Brave Volodymyr: The Story of Volodymyr Zelensky and the Fight for Ukraine – Linda Elovitz Marshall and Grasya Oliyko (Illustrator)
Tomorrow is Flag Day in the U.S. and a certain someone is planning a big military parade (for all the wrong reasons). While I love my country’s flag dearly, I’d rather draw attention to the flag on the cover of this book. Ukraine is still occupied. Ukraine is still fighting. Do not forget who started this war.
Summary: Freedom is a fragile thing. It needs to be cherished. It needs to be protected. And freedom depends on truth.
Volodymyr Zelensky wanted to help make his beloved country, Ukraine, a better, kinder, more joyful place. Born to Jewish parents, Volodymyr loved his home and was proud of it from the time he was young. Growing up, even with various conflicts in his country, he liked to make people laugh. He became a comedian and an actor. But he knew laughter wasn’t enough to fix Ukraine’s ongoing problems.
So in 2019, he ran for president — and won!
Leading with honesty, heart, and humor, President Zelensky stood up for what he believed in, no matter how tough the situation. And when Ukraine was invaded, he bravely defended his nation, the Ukrainian people, and their right to freedom — at all costs.
In this powerful nonfiction account, author Linda Elovitz Marshal and Ukrainian illustrator Grasya Oliyko beautifully capture President Volodymyr Zelensky’s journey to office and Ukraine’s fight for truth and independence amid rising tensions with Russia and the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War.
(Summary from book flap – Images are mine – This book was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review)
Mindy’s Review: Before we get into this review, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I stand with Ukraine. I refuse to fall victim to Russian propaganda and I will not remain silent, even if my country (re: current government) seems to have lost its way. And that’s why, when I was given the opportunity to review this book, I said yes without a moment’s hesitation. If the Russian bots of the world are going to be annoyingly persistent, SO AM I.
On to the review…
In a time when misinformation and disinformation abound, Brave Volodymyr tells the truth about President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukraine he loves so fiercely. The story is told in chronological order, beginning with Zelensky’s youth, in a Ukraine burdened by Soviet rule, through his teen years and young adult years, which saw the fall of the Soviet Union and a free Ukraine, into his adult years, where he watched Ukraine struggle with corruption, election interference, and invasion from Russian President Vladimir Putin, and concluding with his time as President, including his efforts to combat the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.
I have heard pieces of President Zelensky’s story, but Brave Volodymyr put everything in the right order and gave me a greater historical perspective of the man himself. I love Zelensky for his open defiance of Vladimir Putin, his willingness to advocate for his people, and the way he has rallied (most of) the world to his cause. Even now, Zelensky continues to fight for his country in the face of overwhelming odds. I appreciated the timeline at the back of the book, which provided additional details, and author’s note, which revealed her personal connection with the subject matter, and lent even more emotional weight to the story. While some elements of this book may soar over the heads of younger readers, its message is too important to ignore:
“…freedom is a fragile thing. It needs to be cherished. It needs to be protected. And freedom depends on truth.”
That is a truth many of us would do well to remember.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
For the Sensitive Reader:
