerful and important messages combined into one book and this all adds to happiness and well-being for us here and now and for our future generations.

I was curious as to what exactly the foods were in the story and certain words within the book. Having the glossary at the end is perfect. It’s great way of learning about different cultures.

Thanks to NetGalley and all who were involved in allowing me to read this book. I loved it!

Finding Freedom pays beautiful homage to Ukrainian culture and heritage. Detailing folks tales, locations and belief systems, the author does a wonderful job of showing the strength of Ukraine. The language is clear and kid-friendly. The artwork is beautiful, and makes the words come alive for the reader. Young children will love the artwork and story, and older children can connect to the deeper message of home. This book is best for preschool-early elementary aged children.

What a GORGEOUS picturebook! I was truly touched reading this one. Firstly, the illustrations are stunning. But, more importantly, the story this picturebook sends is such an important one. It gives Ukrainian children hope, but it should also be read by every child around the globe as it gives a glimpse into Ukraine's beautiful customs and traditions. Highly recommend!

Finding Freedom is a children's picture book full of beautiful illustrations and inspirational words written by Maryna Kariuk, a Ukrainian emigrant. This story sends a message of hope to children, especially those of her home country. The book contains a glossary at the end which explains many Ukrainian words and customs referred to in the story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy of this book.

Such a beautiful childrens book to teach young children about Ukraine especially in light of everything happening in our world right now. The illustrations are stunning and done by a Ukraine artist as well.

What a beautiful book about Ukrainian Heritage, My family is from Ukraine, I was put in Ukrainian school from kindergarten to sixth grade, and Ukrainian is my second language. It is so validating to see my culture so well represented. The imagery and illustrations in this book are breathtaking and full of life. I wish this was a book when I was a child.

Lovely vibrant illustrations. A lovely ode to Ukraine. It is full of Ukrainian culture and symbols. It has a glossary at the back with all the Ukrainian words along with how they are pronounced. It’s a lovely story and will be using this in my classroom.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the eARC! This is an informational text about Ukraine. With all of the events happening today, this was interesting to read what life in Ukraine is like.

Seeming more closer to the folk people of Ukraine this is nice effort from author to share her piece on the very culture of native place. Rhyming was good but average.

Also, setting of words is too bad from editorial end to let it be read properly, be it in Kindle or Netgalley. Adding to this, choice of font colours basis on background image was too bad to read it clearly without zooming.

Ksenia's Illustrations are worth watching and loveable beyond reasoning. Well, suited to the words, background was suitably amazing. For illustrations I am adding one more star to my reviews making it overall to 4* rating.

The artwork is stunning & colorful. The writing is rhythmic. I'm not very familiar with Ukrainian culture so I was pleased to find a glossary at the back. I would go through the glossary before reading the book to my daughter. I felt a bit emotional reading this. I've been keeping up with the news & it's unimaginable how this past year has been for Ukrainians. I think this book is a symbol of strength & hope

I loved this. Such a beautiful book, from the narrative to the illustrations. Enjoyed the brief cultural histories and landmarks, memories of food and family and folk stories passed down. The illustrations complemented the narrative perfectly, and i enjoyed the little details in each image. Ultimately, a beautiful message that freedom can never truly be taken away from us. Would love a copy for my shelf!

Absolutely beautiful free flowing illustrations. The author slides in a few Ukrainian words on each page and then explains them at the end of the book. What a wonderful way to celebrate Ukraine and the freedom that they are fighting for.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book for review.

This is a heartbreakingly lovely little book. Everything about it haunting, informative, and beautiful. So much Ukrainian history, culture, and strength shines through on each page. I loved the inclusion of Ukrainian mythology and customs in the form of Mavka, Molfar, and Kupala.

This is a book I look forward to purchasing a physical copy of. It is well worth it.

Amidst the war and heartache in Ukraine, a young girl embarks on a journey of discovery and self-expression. As she travels through the beautiful landscape of her homeland, she finds freedom in the beauty, traditions, and culture that still remain. Reading Finding Freedom sparks meaningful conversations about conflict, freedom, peace, traditions and hope.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Finding Freedom is an inspiring and uplifting picture book for children from the Ukraine. The book is told in rhyming format and starts off with a dull, sad two page spread of what it is like for them there with the war. It then goes on to remind children what their homeland really looks and feels like and inspire hope in them that one day it will be that way again. It shows different locations, foods, celebrations, culture and more within this short story and the illustrations really bring it to life. This would be lovely for any child to read but I should imagine it will greatly benefit children of Ukraine in more ways than one.

Sadly in my family history the war was always present, my relatives are divided between refugees or survivors of different wars. Even when I was born, my country was under a military dictatorship and there was also a war, which is why these reading topics touched me deeply.
This book is aimed for childrens who survived the war in the Ukraine. The story that Maryna Kariuk tells us is a message of light, love and hope. It's a message that in the future the beautiful land of Ukraine will be free, without fear, without threats.
Ksenia Markevych's illustrations are a work of art, through her illustrations one can feel the warmth of a wonderful country, the color palette is a pleasure for the eyes, without a doubt you can see the love put into each line.
My partner is ukrainian, and he just saw me reading this and asked me if he could take a look, of course I said yes and seeing the emotion on his face killed me. I cannot believe that in 2023 people will still have to go through wars and losses, it is a horror.
At the end of this book comes a glossary, explaining very well not only the words, but also the Ukrainian culture.
In addition, part of the profits from this book are destined to help and give psychological support for children, humanitarians and families suffering from war. Please support the cause by visiting voices.org.ua/en
A huge round of applause for Maryna Kariuk and Ksenia Markevych for creating something so wonderful.

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Lamentablemente en mi historia familiar la guerra siempre estuvo presente, mis familiares se dividen entre refugiados o sobrevivientes de distintas guerras. Incluso cuando yo naci mi pais estaba bajo dictadura militar y tambien hubo una guerra, es por eso que estos topicos de lectura tocan fibras muy profundas en mi.
Este libro esta dirigido a niños/as que sobreviven la guerra en Ukrania. La historia que nos cuenta Maryna Kariuk es un mensaje de luz, amor y esperanza. Es un mensaje que en un futuro la hermosa tierra de Ukrania sera libre, sin miedos, sin amenazas.
Las ilustraciones de Ksenia Markevych son un obra de arte, a traves de sus ilustraciones uno puede sentir la calidez de un pueblo maravilloso, la paleta de colores es un placer para los ojos, sin dudas se puede ver el amor puesto en cada trazo.
Mi compañero es ucraniano, y justo vio que estaba leyendo esto y me pidio si lo podia ver, por supuesto dije que si y ver su emocion en su rostro me mato. Y es que no puedo creer que en 2023 todavia la humanidad tenga que atravesar por guerras y perdidas, es un horror.
Al final de este libro trae un glosario, explicando muy bien no solo las palabras, sino tambien la cultura ucraniana.
Ademas, parte de las ganancias de este libro son destinadas a la ayuda de apoyo psicologico para niños, humanitarios y familias que sufren por la guerra. Por favor, apoyen la causa vitisando el sitio voices.org.ua/en
Un enorme aplauso para Maryna Kariuk y Ksenia Markevych por crear algo tan maravilloso.

Thanks to NetGalley and its author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book
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A LITTLE GIRL who was involved in a nature lands which it show us a very peaceful country

i really love the vibes it gave me when i read the book.

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4.5

A beautiful timely story. Learn about Ukrainian culture and the meaning of freedom. Perfect for children of all ages with darling illustrations.