after fleeing the war, Anna releases her first book in French

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Arrival of Donbas in Ukraine, under the yoke of Russia since 2014Anna Skorina has just been released Choucha, a new children’s book in Condé-en-Normandie (Calvados).

Signed under the pseudonym Nanka Topalovathis corresponds to the last name of his parents and the middle name given by his older brothers at his birth.

From Donetsk to Condé

When Anna Skorina left Donetsk in 2022, leaving her family and friends behind, “only the city center had been spared by the bombs, none of the suburbs no longer have houses in good condition, the streets are permanently crisscrossed by armed soldiers.

Arriving alone in Franceafter a long journey, she was welcomed first in Bretteville, then in Condé-sur-Noireau. Widow, he only has his son Nikita leftwho decided, for his part, to go to Chicago where he exercises his talents as a graphic designer.

« My friends and my two older brothers are still in Donetsk with their respective families,” laments the author.

Believe in your dreams

Since her arrival in France, she has learned the French language alongside other Ukrainian refugees at Greta de Vire.

It was his trainers, and more particularly Alla Palkova, who encouraged him to take up the pen again. In his book, “Choucha is a comforter“u, the only friend in the dreams of a child who wants a dog” explains Anna Skorina.

With the writing of this album for children, she wanted to send them a message: “ When we have lost everything, when we have nothing left, you have to hold on to your dreams. Some things may take time, but you have to believe in them very strongly, never give up on your dreams to achieve them.”

Teamwork

It was his son Nikita who, from Chicago, illustrated “Choucha”. He opted for pretty, very realistic and colorful drawings, sent by email.

The text was reread and translated by Alla Palkova, one of her trainers in Vire, who had strongly encouraged her to dare to start writing again.

One of his French friends, the Condéen Jean-Philippe Gautier, invested in the integration of foreignerstook care of the local edition of this little book, since it was published by Corlet Numérique.

This pretty childish work is a good idea to slip under the tree. Anna is already thinking about the continuation of this first story…

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