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Book details

  • Genre:fiction
  • Sub-genre:Cultural Heritage
  • Language:English
  • Pages:264
  • Paperback ISBN:9781734066807

The Girl with 35 Names

Overview

www.girlwith35names.com Each of us has the ability to make a difference through the gifts we give. The mission of The Girl with 35 Names is all about giving back. To fulfill that promise our gift is to donate 100% of profits raised from the sale of the book to charity. Ever since that snowy Russian winter's night when she was born, Molly has longed to know the secret behind each of her 35 names. When Molly unearths a pair of time-worn spectacles in her garden, she is drawn into a mysterious realm of vivid, magical discoveries. Who are these women she is named for and what have they gifted her? What are those fantastic colors swirling around the people she sees and the young man she meets on her wedding day? Will she have enough time to learn all she is meant to before the soldiers of the Red Army invade her small village, exploding her world into chaos and war? Fearing for her safety, Molly must flee her family home and travel across the Atlantic to the strange and frozen New England town of Peabody. The power of the spectacles becomes Molly's connection and her hope in her new home, as they weave her once again into a world of wonder and tiny miracles that will change her life and the lives of her community forever.
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Description

Dear Reader,

Molly is the girl with 35 names, each one of them special and not one the same… but this book is not only about Molly, it is about you too. Before you begin reading Molly's story, take a moment to think about your name. Why was it chosen for you and what does it mean? Take a moment to think about where your family came from, and take another moment to consider your roots as far back as they might go. Think about how an ancestor's decision to immigrate has made a difference in the life you now lead. Think about the talents, values, and desires you have; might these have come from someone before your time? How have you been touched by someone you may never meet? When you do, you will discover how very special and unique each one of us is. We each have a story to tell. I have made this journey of discovery and that is how I came to write The Girl with 35 Names. The character of Molly is based on the life of my Grandmother Malkah who grew up in a small village in Russia. She was married to a man she first met on her wedding day and because of the war that came to her country, she was forced to emigrate and build a new life in America. Her strength and courage, her adaptability and endless optimism, her joy of giving to others as well as her deep and tender love of family, inspired me to write this narrative of her life. It is my hope that readers today will discover through Molly's experiences the joy of giving to others, and the importance of learning who we really are and where we come from. Together, let's make connections to our past and understand the impact these connections may have on our future. Molly's journey of self-discovery and sometimes magical experiences is one that mothers and daughters of all ages can relate to today. Her story celebrates women and the individuality of spirit that binds us all together. From tiny seeds miracles grow

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About The Author

   D.J. Colbert was born and raised in the Boston area of Massachusetts.  After college she moved with her husband Jeff to Southern California where she has enjoyed living for over 30 years.   Her home is filled with the products of her creativity, from watercolors to miniature houses and sculpture.  She loves yoga and pilates, dance and movement and music of all types, especially Spanish guitar.   She is an avid reader and is the author of many short stories, and has even illustrated a few.   An active participant in her community, she has been a founding member of two women's charitable giving circles that support health and the arts for children in the L.A. area.   DJ has two grown children and a sweet granddaughter named Brooke.   She is currently finishing the screenplay for The Girl witth35 Names, which is her first novel.

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Book Reviews

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Adriana
Great Book! The Girl with 35 Names is a work of fiction on the coming of age theme and was written by author D. J. Colbert. Penned for young adults, the intention of the volume is to inspire readers to explore their own heritage and identity, and to focus on giving to the world rather than taking from it. These messages and more are conveyed through protagonist Molly, based on a real-life figure from the author’s family life. Molly travels from Russia to New England throughout the course of some incredible life experiences and hardships, but her fortitude and attitude see her through these many changes and teach us lessons along the way.Author D. J. Colbert has penned the kind of book that teachers are sure to adore, for all the important content, themes, history and messages that they can share with young people through the reading experience. The intended YA audience will certainly appreciate the character development of Molly herself, who undergoes a lot of hardship and is sure to gain great empathy, but also admiration for her strength. I loved the message about the solidarity and individuality of women, an apt message indeed for these modern times, and the author’s treatment of these lessons is smoothly woven into the narrative so as not to distract from the intriguing plot of the story itself. Overall, The Girl with 35 Names delivers a masterclass in deep character development as well as valuable teaching tools and moral, positive messages for its audiences. Read more
lucia
Highly recommended reading Enjoyable book that is recommended for any age. Read more
Andrew
WOW!! Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite A heart-warming, coming-of-age story, The Girl with 35 Names by DJ Colbert follows Molly, a girl with a kind heart and special gifts. Molly is born in Zhitomir, a small village in Russia, in the cold winter of 1892. Surrounded by relatives and friends, Molly is given thirty-five names of women whose legacies she will carry forward. One day as she works with her parents, Molly discovers her great-grandmother’s special spectacles. As she grows up, Molly becomes curious about what each name given to her means. As she runs errands for her mother, she soon discovers the amazing stories of the women whose names she carries. Life continues beautifully until war comes to Zhitomir. At this point, Molly must escape Russia for America, with her new husband whom she barely knows. But her kindness and courage continue even in the new land. The Girl with 35 Names by DJ Colbert instills kindness through its main character, Molly, who uses her gifts to help other people. In America, her role in the community is unforgettable as she changes the lives of those around her. Her curiosity to understand the meaning of each name given to her is also encouraging. Molly begins to understand what each name means and learns from the roles of these other women, which serves as a source of strength for Molly in her journey. The story is set in a beautiful, picturesque village as it begins. As the Red Army moves into the village and rumors of another war escalate, the atmosphere changes. Still, the frightening experiences bring out Molly’s courage as she and her husband face terrifying challenges along the way. The work’s language and tone are also accessible to young readers. The Girl with 35 Names is an absorbing story based on true events and whose main character is inspiring. Read more
Mary
Reviewed By Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite The Girl With 35 Names by DJ Colbert is a semi-biographical tale of a young girl born in rural Russia at the end of the nineteenth century. Molly's birth is attended by many of the villagers who are all excited to give Molly a name that means something special to them; a mother, a favorite aunt, or a grandmother, perhaps. As a result, she is named and christened with 35 names. As Molly grows into maturity she is intrigued and amazed by the women who had lent her those 35 names and she sets out on a journey of discovery to uncover the women she was named after, what made them special and what their name may have meant for her. Aided by a special discovery she made one morning whilst helping her parents in the fields, she begins to discover that she has special gifts and insight that can only have come from the many special women she was named after. As Russia descends into anarchy and hunted by the feared Red Army, Molly must make the difficult decision to relocate far across the world, in New England, America. All the time, through all the trouble and travails she faces, she never loses her love of people, her belief in happiness and joy and the desire to spread that to all the people she meets. I picked this book up, intrigued by the title, but once I began to read The Girl With 35 Names, I was entranced and captivated by the essence of this young woman and by author DJ Colbert's insightful view of her own grandmother. In a world beset by trouble, it behooves us all to occasionally read something uplifting, inspiring and simply joyful. This book absolutely fulfills those requirements. The author's clear understanding, empathy, and connection to this remarkable character shine through in every word, sentence, and nuance of the tale. The writing is poetically descriptive at times and the story flows seamlessly from one crisis point to the next. The characters were possibly "too perfect" in some ways but that just served to reinforce the universal message of peace, joy, hope, and love that flowed from every word of this narrative. What Molly discovered and wanted to impart to us all is that the journey is important, not the problems that beset you along the way. Molly's greatest contribution to her family was perseverance and, most of all, love. These characters reminded us in no uncertain terms that there is sunshine to be found in even the direst of circumstances and that we have to give love and joy to receive it back and when we do, we receive it back in spades. Aligning with my own views of the Universe, I found this story immensely uplifting and just a fantastic read. I can highly recommend it. Read more