In The Nightingale Sings Alone, we experience the story of two girls, Anneke and Marijke, who live through the often tumultuous years of World War II. Their village in the Netherlands suffers occupation, loss, and death, and the girls must find a way to navigate those challenging times while holding on to their friendship, the only part of their young lives that remains unchanged. It is the gift of a small broach--the nightingale--that serves as a talisman for them both. "The nightingale always sings alone, a bird that can only realize its potential when there is no one else around to join it in song. Only then, in those moments of loneliness, can it find its true strength." It is in this struggle that Anneke and Marijke are able to learn what really matters most: the love of a true friend.

The Nightingale Sings Alone is a novel inspired by the cruel Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. In this story, we experience the journey of two girls, Anneke and Marijke, who live through the often tumultuous years of World War II. Their village suffers occupation, loss, and death, and the girls must find a way to navigate those challenging times while holding on to their friendship, the only part of their young lives that remains unchanged. From the first days of the occupation, when the German army invades this small country, forcing people to make sudden, life-altering decisions in order to survive, through the years of resistance and fear, to the final days of the Reich and the liberation of Holland, we follow their story and the little broach that gives them both strength—the nightingale. "The nightingale always sings alone, a bird that can only realize its potential when there is no one else around to join it in song. Only then, in those moments of loneliness, can it find its true strength." It is this little bird that holds the promise of reunion and renewal, a talisman that guides Anneke and Marijke to learn what really matters most: the love of a true friend.

Monika Savic, the daughter of Dutch immigrants, was born in Los Angeles, California and was raised in Southern California. She grew up with two languages, listening to her parents tell their stories about their childhood in the Netherlands. After graduating from university, Monika taught English as a Second Language as well as composition and literature for many years, but she knew that she would one day try to write a book inspired by her parents. She began writing The Nightingale Sings Alone in June, 2005, soon after the sixty-first anniversary of D-Day and the sixtieth anniversary of VE-Day as this book is also meant as a heartfelt tribute to those who served with such courage. In the summer of 2020, Monika was finally able to set aside the time she needed to complete her book. Monika is married; she and her husband have three children, each of whom is making the world a better place. The Nightingale Sings Alone is her first novel.