This book was recognised in the Picture Book category by the Americas Award.

This book has been graded for interest at 4-6 years.

This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+). This book was published 2005 by HarperCollins Publishers .

Arthur Dorros, author of many highly touted and best-selling picture books, has written his first novel. To research this book, he traveled extensively in the Balkans and lived briefly in "The Children's Village," which features prominently in the story. His previous books have been named ALA Notables, CBC-NCSS Notables, NYPL Best Books, and more. He lives in Seattle, Washington.