Authors tell Ukraine's story, history in new children's book

A husband wife team who experienced firsthand the impacts of Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago have used pictures and song lyrics in a new book to help children across the world understand the country's unique history.

Micheal Sampson and his wife, Olena Kharchenko, a Dnipro native, co-authored a children's picture book, "The Story of Ukraine: An Anthem of Glory and Freedom."

The couple made stops in Hamtramck and Oak Park Sunday to autograph their books for readers and planned to attend a Ukrainian Catholic school in Warren on Monday as part of their 20-city book tour.

Teachers, children and families attended the signing at The Book Beat on Greenfield Road in Oak Park. Some teachers even bought multiple copies of the book to give their students, Kharchenko said.

"The purpose of the book is to tell adults and children about Ukrainian historical events and cultural traditions," Kharchenko said. "There's so much propaganda now going from Russia and our goal was to tell the true story."

Khrystyna Melnyk brought her nine-month-old daughter to the book signing event in Hamtramck Sunday and got her picture book signed by Sampson and Kharchenko.

"My daughter she was born in the USA, but it's very important for me that she knows our history... where her parents were born," Melnyk said. She moved to the US six years ago and still has family and friends back home in Ukraine.

"Now is such a difficult time for my country... it has been fighting for its freedom and independence for more than one year," Melnyk, 34, said. "I am very grateful to the authors of this book... for the hard work."

Sampson, author of over 40 children's books, was teaching elementary English as a Fulbright Scholar in Ukraine during Russia's invasion in February 2022 when he was asked to evacuate and continue his work from Warsaw, Poland.

While attending peace rallies in Warsaw, Sampson heard people singing the Ukrainian national anthem and decided to write a children's book that he believed would translate that passion for the country on a global scale.

He and Kharchenko started working on the book in March 2022. It was published on Aug. 24, Ukraine's independence day, and in the United States in December 2022.

"We wanted to be encouraging to the people of Ukraine, but more than that we wanted people around the world to read it and stand up for Ukraine," Sampson said. "I think people who are fourth and fifth generation Ukrainians in the United States or around the world will be able to read about the country with pride."

The English-Ukrainian picture book is bilingual, teaches the Ukrainian national anthem, and communicates the importance of this country’s history for both English-speaking and Ukrainian-speaking children.

The book's illustrations are by Polina Doroshenko, Ukrainian artist and refugee, who currently lives in Kyviv.

"The art is a deeper look into Ukraine than we can say with our words," Sampson said.

mjohnson@detroitnews.com

'The Story of Ukraine: An Anthem of Glory and Freedom'

Written by Micheal Sampson and his wife, Olena Kharchenko, the bilingual children's book is $17.99. It is available at The Book Beat, 26010 Greenfield in Oak Park. It's also available on Amazon.com.