October 15, 2024
Grades 3-6 During the 2014 Crimean crisis in Ukraine, Sofiya, her tato (father), and her babushka all staff a dolphinarium, where they're trying to raise enough money to keep the family business afloat by running summer camps for kids Sofiya's age. There, Tato has also begun teaching sign language to some of the dolphins, and Sofiya's friends take an interest in assisting--even her enemy, Ilya, helps with camp sign-ups by videoing the dolphins' training and boosting social-media campaigns. When Ilya's father, acting on behalf of the Russian military, takes over the dolphinarium, the children plan an escape for the dolphins in protest. This well-researched piece of recent historical fiction often feels like a Clive Cussler adventure novel for kids, with lots of action and twists and turns. Swimming with Spies is both extremely timely and overwhelmingly sad. The back matter discusses the current war for sovereignty in Ukraine, and the included map and glossary will prove extremely helpful for readers, as well.

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October 15, 2024
Twelve-year-old Sofiya Oleksandrivna Len, who's living in Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, is used to confronting bullies; now she hopes to stymie the man who wants to train her beloved dolphins for military use. Sofiya and her friends, including bestie Cedric, who's Nigerian Ukrainian, are regarded as "the smart kids" and targeted by the rich clique. Sofiya, who has Russian, Ukrainian, and Tatar heritage, has gotten in trouble over her squabbles with Ilya, the Russian boy who's the lead bully. So she's surprised when her babushka reveals that Sofiya's and Ilya's mothers were close and that the two kids were once playmates--until a tragic accident resulted in Ilya's mother's death and Sofiya's mother's departure from the family. The former rivals get to know each other better when, as punishment, they're assigned to work together at the dolphinarium where Sofiya's father is the director. Sofiya begins to view Ilya differently after seeing him interact with the dolphins, but their newfound bond is strained when Russia invades Ukraine, annexing Crimea and stirring up xenophobic nationalism, and when Major Chaban, Ilya's father, takes over the dolphinarium in order to use the pod to support Russia's war efforts. The fear of Sofiya and her friends is palpable, as is the heartbreak they feel for the dolphins. As they hatch a daring plan to rescue the dolphins, their steadfast teamwork and mutual trust against a backdrop of conflict is inspiring. A heart-pounding, thought-provoking adventure based on true events. (maps, afterword, glossary)(Fiction. 8-12)

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November 1, 2024

Gr 4-6-Sofiya dreams of being a marine biologist, helping her father at the dolphinarium in their home city of Sevastopol, Ukraine. The 12-year-old is devoted to the Beluga whale, sea lions, and dolphins in their care. But it's 2014, and Sofiya's world is rocked by Russia's sudden annexation of Crimea. The invasion threatens her home, friends, school, and the animals she loves. Sofiya is shocked to learn that her favorite dolphin, Colin, had been trained by Russian military as a marine asset, and the new government plans to return him to wartime missions. Determined to save Colin and all the dolphins from danger, Sofiya and her friends devise a plan to move the dolphins to a safe aquarium in Odesa. The novel's title may be a bit misleading for young readers expecting a "spy" story: there's no espionage in the plot other than references to the marine animals' prior military training. The novel's main focus is on the political unrest in Crimea that divides the population and Sofiya's concern for her animals. However, the dialogue among Sofiya's friends, family, and teachers regarding the annexation of Crimea provides valuable context on issues leading to the current Russia-Ukraine war. Back matter includes maps as well as glossaries of Ukrainian words and dolphin terminology. An afterword details Lucyk-Berger's research notes and sources. VERDICT Nuanced characters and brisk pacing add interest to a novel focusing on historical events that are now current events and rarely written about in middle grade fiction.-Marybeth Kozikowski

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Starred review from September 9, 2024
Talented artist and aspiring scientist Sofiya, 12, narrates Lucyk-Berger’s adroit debut, set in 2014 Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula. Since her Russian mother left for Moscow three years earlier, Sofiya has devoted herself to helping her Ukrainian father Tato, the director of the dolphinarium, in training and caring for the dolphins. She’s simultaneously intellectually and socially engaged at her school, where Russian and Ukrainian students easily switch between the two languages. When her contentious relationship with Russian Ilya causes them to be paired on a project to raise funds for the dolphinarium, Sofiya begins learning about their interwoven past, and that her beloved sea mammals once served as “military marine systems”—i.e., spies—under the Soviet regime. If the Soviets retake Crimea—as they seem poised to do—the creatures will be forced into service again; Sofiya is determined to keep that from happening. The rich, detailed descriptions of Sofiya’s experience training the mammals, which Lucyk-Berger deftly blends with Ukrainian political history, are captivating and Sofiya’s deep bond with them suffuses this affecting story of a preteen grappling with her understanding of her own Ukrainian Russian identity and the loss of her mother. Ages 8–12.