About the book:
Working title: Blue Sky: A World War II Story of Survival
Genre: Historical fiction (World War II)
Target audience: Middle Grade/early Young Adult
Estimated word count: 40,000
Comparable titles: Hunger Winter and Time for Courage by Rob Currie, Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz
LATEST UPDATE (June 2026): currently writing the first draft!
Blurb:
“The sky is dark now, but it will be blue again tomorrow…
Morning always comes after the night.
The sky will be blue again.”
Munich, Germany, 1942.
Twelve-year-old Jakob and his family, German Christian Jews, have
been in hiding for what feels like forever. Then one night, they’re
discovered. Jakob is separated from his family and taken to Dachau
concentration camp. He has one goal: survive. But how do you survive
when every day is full of hunger, sickness, cold, and cruelty?
An American bombing raid gives Jakob’s sister Renate the opportunity
to slip away from her Nazi captors. But she is alone and afraid and
doesn’t know who can be trusted.
Ten-year-old Kurt’s life is as quiet and predictable as the sheep he’s
supposed to watch on his family’s farm. Until he discovers that his
parents are involved in Germany’s underground resistance movement
and then stumbles upon a Jewish girl in need.
Drawing inspiration from true stories and weaving historical facts into
the narrative, Blue Sky is an action-packed, hope-filled story of survival,
faith, family, and friendship.
Savannah Jane McCrary 