«Young readers will quickly take Jagoda, an energetic storyteller, to their hearts.» F.A.Z. / Fridtjof Küchemann
«Despite its serious subject matter, the story is full of humour and optimism.» Titel-Kulturmagazin, Andrea Wanner
«The author gives a voice to children affected by these experiences – and what a voice it is!» Süddeutsche Zeitung, Christine Knödler
“With great energy and a touch of subtle irony, this book tackles themes and realities that have so far been underrepresented in children’s literature: poverty, domestic violence and everyday life in a women’s shelter. Jagoda, a nine-year-old girl, spontaneously invites Mia, her new classmate, to her birthday party, even though she lives in a women’s shelter, where throwing a party is out of the question. For security reasons, Jagoda is not allowed to reveal her address, and on top of that, there is no money to organise a celebration. With only four days to go, a frantic countdown to get the party ready begins, leading, through a series of surprising twists and turns, to the longed-for outcome.
The novel is an original example of empowerment literature: it portrays a resilient heroine who faces every adversity and rapidly rallies those willing to lend her a helping hand. The seriousness of the situation is lightened in a way that is appropriate for young readers through wordplay and tongue twisters, all revolving around the colour blue, since, much to Jagoda’s dismay, her name means “blueberry” in Polish.
The story is told from a child’s perspective, with authenticity and cheeky humour. This humorous and refreshingly light-hearted tone is also reflected in the illustrations. The black-and-blue drawings reinforce the lightness of a story that steers clear of explicit depictions of violence.”
— Jury of the 2026 German Children’s Literature Award