SOLVED!: I am losing my mind!! I cant remember this book! [s]

[Whitney]

I read this book when I was in 5th grade (abt. 1998-99??) so it should be a YA book but this is all I remember:
This little girl and her mother live in Siberia but they're from Poland? I may be wrong. It is WWII, and they send letters to her father (sorry I cant rememeber where he went exactly) by writing in between newspaper columns. For her birthday her mother makes some sort of potato soup and all she wanted was a new pair of shoes. Her mother gets gingivitis too. I think most of the book takes part in the winter. I am really sorry, thats about it. I do remember the book cover being mostly blue and having a little girls face on it too.

I've been racking my brain trying to remember it!!

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Try this one, Whitney:
book:The Endless Steppe Growing Up in Siberia|296384]

[Whitney]

Oh my thats it! Thank you so much!

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

Thanks! You gave great clues; it especially helped having the publication date narrowed down like you did. :D

[Lisa]

Thanks Jackie. Whitney, I'll change the folder/subject heading for you.