6The 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.