R. M. Romero

Magic will burn you up. Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez--a biracial Jewish girl--finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents' desire for her to pursue a more stable career. When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt's cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin's grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth. But Benjamin isn't the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if it means losing him--forever. With spellbinding verse prose, R.M. Romero channels the spirit of myth into a brilliantly original tale, inspired by her experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe.

The Ghosts of Rose Hill

Swan Lake meets The Last Unicorn by way of the Brothers Grimm in a dreamy, original fairytale by critically acclaimed author R.M. Romero. Bavaria. 1880. Hilde was dreamed into existence by the god Odin and, along with her five sisters, granted cloaks that transform them into swans. Each sister’s cloak is imbued with a unique gift, but Hilde rejects her gift which allows her to lead the souls of dying creatures to the afterlife. While guiding the soul of a hawk, Hilde meets the handsome Baron Maximilian von Richter, whose father left him no inheritance. Hilde is intrigued by Richter’s longing for a greater life and strikes a deal with him: She will manifest his dreams of riches, and in return, he will take her to the human world, where the song of souls can’t reach her. But at the court of King Ludwig II in Munich, Hilde struggles to fit in. After learning that fashionable ladies are sitting for portraits, she hires non-binary Jewish artist Franz Mendelson, and is stunned when Franz renders her with swan wings. The more time she spends with Franz, the more she feels drawn to the artist’s warm, understanding nature, and the more controlling Richter becomes. When Hilde’s swan cloak suddenly goes missing, only Franz’s ability to paint the true nature of souls can help Hilde escape her newfound prison.

A Warning About Swans

"In the vein of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and Number the Stars, this fusion of fairy tales, folklore, and World War II history eloquently illustrates the power of love and the inherent will to survive. Karolina is a living doll that is taken from the Land of the Dolls; she finds herself in Krak�w, Poland."

El Fabricante de Munecas

One night a little doll named Karolina comes to life in a toyshop in Krakow, Poland, in 1939, and changes the life of the gruff, broken-hearted Dollmaker. And when the darkness of the Nazi occupation sweeps over the city Karolina and the Dollmaker must bravely use their magic to save their Jewish friends from a terrible danger, no matter what the risks. A timeless fantasy set in the Second World War that weaves together magic, folklore and history.

The Dollmaker of Krakow

Death's Country

"A must-read for lost souls everywhere." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review With spellbinding verse prose, R.M. Romero channels the spirit of myth into a brilliantly original tale, inspired by her experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe. Magic will burn you up. Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez—a biracial Jewish girl—finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents’ desire for her to pursue a more stable career. When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin’s grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth. But Benjamin isn't the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if it means losing him—forever. A love letter to Latin American and Jewish diasporas, based on the author's experiences working to maintain Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe. The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a tender and empowering read that you will devour in one sitting. Steeped in history and the experiences of immigrant families, especially Jewish families, each carefully-chosen word of this magical verse novel casts a spell. A Summer 2022 Indie Next Pick!

Oppression, survie, solidarité, résistance jusque dans le ghetto de Cracovie pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale: un conte singulier et merveilleux.

Le fabricant de poupées de Cracovie

El fabricante de muñecas

Há guerra. Há dor. Mas há magia e há esperança. Cracóvia, Polónia, 1939. Por magia, uma boneca chamada Karolina adquire vida numa loja de brinquedos e torna-se amiga do amável e discreto fabricante de bonecas, que é também o proprietário da loja. Quando a ocupação nazi se abate sobre a cidade, Karolina e o Fabricante de Bonecas têm de recorrer à magia para salvar, custe o que custar, os seus amigos judeus dos perigos iminentes que pairam sobre eles. Reunindo uma atmosfera de magia, história, tradições e cultura local, O Fabricante de Bonecas de Cracóvia fala-nos sobre como encontrar esperança e amizade nos lugares mais tenebrosos. Na linha de A Rapariga que Roubava Livros e O Rapaz do Pijama às Riscas, esta impressionante narrativa demonstra maravilhosamente o poder do amor e do instinto de sobreviência.

R. M. Romero

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