The book tells a story of a Ukrainian woman Katya who saved two Jewish boys during World War 2. The boys grew up and left Ukraine while staying in touch with Katya and her family. 80 years later (and after Katya’s death) when the current Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February of 2022, the children of those two boys flew back to Ukraine. They rescued Katya’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, by moving the whole extended family from Ukraine to a nearby Poland.

My name is Julie. I am a half-Russian, half-Ukrainian and the author of this story. Barbara, the wonderfully talented illustrator of this book, is Polish. Magdalena Wiacek translated Katya’s Sunflowers into German language. The book is also currently being translated into Polish, Russian, Welsh, French, Spanish and Hebrew. Our goal is for this book to reach as many people as possible as it has to do with the current crisis, which currently claims 11 million refugees and thousands of deaths. I would love for the book to be noticed and serve a cause, ie help children understand the current situation and place in history. All the funds from ‘Katya’s Sunflowers’ sales will be donated to refugee families. Thank you!