Lexile = 900
I didn't know anything about the Kindertransports during World War II until I was an adult. This was the program of evacuating Jewish children from Germany to other countries for their safety. These same countries refused to take Jewish adults, but didn't have the same issues with children. ???? Anyway...many of these children were adopted by Christian families and completely left their Jewish identity behind. IF their parents survived, some were reunited after the war. Ziska's story focuses more on her personal journey and questions of identity as she is taken in by a Christian family. The unique twist is that she is Christian herself; her family converted over a century prior. But that didn't matter to Hitler. Ziska is actually quite confused as to why she is with all these Jewish kids.
This book was written by a German writer and translated into English. I guess that explains the clunky title, and gives it a unique twist for American readers. I love Holocaust stories, but I have read so many that it is so interesting to find one with a new, yet true, angle. You can watch a well-done, student produced book trailer HERE.
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