“Ukraine”
by Patricia K. Kummer
Children’s Press, New York, 24-6.001, 136 pages, Grades 4-6.
Few countries in the world are as coveted as Ukraine. Throughout its long history, Ukraine has been conquered by Tartars, Poles, Russians and Germans. There are many reasons for this. Ukraine is a large country, roughly the size of the state of Texas. It is blessed with abundant farmland, forests, rivers and coastlines. Unfortunately, it is also at the crossroads between Asia and Europe.
When conquerors come from the east, Ukraine stands in front of them. The same thing is true for those coming from the west. As well, Russia has desired to expand southward since the time of the Tsars. Once again, this puts Ukraine in the crosshairs.
In this text, entitled “Ukraine,” Patricia Kummer gives multiple explanations for other nations continually breaking the Tenth Commandment, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors’ goods,” in this excellently photographed and written book about the country.
She begins with the quest by Ukrainians to reclaim their heritage after the fall of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s. Under the Tsars and later the Communist leader, Joseph Stalin, Ukraine became a satellite state for Russia. Since the climate is warmer and the Black Sea seldom freezes, Russia built extensive military fortifications throughout the country.
When the Soviet Union disintegrated in the late 1980s, Ukraine finally gained its freedom. Among the first things Ukrainians do is to reemphasize their native language and their religion. Under Russian rule, the Ukrainian language is denigrated to a second-class language. Ukrainian children are taught Russian throughout the country’s schools and Russia develops a sense that thinking and speaking Ukrainian is backward and ignorant. Since many Russians live in the eastern part of Ukraine, this sudden change of events is very unsettling.
Now the cultural power has swung to the native Ukrainians and street signs, billboards, and signs for national parks are switched from Russian to Ukrainian. Though Kummer doesn’t discuss this in any great detail, it would seem that Russians born in Ukraine, and used to a feeling of cultural superiority would be quite unhappy with this turn of events.
Similarly, since Russian Communism had inflicted so much suffering and misery on religious believers in Ukraine, an outburst of religious fervor occurs in the 1990s. With the governmental atheists gone, the Ukrainian faithful openly begin going to church. The Eastern Rite Catholic Church, situated primarily in western Ukraine, has more than 5 million members. Kummer tells the powerful story of the Catholic Metropolitan (Archbishop) Andrei Sheptytsky resisting the Nazi attack on Jews in Ukraine during the Second World War. The Archbishop directly confronts the Nazi authorities in Ukraine and saves thousands of Jewish lives.
Since this book was written in 2001, the author takes a very optimistic viewpoint on Russia’s relationship with Ukraine. Like many others, she thinks Russia will respect the freedom and independence of this long downtrodden nation. As we are currently seeing, this perspective is both naïve and dangerous.
Having said that, this book is packed with information on Ukraine and is well written with excellent photographs. It is from the Enchantment of the World Series by Children’s Press, which describes dozens of various countries. If your student is writing a paper or creating a class talk on Ukraine, this is the book for the requirement.
As well, adults will benefit from reading this fine description of Ukraine, so much discussed internationally in recent weeks.
So go to the library and check out this fine title. It is well worth the trip to the library. Enjoy!
