Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams

Winner of the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, and a Governor General’s Literary Award finalist.

Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams is a historical YA novel in verse that centers around a young pianist in East Germany trying to make sense of love, duty, and the pursuit of dreams during the unsettled months of protest that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall in the late 1980s. Written in stunning lyrical verse, Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams is a story of hope, courage, romance, and the power of music not only to change lives, but to save them. Available now in hardcover, paperback, and e-book (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2024).

Awards and Honours:

  • 2025 Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People winner
  • 2025 Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize finalist
  • 2024 Governor General’s Literary Award finalist (Young People’s Literature – Text)
  • 2025 Fall Best Books for Kids & Teens selection
  • 2024 Kirkus Best Young Adult Books of the Year selection
  • Kirkus Best Teen & YA Historical Fiction of 2024 selection
  • 2026 MYRCA Northern Lights Award nominee

Reviews:

“Written in verse, this lyrical novel skillfully tackles the complicated issues of political oppression, police brutality, and nonviolent acts of resistance. The poems vary in length and style, emphasizing major themes and important moments with delicate artistry. Emotionally resonant and masterfully crafted.” —Kirkus, starred review

“elegant, gripping… Unsettling in its timeliness… A girl who’s passionate about freedom has the chance to pursue her dreams in this hopeful novel that does a beautiful job of illuminating a dark period of history.”—Foreword Reviews

“Green conveys Helena’s anxieties and hopes in equal measure in lyrical free-verse passages that flow together like a musical composition. She balances discussion of the political upheaval of the time just prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall with a sensitive exploration of Helena’s personal struggles and emotional growth.”—The Horn Book

“Poems carry the narrative, giving the book a very personal, introspective feel, impressing upon the reader the paranoia that many East Germans lived with after WWII. However, it also shows the power of hope against fear, as well as the strength of a united people in the face of tyranny.”—Booklist

“an impactful evocation of a time and place and a stunning testament to the power of music… Rich with emotional acuity, this book artfully portrays the grim realities of the situation in the GDR at that time while also highlighting the importance of peaceful resistance and providing a message of hope.”—Canadian Children’s Book News

“Helena’s voice is clear and earnest… VERDICT: This verse novel has thematic and stylistic similarities to works by Kip Wilson and will be of interest to those seeking read-alikes, as well as lovers of classical music. It could also support classroom units relating to the German Democratic Republic or political activism.”—School Library Journal

“Crafted as intricately as a Bach concerto, SONG OF FREEDOM, SONG OF DREAMS swept me into a historical world as well researched and compellingly depicted as it is relevant to today’s reader.” —Joy McCullough, author of BLOOD WATER PAINT and ENTER THE BODY

“A powerful story about raising your voice told in gorgeous, musical poetry.” —Kip Wilson, author of WHITE ROSE and THE MOST DAZZLING GIRL IN BERLIN

“This racing heartbeat of a verse novel had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what life and death choices Helena might make.” —Marsha Skrypuch, author of MAKING BOMBS FOR HITLER and WINTERKILL

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