Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
    • Home
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Advertise
    • Mentorship
    • Editing Services
    • About
    • Contact
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest TikTok
    The Children's Book Review
    Subscribe
    • Books by Subject
    • Books by Age
      • Ages 0-3, Infant and Toddler
      • Ages 4-8, Preschool to Elementary
      • Ages 9-12, Preteen and Tween
      • Ages 12+, Teen and Young Adult
      • Books for First Grade Readers
      • Books for Second Grade Readers
      • Books for Third Grade Readers
    • Favorites
      • Diverse and Inclusive Books
      • Books About Activism
      • Best Books for Kids
      • Star Wars Books
      • Board Books
      • Books About Mindfulness
      • Dr. Seuss Books
    • Showcase
    • Interviews
      • Growing Readers Podcast
      • Author Interviews and Q&A
      • Illustrator Interviews
    • Kids’ Book Giveaways
    • Directory
    • Podcast
    The Children's Book Review

    The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey | Dedicated Review

    Dr. Jen HarrisonBy Dr. Jen Harrison3 Mins Read Ages 4-8 Ages 9-12 Author Showcase Best Kids Stories Picture Books
    The Crystal Beads Lalkas Journey Dedicated Review
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Book Review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey
    Sponsored* | All opinions are our own
    The Children’s Book Review

    The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey: Book Cover

    The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey

    Written by Pat Black-Gould

    Illustrated by Katya Royz

    Ages 8+ | 40 Pages

    Publisher: Purple Butterfly Press | ISBN-13: 9781955119207

    What to Expect: Family, WWII, religion, compassion, inclusivity

    In the vastness of something as traumatic and devastating as the Holocaust, the individual stories and voices can sometimes get lost in a sea of atrocities. The Crystal Beads gives voice and life back to just one of those stories, helping readers see truths about compassion, empathy, and caring for others amidst the horror and sadness of war.

    Lalka always wears the Star of David that her Papa gave her when she was five years old. She loves that star as much as she loved her Papa, so she is very confused when Mama tells her she must take off the star and wear something called a rosary instead. Mama puts the Star of David away carefully in her pocket and starts teaching Lalka a new game.

    In the game, Lalka must learn the names of saints and memorize prayers, and how to do something called “genuflecting.” Worst of all, she has to go and live in a school in a church without her Mama. Little does Lalka know that learning how to play this game may be the only thing that saves her life.

    Lalka’s story, loosely based on real life and told through her own voice, invites readers to see the value of embracing differences. At the same time, it teaches them some of the complexities of religion and politics, and how the interplay between them can be at the heart of war and genocide. Katya Royz’s beautiful pencil illustrations bring the characters’ emotions to life—both the good and the bad—across page spreads that show the world through Lalka’s eyes.

    At the end of the book, an informative afterword and study guide questions invite readers to learn more about the real history of the Holocaust, making this an excellent learning aid and a moving story.

    Overall, The Crystal Beads is a moving, thought-provoking exploration of love and hatred told through a deceptively simple story—not easy reading, but definitely essential reading.

    Buy the Book
    Amazon
    Bookshop.org
    Barnes and Noble

    Pat Black-Gould: Author Headshot
    About the Author

    Pat Black-Gould, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and an author. Her short stories have appeared in several literary journals and anthologies.

    Many years ago, Pat heard a powerful story that haunted her until she committed it to paper. The Crystal Beads was first published in Jewish Fiction. net in 2020. The short story then won first-place honors in two writing competitions conducted by the National League of American Pen Women, Washington, D.C.

    The first was an award by the Pen Women Florida State Association. She then received the Flannery O’Connor Short Story Award as part of the National Biennial Letters in Competition. Pat felt it important to bring the story to a younger audience. At that point, she rewrote it as a children’s book. She hopes that The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey, will do justice to the story she once heard and carry its message to younger generations.

    Pat’s writing explores topics such as compassion, tolerance, and diversity. She continues to examine these themes in her upcoming novel, Limbo of the Moon, written with her co-writer, Steve Hardiman.

    For more information, visit www.patblackgould.com.

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Goodreads
    The Crystal Beads Awareness Tour

    Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey. Learn more about getting a book review …

    What to Read Next:

    1. The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey | Book Spotlight
    2. Kuan Yin: The Princess Who Became the Goddess of Compassion | Dedicated Review
    3. C is for Chickasaw, by Wiley Barnes | Dedicated Review
    4. The Piece That Is You, by Gayle Holdman | Dedicated Review

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Compassion Dedicated Review Empathy featured Historical Fiction Holocaust Jewish Books Katya Royz Nazis Pat Black-Gould Picture Book
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleLand of Lots | Dedicated Book Series Review
    Next Article The Best New Engaging Audiobooks for Teen Readers
    Dr. Jen Harrison
    • Website
    • X (Twitter)

    Dr. Jen Harrison provides writing and research services as the CEO of Read.Write.Perfect. She completed her Ph.D. in Children’s and Victorian Literature at Aberystwyth University in Wales, in the UK. After a brief spell in administration, Jen then trained as a secondary school English teacher and worked for several years teaching Secondary School English, working independently as a private tutor of English, and working in nursery and primary schools. She has been an editor for the peer-reviewed journal of children’s literature, Jeunesse, and has published academic work on children’s non-fiction, YA speculative fiction, and the posthuman.

    1 Comment

    1. Pat Black-Gould on September 2, 2022 11:06 am

      Hi Jen. I haven’t had a chance to thank you for the wonderful review you did of my book, The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey. Your review really touched my heart. Thank you.

      Reply
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    TCBR Supporter
    Recent Articles
    • Drawing Cute Animals Shape by Shape: Learn to Draw Over 100 Adorable Animals Step by Step | Dedicated Review
    • Tiny Bird, by Sabrina Edralin | Dedicated Review
    • I Don’t Think So!, by K. Joyner | Book Review
    • Pedal Pusher: How One Woman’s Bicycle Adventure Helped Change the World | Book Review
    • Bull & Bear Build a Bright Future with Bonds | Dedicated Review
    TCBR Supporters
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today

    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    sponsored | become a TCBR supporter today
    Discover Kids Books by Age
    Best Books For Kids
    Media Kit: The Children's Book Review
    Author and Illustrator Showcase
    SEARCH
    BOOKS BY SUBJECT
    Archives
    Professional Resources

    Book Marketing Campaigns

    Writing Coaches and Editing Services

    Mentorship

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Policies
    • Advertise
    • TCBR Buzzworthy Mentions
    • About TCBR
    © 2025 The Children’s Book Review. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.