SCHOLASTIC NEW ZEALAND RELEASES FIRST LOCALLY PUBLISHED EBOOK

For the first time, Scholastic New Zealand has released a locally published novel in both print and electronic form.

 

Melinda Szymanik’s compelling story A Winter’s Day in 1939, published in print form in March 2013, will be available as an ebook from ANZAC Day, 25 April 2013.

The ebook’s release date follows hot on the heels of the book’s Wellington launch at The Children’s Bookshop on Saturday 13 April. The ebook will be available initially for Amazon Kindle http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CHKOQYC and can be purchased for $9.99.

This debut ebook marks the beginning stages of a move to release more new Scholastic New Zealand novels in electronic form.

About the book

A Winter’s Day in 1939 is a harrowing, compelling story of courage and hope, based on the author’s own father’s journey across Europe during World War Two.

Taken from their home in Poland, forced to leave their country, put to work in Russian labour camps, frozen and starved, 12-year-old Adam and his family doubt that they will ever make it out alive.

Even if they were to get away, they might freeze to death, or starve, or the bears might get them.

For the Polish refugees, the whole of the USSR becomes a prison from which there is seemingly no escape.

Recommended age: 10+ years

Reviews for A Winter’s Day in 1939

A forgotten piece of history that should be remembered and this telling through the eyes of 12 year old Adam is gut wrenching yet uplifting. – Bob Docherty

This has to be the best book I've read this year.  It has adventure, emotional moments and tense moments.  It is the sort of book you buy extra copies so you can give them to other people to read because you want them to be acquainted with such an excellent book … You'll cry, you'll stay up late to read-on, and you'll be grateful to read about a bit of Polish history you may not have known about. – Maria Gill

About the author

Melinda Szymanik is the author of the picture books Clever Moo and The Were-Nana, which won the

New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards Children’s Choice Award in 2009. Melinda has written two other novels, Jack the Viking (Scholastic, 2008) and The Half Life of Ryan Davis (Pear Jam, 2011). She lives in Auckland.