• Age: 12 to 15
• Grade: 7 to 10
• Reading age: 12 to 15

Commended for the 2004 Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice Selection, short-listed for the 2005 Red Maple Award and Rocky Mountain Book Award
When the Armenians of Turkey are marched into the desert to die in 1915, Mariam is rescued by her Turkish friend Rustem, and lives with mixed acceptance as a guest in his father’s harem. Kevork is shot and left for dead in a mass grave in the desert, but is rescued by nomadic Arabs and nurtured back to health.
Both teens must choose between the security of an adopted home or the risk of death in search of family.
A sequel to the highly successful The Hunger, Nobody’s Child is a stirring and engaging account of one of the twentieth century’s most significant events.

Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch est l’auteure d’une dizaine de livres dont Cher Journal : Prisonniers de la grande forêt, Enfant volée, Soldat clandestin et Faire des bombes pour Hitler. Elle a remporté de nombreux prix et est l’une des auteures canadiennes de romans historiques pour les jeunes les plus respectées. L’écriture de Marsha met en relief son héritage ukrainien. Elle a reçu l’Ordre de la princesse Olga de la part du président ukrainien. Elle vit à Brantford, en Ontario.

MARSHA FORCHUK SKRYPUCH is the author of more than a dozen books, including Dear Canada: Prisoners in the Promised Land, Stolen Child, Making Bombs for Hitler, Underground Soldier and Don’t Tell the Enemy. She has won many awards for her work and is one of Canada’s most respected authors of historical fiction for young people. Much of Marsha’s writing focuses on stories from her Ukrainian heritage, and she has been presented with the Order of Princess Olha by the President of Ukraine and named a Canadian Ukrainian Woman of Distinction. Marsha lives in Brantford, Ontario. Visit her online at www.calla.com.

Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch's profile page

• Short-listed, Rocky Mountain Book Award
• Short-listed, Red Maple Award
• Commended, The Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice Selection

Marsha Skrypuch includes references to the three major massacres against Armenians: first, Adana in 1909, then the genocide in 1915; then, she takes us back to the Hamidian massacres in 1896... In this way, the novel presents the three great catastrophes that befell Armenians in a twenty-year period and provides an important background and context to the psychology of the Armenian characters.

...The characterizations are strong. We care for the children and admire their strength. They and their parents are victims, yet the children refuse to give in. They always accept the struggle to survive in the hope of being reunited. They have chances for a safer life but refuse to give up their Armenian identity for it.

...We must thank Marsha Skrypuch for using her talents once again to tell a story from our past that will help explain to younger generations an unfortunate part of our history. At the same time, the characters in the novel exhibit the strength and resolve of Armenians to survive. I urge you to read Marsha Skrypuch's compelling novel, Nobody's Child.

Dr. Lorne Shirinian, author of The Armenian Genocide: Resisting the Inertia of Indifference, and Head of Department, Department of English, Royal Military College of Canada

This novel is a wonderful story of friendship, hope and family. The one constant throughout the ever-changing difficulties and ordeals faced by the characters is their desire to remain with, or return to, their family. The novel portrays the characters as extremely realistic, very life-like, everyday people...

It is a wonderful read that I would highly recommend.

Adrienne & Cait of Guelph, Ontario for Bookhooks (www.bookhooks.com)

This is historical fiction at its gritty best, with compelling characters, heart wrenching choices and unspeakable horror.

Highly Recommended.

Joan Marshall, teacher librarian, CM Magazine