The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree

A privileged, implied-white European tween’s life collapses as WWII encroaches on what is known today as Jakarta, Indonesia, in Abendanon’s engrossing debut. Before her mother’s death in an accident, 11-year-old Emmy dreamed of studying singing at Marlborough, an exclusive all-girls school in Kent, England. When her acceptance letter arrives, however, she hides it, desperate to remain with her father in Batavia on the island of Java in the Dutch East Indies, even as war nears. Papa, a rice exporter, books passage for them to evacuate, but Emmy, disbelieving rumors of an impending Japanese invasion, thwarts Papa’s plans, causing them to miss the boat. After the Japanese army arrives, Emmy and Papa are separated, and Emmy is sent to Tjideng, a prison camp run by cruel Captain Sonei. Overworked and starved, Emmy plots her escape, even as she grows closer to other Tjideng prisoners. The author juxtaposes Emmy’s advantageous upbringing with that of her Javanese housekeeper’s son who, when Emmy claims that he’s her best friend, replies, “We are not friends. We have never been friends. I work for you, that is all,” highlighting complex issues surrounding colonialism, racism, and subjugation. Steady pacing and well-developed characters with credible flaws round out this harrowing, high-stakes tale, based on Abendanon’s grandmother’s experiences. Further information concludes. Ages 10–15. Agent: Thérèse Coen, Susanna Lea Assoc. (Jan.)