Ethel's Song: Ethel Rosenberg's Life in Poems

Krasner's daring historical novel is a collection of fictionalized first-person poems that chronicles the life of Ethel Rosenberg (1915-1953), from her earliest years in a tenement on N.Y.C.'s Lower East Side to her final moments in Sing Sing prison, where she and her husband were executed for spying for the Soviets. As an idealistic young Jewish woman, Rosenberg dreamed of a career as an actor and singer, and fought for workers' rights. In 1936, she met and fell in love with charismatic Julius Rosenberg ("When he talks, / all conversations stop"), an engineering college student and eventual Communist Party member, then married him in 1939. In addition to detailing the couple's lives as passionate Communists, culminating in their execution, this imagined account traces WWII's development and the U.S.'s postwar anti-Communist hysteria. Krasner's digestible poems build tension through Rosenberg's consistently proud, defiant voice, and her confidence that she and Julius did nothing wrong: "How could helping/ the Soviet Union/ defeat Hitler/ make us the bad guys?" Family photos, interspersed throughout, lend poignancy; an epilogue and timeline provide context and additional historical background. Ages 13-17. Agent: Emelie Burl, Susan Schulman Literary. (Sept.)

Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 8 Up--Ethel Rosenberg was killed by the electric chair on June 19, 1953. She was the first victim of American fascism. This is her story. She was mother to Michael and Robby, and wife to Julius--also killed by electric chair. Rosenberg was first the daughter of Jewish immigrants and grew up in 1920s New York City's Lower East Side poverty, when worker's rights were null. When the concept of Communism was brought to her and her husband's attention, it was an intriguing idea--one where communities would not live in squalor, but... "working for the brotherhood of all men." One day she signs a petition for the Communist Party's candidate for city council. Years later, this amounts to her husband being called into a loyalty hearing at work. The Rosenbergs wound up in jail. The charges: espionage against the United States. Told in verse, this is a story of persistence and resilience. Rosenberg stood up for what she believed in, called out injustices, and was committed to the fight to end poverty and bring rights to the worker. Excellently written and expertly researched, Krasner's work tells an important story not to be forgotten by time. A painful tale of familial betrayal, and yet another failure of the U.S. justice system. Includes an epilogue, a time line of events, source notes, and a selected bibliography. VERDICT A jaw-dropping true story for any YA reader interested in U.S. political history.--Gretchen Schulz

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

The subject's voice, strength, intelligence, and heart ring out on every page.

A Sydney Taylor Notable Book
Bank Street Best Book of the Year

"In beau­ti­ful, flow­ing, heart-wrench­ing verse, Bar­bara Kras­ner tells the sto­ry of Ethel Rosen­berg... (b)uild­ing on exten­sive research, the author paints a pic­ture so evoca­tive that the read­er feels immersed in the moment and thus afraid...(a) tri­umphant com­bi­na­tion of poet­ry and his­to­ry, this book can be used by teach­ers, par­ents, and group lead­ers for dis­cus­sion and analysis." —Michal Hoschan­der Malen, Jew­ish Book Coun­cil

"Krasner combines research and interviews with the Rosenbergs' sons to arrive at a sensitive and sympathetic portrait of Ethel...This is a strong recommendation for teens drawn to the biographical poetry of Marilyn Nelson." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Ethel Rosenburg, convicted of spying for the Soviets and executed during the Cold War, remains a controversial historical figure and is likely unknown to young readers. Free-verse poems in varying formats introduce the woman behind the headline-making trial. Krasner paints Ethel as a sympathetic character from a difficult home who was devoted to her husband and turned to the Communist Party to fight unfair labor practices; the author contends Ethel's innocence in an epilogue... this well-researched novel in verse is an intriguing biography."—Booklist

"A fresh, creative approach to this fascinating and controversial story."'- Steve Sheinkin, award winning author of Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown

"In Ethel's Song, Barbara Krasner courageously tells the little known story of Ethel Rosenberg in verse. This moving and powerful novel, based on interviews and extensive research, should be read aloud to inspire critical thinking about social justice during a dark period in American history." - Susan Goldman Rubin, author of Sing and Shout! The Mighty Voice of Paul Robeson

"Incorporating the suspense of a thriller, the passion, rhythm and syntax of the finest poetry, the complexity of world politics, and the immediacy of current events, Barbara Krasner's biography of Ethel Rosenberg is a master class in writing the verse novel. By turns heartbreaking and hopeful, Krasner restores the woman behind the hype, highlighting her childhood, her dreams, her love for humanity—and as importantly, for her husband and children. Using villanelles, pantoums, couplets, and all forms at her disposal, Krasner truly honors the Rosenberg legacy." - Rich Michelson, National Jewish Book Award winner