Tears of Amber

This captivating tale about two families torn apart by war and brought together by the links of bravery and love is written by the best-selling author of The Murmur of Bees.

Lessons of survival quickly take Ilse's school days as the impending war draws ever closer. Her family must join the greatest migration in human history in order to survive the hard winter. They leave behind their farm and everything they know in anticipation of an uncertain future as war lines are set and East Prussia's borders disappear beneath them.

However, Janusz, the young Polish laborer employed by Ilse's family, is also by her side. His captivating folktales distract her from the horrors surrounding them, the cold, and the hunger as they flee from the Soviet troops. He tells her about a kingdom under siege in the Baltic Sea, from which amber tears flow the tears of a grieving queen.

They are both unaware of how important and prophetic his stories will turn out to be.

Arno and his mother hide in the remains of a Königsberg mansion not far away, attempting and failing to escape from a vengeful army. They hope that once the war is over, they will be able to reunite their scattered family. However, as they have to dodge bombs and scrounge for food among the debris, their time in the walled city becomes intolerable. They will soon find themselves as pawns in an unidentified quest between two formidable foes.

Hope leads these war-torn kids on an incredible journey where an amber teardrop present serves as both a useful medium of exchange and a resilient symbol that unites them in the face of overwhelming adversity.