ISA Libraries' Author Visits: Maria van Lieshout Sep 2025

• Sign up for our ISA author events in Dutch and English

• Learn about author illustrator Maria van Lieshout

• Read an interview with Van Lieshout with our own Head of Libraries, Kim Tyo-Dickerson

• Take a 🐦‍⬛Song of a Blackbird walking tour of historic Amsterdam

➡️ All Staff and Parents RSVP here: https://forms.gle/FxAx9BamW1pdMmjRA

🗓️ Presentation details for Wednesday 10 September 2025:

Presentation 1

What? Nederlandse presentatie
When? A3 11:15 - 12:15
Who? Dutch language classes and teachers, All Staff, Parents
Where? US Library

Presentation 2
 
What? English language presentation
When? A4 13:20 - 14:20
Who? Grades 7 & 8 classes and teachers, All Staff, Parents
Where? ISA Theater

We are thrilled to welcome Dutch-American author Maria van Lieshout, whose debut historical graphic novel set in Amsterdam 🐦‍⬛ Song of a Blackbird / Het lied van de merel, centers on the message "Fight hate. Make art."

Author bio:

Maria van Lieshout was born and raised near Amsterdam, where she spent many weekends in the Museum Quarter row house where her grandparents lived with her artist aunt and metalsmith uncle. Drawing while her aunt painted, and pecking stories on a typewriter while her uncle soldered metals, inspired her love for drawing, creating and writing. After high school in Leiden, Maria studied Visual Communications at GWU in Washington DC, and worked in design and innovation at Coca-Cola. In 2000, Maria became an illustrator full-time. She has illustrated/written several picture books. Song of a Blackbird is Maria's first graphic novel.




Book summary

Fictionalized but based on true events, 🐦‍⬛ Song of a Blackbird has two intertwined timelines: one is a modern-day family drama, the other a thrilling tale of a WWII-era bank heist carried out by Dutch resistance fighters. Maria van Lieshout weaves a tale about family, courage, and the power of art. Deeply personal yet universal, Song of a Blackbird sheds light on an untold WWII story and sends a powerful message about compassion and resistance.

Use the map from 🐦‍⬛ Song of a Blackbird to explore historical Amsterdam! Can you find all the locations mentioned in the book?

To read or print, open the image in a new tab!