Firebird

by Elizabeth Wein

Overview

Daughter. Pilot. Traitor?

Nastia is no traitor. She is a fearless pilot, the daughter of revolutionaries, and now, as the Second World War descends on Russia, she must fight alongside her male peers to defend the glorious Motherland. But all is not as it seems.

As Hitler's army moves forward and the battles begin, secrets are revealed and everything that Nastia once knew is challenged.

Union Square & Co.’s EVERYONE CAN BE A READER books are expertly written, thoughtfully designed with dyslexia-friendly fonts and paper tones, and carefully formatted to meet readers where they are with engaging stories that encourage reading success across a wide range of age and interest levels.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454962724
Publisher:	Union Square & Co.
Publication date:	09/16/2025
Series:	Everyone Can Be a Reader Series
Edition description:	High readability
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.60(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Elizabeth Wein was born in New York and grew up in England, Jamaica, and Pennsylvania. She holds American and British citizenship and has lived in Perth, Scotland, since 2000, where she earned her private pilot's license. Flight inspires her fiction, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Code Name Verity.

Editorial Reviews

"Fascinating details of the war, such as the impact of extreme cold in the winter of 1942, are peppered throughout taut battle scenes. Nastia’s bravery and commitment to her country is palpable across this dynamically told war tale that reimagines well-known history."
 —Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review

“Nastia’s fierce loyalty to her country and commitment to her work shine through, supporting the engrossing and fast-moving plot with depth of characterization.
An action-packed exploration of courage and loyalty.” – Kirkus Reviews (Firebird)
 
Of THE LAST HAWK they say: “Full of courage, heart, and perceptiveness.” – Kirkus Reviews (The Last Hawk)

"This piece of the War Birds Cycle will appeal to readers interested in aviation,
World War II, and female empowerment."
– Booklist (The Last Hawk)
 
“This slim, gripping, and tightly woven novel effectively introduces characters who are full of heart and resilience. Strongly paced and emotionally resonant.” – Kirkus Reviews (White Eagles)
 —Praise for THE WAR BIRDS CYCLE

From the Publisher

2025-07-03
A young Soviet pilot must defend her loyalty to the Motherland in this entry in a series that’s thoughtfully designed for struggling and reluctant readers.

Anastasia Viktorovna Nabokova, a recent high school graduate working as a flight instructor at the Leningrad Youth Aeroclub, longs to follow in her mother’s footsteps and serve her country as a spy. When World War II arrives in Leningrad in June 1941, she tries to join the air force but is told she’s needed to train more pilots. But as the Germans continue to bombard her country, Nastia and other young women end up at the Soviet air force academy. After landing her plane behind enemy lines to help her downed mentor, the woman she calls the Chief, Nastia faces the challenge of defending her actions and proving her unwavering loyalty. According to Stalin’s Order Number 227, anyone who retreats or is taken prisoner is assumed to be guilty of treason and faces the death penalty. Wein conveys vivid imagery of intense battle scenes and the war’s devastating impact on the Soviet people, including starvation and loss, in a deeply moving way. Nastia’s fierce loyalty to her country and commitment to her work shine through, supporting the engrossing and fast-moving plot with depth of characterization.

An action-packed exploration of courage and loyalty. (author's note)(Historical fiction. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews