Sibiro Haiku

A look back: Vilnius in June 1941. The family of 8-year-old Algis is awakened by Soviet soldiers. They have only a few minutes to pack. Algis takes his gander Martin under his arm, and his father hands him a bucket of apples. Then they are crammed into train cars with many other Lithuanians, unaware of where the journey will lead. The final destination is a camp in Siberia. The conditions are inhumane, hunger is great, and the winters are bitter. With gallows humor and admirable ingenuity, the camp community faces their misery. Algis' aunt is enamored with Japan and has managed to smuggle a book of Japanese haiku into the camp. It is this sparse poetry, among other things, that prevents the imprisoned Lithuanians from despairing. To alleviate their homesickness, they also form a choir: the Apple Choir. Although apple trees do not grow in Siberia, singing lifts their hopes that this nightmare will soon be over. Eventually, an agreement is made that at least children will be allowed to return to Lithuania. Thus, Algis and his sister escape the horror. Jurga Vilė recounts this extraordinary story from the childlike perspective of Algis – her own father. The illustrator Lina Itagaki has created a unique visual world in which text and image intertwine to form a multifaceted work of art, both moving and encouraging.