Ethel's Song

Ages 13 to 17, Grades 8 to 12

Convicted traitor and suspected Soviet spy Ethel Rosenberg shares the story of her beliefs, loves, secrets, betrayals, and injustices in this compelling YA novel in verse.

In 1953, Ethel Rosenberg, a devoted wife and loving mother, faces the electric chair. People say she’s a spy, a Communist, a traitor, a red. How did she get here? In a series of heart-wrenching poems, Ethel tells her story. The child of Jewish immigrants, Ethel Greenglass grows up on New York City’s Lower East Side. She dreams of being an actress and a singer but finds romance and excitement in the arms of the charming Julius Rosenberg. Both are ardent supporters of rights for workers, but are they spies? Who is passing atomic secrets to the Soviets? Why does everyone seem out to get them?

This first book for young readers about Ethel Rosenberg is a fascinating portrait of a commonly misunderstood figure from American history, and vividly relates a story that continues to have relevance today.

Story Locale:New York, NY; Ossining, NY (Sing Sing Prison); Los Alamos, NM; Washington, DC

About the Author

Barbara Krasner publishes the popular blog, The Whole Megillah. She is the author of many books for children and adults on Jewish themes including 37 Days at Sea and Goldie Takes a Stand, a Sydney Taylor Honor book. She lives in New Jersey and teaches in the English and history departments of New Jersey colleges and universities.

Author Residence: Somerset, New Jersey