(hb; 2004: children’s picture book. Illustrated by Wendy Watson.)
From
the back cover
“Newbery
medalist Karen Hesse tells a harrowing, true story about life in the Warsaw
Ghetto during WWII.
“When Karen Hesse came upon a short article about cats out-foxing the Gestapo at the train station in Warsaw during WWII, she couldn't get the story out of her mind. The result is this stirring account of a Jewish girl's involvement in the Resistance. At once terrifying and soulful, this fictional account, borne of meticulous research, is a testament to history and to our passionate will to survive.”
“When Karen Hesse came upon a short article about cats out-foxing the Gestapo at the train station in Warsaw during WWII, she couldn't get the story out of her mind. The result is this stirring account of a Jewish girl's involvement in the Resistance. At once terrifying and soulful, this fictional account, borne of meticulous research, is a testament to history and to our passionate will to survive.”
Review
This
outstanding children’s picture book manages a rare feat: it deals with a dark,
yet strangely inspiring historical event and manages to be child-friendly and
entertaining at the same time. Its artwork is eloquent and simple, as spare as
the emotionally resonant tale it accompanies. This is excellent, and ─ even for
this adult ─ worth re-reading on occasion, for its humanity, grace and superb storytelling.
