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Out of the Hitler Time #1 & 2
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit / Bombs on Aunt Dainty
Nine-year-old Anna was too busy with schoolwork and friends in 1933 to take much notice of Adolf Hitler's rise to power in her native Germany. But when her father is suddenly, unaccountably missing, and her family flees Berlin in secrecy, Anna is forced to learn the skills needed to be a refugee and finds she's much more resilient than she thought.
592 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2012
About the author
Judith Kerr
122 books385 followersJudith Kerr was a German-born British writer and illustrator who has created both enduring picture books such as the Mog series and The Tiger Who Came To Tea and acclaimed novels for older children such as the autobiographical When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit which give a child's-eye view of the Second World War.
Kerr was born in Berlin but left Germany with her parents and her brother, Michael, in 1933, soon after the Nazis first came to power. They were forced to leave as her father, noted drama critic, journalist and screenwriter Alfred Kerr, had openly criticised the Nazis,who burned his books shortly after the family had fled Germany. They travelled first to Switzerland and then on into France, before finally settling in Britain, where Kerr has lived ever since. She subsequently became a naturalised British citizen.
Kerr was born in Berlin but left Germany with her parents and her brother, Michael, in 1933, soon after the Nazis first came to power. They were forced to leave as her father, noted drama critic, journalist and screenwriter Alfred Kerr, had openly criticised the Nazis,who burned his books shortly after the family had fled Germany. They travelled first to Switzerland and then on into France, before finally settling in Britain, where Kerr has lived ever since. She subsequently became a naturalised British citizen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
April 22, 2015
This story is very different compared to other Second World War stories. Instead of making you cry, it will make you laugh. Judith Kerr has taken a very serious theme and found a way to explain things Anna faced in entertainment and nice to read way. The book is an autobiographical novel about the author and her family adventures throughout the hardships of the holocaust. The story is told from the perspective of Anna, the main character, through a series of very funny events, whether it's escaping on the midnight train to Switzerland, or learning French from scratch. The book is for children and teenagers and it is perfect for the holocaust remembrance month, we are currently celebrating.
This book is written beautifully and I would recommend any parent to let their child read this book. It will teach them a lot about tolerance and family cooperation through hard times. The book “When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit” is a good book for any age (not just children). I enjoyed this book from start to finish. It is so heart touching, interesting and has a touch of fun in it.
This book is written beautifully and I would recommend any parent to let their child read this book. It will teach them a lot about tolerance and family cooperation through hard times. The book “When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit” is a good book for any age (not just children). I enjoyed this book from start to finish. It is so heart touching, interesting and has a touch of fun in it.
January 31, 2020
Have read numerous books regarding WWII but this was from a different angle again and challenges me to understand how hard it is when people are displaced due to war and that they can end up not belonging anywhere. Good to grow in empathy for people that continue to be in this situation even today. This book is based on the author's experience in WWII.
April 27, 2023
This book is about a girl named Anna, who lives in Berlin at the start of the story, just before the German election takes place. She is part of a wealthy family, as her father is an accomplished writer.
The Nazi party are candidates for the election. Their leader is Adolf Hitler, who wants to get rid of Jews. Anna's family are Jewish and Anna's father doesn't like Hitler. If the Nazis win the election, the family will go to Switzerland. If they don't win, then the family will stay in Berlin. Hitler wins the election, and from there Anna moves from Switzerland, where she stays for a few months, to Paris, where the main part of the book is set, until she moves to England right at the end of the book.
My favourite scene in the book is right at the beginning, when Anna's friend is discussing Hitler with Anna. Anna's friend explains what Hitler wants to do: "He wants everybody to vote for him in the elections and then he's going to stop the Jews. Do you think he's going to stop Rachel Lowenstein?" Anna replies: "Nobody can stop Rachel Lowenstein. She's form captain." I like this scene because it is funny and it also shows that many people didn't take Hitler as a really serious threat before he was in power.
I loved this book because there was always something interesting going on; there were no slow-moving parts in the book at all.
This book is probably suitable for kids above 8. The language is not particularly complicated and there aren't any gruesome descriptions!
The children’s novel When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, by Judith Kerr, is the first in a trilogy based on the author’s experience during WWII. Kerr wrote and illustrated the book to explain her own history to her children. Kerr is of German-Jewish heritage, and her family left Germany once Hitler rose to power in 1933. Her father was the prominent cultural critic Alfred Kerr. The family traveled around Europe for several years before settling in London, where Kerr completed middle and high school. This coming of age novel was published in 1971. It won Germany’s top prize for children’s fiction in 1974. Its themes include survival, politics' incursion on domestic life, and the challenges of growing up.
The novel opens with the nine-year-old protagonist, Anna, walking around Berlin with her good friend Elsbeth. It is a few months before March 1933, and Adolf Hitler is running for Chancellor of Germany. The girls see fliers for his campaign around town. They discuss his pledge to ban Jews from Germany. Anna has never thought about Judaism in-depth, but she tells Elsbeth that she’s technically Jewish because of her mother. Elsbeth, who is not Jewish, says the whole thing is silly and wants it to go away. One morning, Anna’s father is missing. The children hear that their father has sought refuge in Prague, Austria, along with Anna's older brother Max. Anna's father is a famous author and journalist who has published criticism of Hitler’s party. He predicts that if Hitler comes to power, he will be instantly imprisoned and possibly killed; he has also received tips from creditable sources that the Nazis would like nothing more than to see him dead. If Hitler’s party loses, Anna's father will return to Berlin; if Hitler wins, then the family will go into exile in Switzerland.
As the election closes in, Hitler’s prospects look good. The Reichstag building (the German equivalent of Congress) has burned down. The Nazis may have burned the building themselves in order to blame the Communists and justify their own attempts to assume more power. The family knows that Hitler will use his new powers to harm them, and they decide to take the preemptory measure of leaving the country, of escaping immediately. They pack all of their belongings and place them into storage. The children say goodbye to their Uncle Julius, who insists on staying in Germany because he believes that the Nazis will not last; he also does not think he is in danger because he had a Jewish grandmother, but not Jewish parents.
The children can only bring a limited number of items as they travel. Anna can only bring one stuffed animal with her, and must choose between a pink rabbit and a fluffy dog that was more expensive and is newer. She chooses the dog, and for some time, doesn’t miss her pink rabbit much. She is certain that Hitler will lose, the family will return to Berlin, and Anna will be reunited with her precious toy. The family stays in a bed and breakfast on Lake Zurich in Switzerland for almost a year. Anna learns to yodel, and Max experiences his first major crush on a village girl. The family is safe and relaxed; indeed, the only time they experience anti-Semitism is when they encounter German tourists. Through newspapers and the radio they hear that Hitler’s party has won several votes of confidence, and is now more powerful than ever before. They also learn the Nazis appeared at their Berlin residence to confiscate their passports and bar them from leaving the country. The family had left just in time.
The parents decide that the family would be happier in Paris. Papa can’t find much work as a journalist, as the Swiss want to remain neutral and not antagonize their neighbor to the north. Papa and Mama travel to the French capital while Max and Anna stay in Switzerland. Meanwhile, the Nazis have offered a reward of one thousand marks to anyone who can turn in Papa, dead or alive. By current standards, one thousand marks is the equivalent of eleven thousand U.S. dollars. Papa returns to Switzerland safely. Anna had misunderstood the meaning of “marks on his head.” She was under the impression that if he were captured, her father would have coins thrown on his head, so many that the Nazis would eventually suffocate him. Max explains to her the real meaning of the idiom. The three family members travel back to Paris. They nearly end up on the wrong train, to Berlin, but in the last second, Anna sees a sign and they are rerouted to Paris.
In Paris, Anna starts school. She struggles with speaking French initially, but one day she’s overjoyed to realize that she understands its concepts and can speak it fluently. The family enjoys life in Paris. Anna’s mother often buys Anna pastries and eclairs as a treat, even when the family can’t buy fish for dinner. Two years pass, and the family decides to move to London. It’s 1936, and Papa thinks he can find suitable work with the British Broadcasting Company (BBC). While Anna and Max are young enough to easily master a new language, their father – who had achieved immense prominence in the German language – has been struggling with work. In the last scene, the family alights from a train in England. They’re going to meet Otto, Mama’s cousin in London. This is where the book ends.
The next book in the Out of the Hitler Time trilogy is Bombs on Aunt Dainty (1975), which details Anna’s experience in London during WWII. The series concludes with A Small Person Far Away (1978), in which Anna, now a young woman and married, visits her mother, who has moved back to Berlin.
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SuperSummary Plot Summaries provide a quick, full synopsis of a text. But SuperSummary Study Guides — available only to subscribers — provide so much more!
The Nazi party are candidates for the election. Their leader is Adolf Hitler, who wants to get rid of Jews. Anna's family are Jewish and Anna's father doesn't like Hitler. If the Nazis win the election, the family will go to Switzerland. If they don't win, then the family will stay in Berlin. Hitler wins the election, and from there Anna moves from Switzerland, where she stays for a few months, to Paris, where the main part of the book is set, until she moves to England right at the end of the book.
My favourite scene in the book is right at the beginning, when Anna's friend is discussing Hitler with Anna. Anna's friend explains what Hitler wants to do: "He wants everybody to vote for him in the elections and then he's going to stop the Jews. Do you think he's going to stop Rachel Lowenstein?" Anna replies: "Nobody can stop Rachel Lowenstein. She's form captain." I like this scene because it is funny and it also shows that many people didn't take Hitler as a really serious threat before he was in power.
I loved this book because there was always something interesting going on; there were no slow-moving parts in the book at all.
This book is probably suitable for kids above 8. The language is not particularly complicated and there aren't any gruesome descriptions!
The children’s novel When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, by Judith Kerr, is the first in a trilogy based on the author’s experience during WWII. Kerr wrote and illustrated the book to explain her own history to her children. Kerr is of German-Jewish heritage, and her family left Germany once Hitler rose to power in 1933. Her father was the prominent cultural critic Alfred Kerr. The family traveled around Europe for several years before settling in London, where Kerr completed middle and high school. This coming of age novel was published in 1971. It won Germany’s top prize for children’s fiction in 1974. Its themes include survival, politics' incursion on domestic life, and the challenges of growing up.
The novel opens with the nine-year-old protagonist, Anna, walking around Berlin with her good friend Elsbeth. It is a few months before March 1933, and Adolf Hitler is running for Chancellor of Germany. The girls see fliers for his campaign around town. They discuss his pledge to ban Jews from Germany. Anna has never thought about Judaism in-depth, but she tells Elsbeth that she’s technically Jewish because of her mother. Elsbeth, who is not Jewish, says the whole thing is silly and wants it to go away. One morning, Anna’s father is missing. The children hear that their father has sought refuge in Prague, Austria, along with Anna's older brother Max. Anna's father is a famous author and journalist who has published criticism of Hitler’s party. He predicts that if Hitler comes to power, he will be instantly imprisoned and possibly killed; he has also received tips from creditable sources that the Nazis would like nothing more than to see him dead. If Hitler’s party loses, Anna's father will return to Berlin; if Hitler wins, then the family will go into exile in Switzerland.
As the election closes in, Hitler’s prospects look good. The Reichstag building (the German equivalent of Congress) has burned down. The Nazis may have burned the building themselves in order to blame the Communists and justify their own attempts to assume more power. The family knows that Hitler will use his new powers to harm them, and they decide to take the preemptory measure of leaving the country, of escaping immediately. They pack all of their belongings and place them into storage. The children say goodbye to their Uncle Julius, who insists on staying in Germany because he believes that the Nazis will not last; he also does not think he is in danger because he had a Jewish grandmother, but not Jewish parents.
The children can only bring a limited number of items as they travel. Anna can only bring one stuffed animal with her, and must choose between a pink rabbit and a fluffy dog that was more expensive and is newer. She chooses the dog, and for some time, doesn’t miss her pink rabbit much. She is certain that Hitler will lose, the family will return to Berlin, and Anna will be reunited with her precious toy. The family stays in a bed and breakfast on Lake Zurich in Switzerland for almost a year. Anna learns to yodel, and Max experiences his first major crush on a village girl. The family is safe and relaxed; indeed, the only time they experience anti-Semitism is when they encounter German tourists. Through newspapers and the radio they hear that Hitler’s party has won several votes of confidence, and is now more powerful than ever before. They also learn the Nazis appeared at their Berlin residence to confiscate their passports and bar them from leaving the country. The family had left just in time.
The parents decide that the family would be happier in Paris. Papa can’t find much work as a journalist, as the Swiss want to remain neutral and not antagonize their neighbor to the north. Papa and Mama travel to the French capital while Max and Anna stay in Switzerland. Meanwhile, the Nazis have offered a reward of one thousand marks to anyone who can turn in Papa, dead or alive. By current standards, one thousand marks is the equivalent of eleven thousand U.S. dollars. Papa returns to Switzerland safely. Anna had misunderstood the meaning of “marks on his head.” She was under the impression that if he were captured, her father would have coins thrown on his head, so many that the Nazis would eventually suffocate him. Max explains to her the real meaning of the idiom. The three family members travel back to Paris. They nearly end up on the wrong train, to Berlin, but in the last second, Anna sees a sign and they are rerouted to Paris.
In Paris, Anna starts school. She struggles with speaking French initially, but one day she’s overjoyed to realize that she understands its concepts and can speak it fluently. The family enjoys life in Paris. Anna’s mother often buys Anna pastries and eclairs as a treat, even when the family can’t buy fish for dinner. Two years pass, and the family decides to move to London. It’s 1936, and Papa thinks he can find suitable work with the British Broadcasting Company (BBC). While Anna and Max are young enough to easily master a new language, their father – who had achieved immense prominence in the German language – has been struggling with work. In the last scene, the family alights from a train in England. They’re going to meet Otto, Mama’s cousin in London. This is where the book ends.
The next book in the Out of the Hitler Time trilogy is Bombs on Aunt Dainty (1975), which details Anna’s experience in London during WWII. The series concludes with A Small Person Far Away (1978), in which Anna, now a young woman and married, visits her mother, who has moved back to Berlin.
Continue your reading experience
SuperSummary Plot Summaries provide a quick, full synopsis of a text. But SuperSummary Study Guides — available only to subscribers — provide so much more!
July 31, 2015
A touching duo of simple but affecting autobiographical novels describing the disrupted childhood and coming of age of adaptable Jewish German refugee girl Anna tracing her journey from a comfortable life in Berlin via Switzerland and Paris to London in the Blitz.
November 9, 2013
Great book!!
September 23, 2017
I'm not usually someone who reads historical fiction even though I do enjoy it. But this book has become one of my favourite books that I have read
It is a novel set in WWII which already made me think that I would enjoy it as I like anything set in this time period
The second thing that I enjoyed about it the most was the fact that the main character loves art which is something that I was also interested in at the time
This book is one of the few that managed to make me cry as I read it (not spooling which bits did that to me)
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially The Book Thief since I personally enjoyed this book a lot more than that one.
Don't let the fact that it is aimed at younger children put you off, the writing style doesn't reflect that at all
It is a novel set in WWII which already made me think that I would enjoy it as I like anything set in this time period
The second thing that I enjoyed about it the most was the fact that the main character loves art which is something that I was also interested in at the time
This book is one of the few that managed to make me cry as I read it (not spooling which bits did that to me)
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially The Book Thief since I personally enjoyed this book a lot more than that one.
Don't let the fact that it is aimed at younger children put you off, the writing style doesn't reflect that at all
September 22, 2023
I was stuck on a 7 hour bus journey with sixty 11 year olds. I had finished my own book after an hour. I was stuck. I was bored. As we went around a corner, this book slipped off of a child's seat. Intrigued, they let me borrow it. I completed it just as we were arriving back at school.
I had heard of Judith Kerr before. Who hasn't read or seen Mog? or The Tiger Who Came To Tea? I read the whole book before then reading the final pages, where she explains that it is based on her life. That made the book even more magical.
Told from a child's perspective, it's a story of escaping from your home because of the Nazis, first to France and then to Switzerland, then finally England. Its a story of child naivety, adaptation, and joy even in the darkest of times.
I had heard of Judith Kerr before. Who hasn't read or seen Mog? or The Tiger Who Came To Tea? I read the whole book before then reading the final pages, where she explains that it is based on her life. That made the book even more magical.
Told from a child's perspective, it's a story of escaping from your home because of the Nazis, first to France and then to Switzerland, then finally England. Its a story of child naivety, adaptation, and joy even in the darkest of times.
June 10, 2019
This (When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit) is a young adult book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would also call it a memoir of childhood during the years the author was 9-11. It is charming, factual, and informative of the period. I learned that Swiss schooling included singing in the afternoons and that French schools were about the same as now.
The author's family fled Berlin as Hitler was elected. They then spent 9 months in Switzerland, about 1.5 years in Paris, and the rest of WWII in London. Judith Kerr died last weekk, and that's how I learned of her work (primarily as an author-illustrator of children's books. 'Glad I did.
The author's family fled Berlin as Hitler was elected. They then spent 9 months in Switzerland, about 1.5 years in Paris, and the rest of WWII in London. Judith Kerr died last weekk, and that's how I learned of her work (primarily as an author-illustrator of children's books. 'Glad I did.
March 26, 2021
I re-read this book last year having read it as a child, this is a more accessible novel for young children to start to learn about the tragic stories of World War Two. The story is told through the eyes of an imaginary 9 year old girl, her family are forced to escape to Switzerland then travel to Paris and finally England, because her father writes anti Nazi stories in the newspaper where he works and the family are Jewish. The book has a light hearted and funny approach but alongside an enjoyable story, children will learn about the tragedies of the Second World War. Suitable for children aged 8/9 plus.
October 26, 2021
I thought this book a very beautiful read. I didn’t know much about the book before I picked it up and was nearly put off by people talking about the author writing through as ged younger self. You are seeing things through the writers eyes, a child eyes and that’s the beauty of it. Seeing the war and everything that’s happening through a child’s eyes. Wonderfully charming and honest, beautifully writtenx
April 9, 2024
Anna tells her story of leaving Germany before the war living in Switzerland and then France. Her father is a writer. It tells of the struggles they have as a family, making friends, managing with little income, dealing with prejudice. The hope shines through from her eyes as she moves on to yet another country, another new language and seeing how her 'difficult' childhood has changed her and gives her strength.
March 29, 2025
Really lovely story about Judith’s life as a German-Jewish refugee. It was unlike the other WWII books I’d read, it was much more light hearted and less traumatic….which made a nice change. It was an easy read, therefore I couldn’t put it down and wanted to keep on reading. I wish Judith Kerr wrote more adult books as I love the way she writes, so descriptive..you can really picture the scenes and characters easily.
July 26, 2018
This is a book written for 9-12 yr. olds about a Jewish girl of the same age. Her father is a prominent journalist in Germany who "sees the writing on the wall" about Hitler. The family escapes to Switzerland right before the election. We follow the family from there to France and then England. Their lives as refugees are told in this tale by the daughter, Anna.
March 8, 2021
Book club gave me the opportunity to revisit one of my childhood reads...and expand the adventure in the second book. I love Judith Kerr's clear sighted descriptions of her childhood in novel form...and first hand experiences of London during the Blitz. Beautiful books about the importance of family and community.
August 12, 2018
I read the second story; Bombs on Aunt Dainty - very touching and interesting memories of refugee life in WW2 England from the point of view of an adolescent girl. Really moving and I would recommend.
September 29, 2025
Two books in one, i wanted to read this for a while as i remember a girl in my junior school reading it. It was a lovely book around Germany going to war and how the refugees had to seek safety in France then England. It showed how hard it was for young children to adapt to their surroundings.
May 16, 2017
I love this book amaizinh for my age group and a wonderful read.
January 27, 2019
Sad but hopeful book about Judith Kerr’s life in London during The Blitz.
November 11, 2019
An interesting book! Very different to many other books about WW2. An honest insight into the life of a young Anna starting in 1933.
December 24, 2022
Positive book from a child's memory of moving to avoid the Nazis. Funny, positive, uplifting.
May 4, 2024
Khá đáng yêu, đọc để biết thêm về thế chiến 2
March 3, 2017
Definitely a must read! I can see why both these stories are deemed classic literature.
May 22, 2015
I was reading this mainly to see if it would be something my kids would be interested in, but I really enjoyed it. It is an autobiographical novel about a 9 year old girl and her family who become refugees and travel from Germany to various countries from 1933-1935. It is from a child's perspective so it is not a gruesome war story, simply about a family trying to live their lives after escaping their home country because they are Jews. There are such issues as being accepted, learning foreign languages, learning to live in new cultures, parents arguing and sibling squabbling. The most touchy subject is there is a brief mention of a suicide by pills by a relative. However, unless your child is especially sensitive about anything I have mentioned I believe that anyone 10+ would enjoy this story. Also, her illustrations are cute!
January 9, 2016
Anna's WW2 story is very different than others because she is a young girl who doesn't understand the world around her. She focuses on her own little struggles, moving around from country to country, whilst her parents struggle to keep their family safe. This kind of book lets you relate to the main character, in the same oblivious way you were as a child. Others about WW2 usually are about fears of the Nazi's and Hitler, but Anna's concerns don't affect anything about the crisis in history.
A theme of this story could be love, because Anna's family has to adapt from a rich life in Germany to life in Switzerland and France with very little space and money. But throughout their problems, they have memorable moments where they bond and know they will protect each other from anything forever.
A theme of this story could be love, because Anna's family has to adapt from a rich life in Germany to life in Switzerland and France with very little space and money. But throughout their problems, they have memorable moments where they bond and know they will protect each other from anything forever.
May 8, 2014
Anna lives in Germany with her family as Hitler comes into power. Anna's father foresees that this new leader is not good for the country, so he decides to take his family and leave. Anna's family goes through a lot of struggles as they try to gain their freedom. I recommended this book to a reluctant reader that became fascinated with WWII. She read The Diary of Anne Frank and struggled finding other books to read. When she and I searched for more books from this genre she was immediately attracted to this book because it appeared to be similar to Anne Frank's book.
January 14, 2014
A fantastic insight into what life was like before and during the Second World War from the perspective of young girl Anna (Judith Kerr) and her Jewish family as they flee Berlin just as Hitler rises to power, moving to Switzerland, Paris and finally London. A vivid, detailed and immensely readable book - if (like me)you didn't get to read this a child, make sure you put it on your reading list! One of the best war-time books I've read.
May 30, 2014
Anna lives in Germany with her family as Hitler comes into power. Anna's father foresees that this new leader is not good for the country, so he decides to take his family and leave. Anna's family goes through a lot of struggles as they try to gain their freedom. I recommended this book to people who want to learne about the Holocost. I also recomend this book to Ms.Theresa because she is a sereous teacjer to when it comes to learning about the Holocost.
November 2, 2014
An extremely touching novel, I find it rather exhilarating than depressing however. The novel has given me a much more clear aspect of World War 2 and being a young child around the age of Anna having to travel to various amounts of countries such as Switzerland, France, and especially England in order to avoid being caught by Nazis gave this book a much more "action-like" genre. However, I enjoyed this book very much and I think my fellow book-club members have enjoyed this as well.
April 25, 2016
I totally enjoyed this book, told by the 9-year old Anna. Knowing this was a true story of a family leaving Germany before Hitler took over the country made this story very interesting. The hardships and successes this family had moving to Switzerland, France, and finally England, made this a wonderful read! I'm so glad I heard a radio interview with Judith Kerr last month! This is the story of her family!
November 2, 2013
one of the best books I have ever had the pleasure to read
judith kerr has told a amazing story I have gad my eyes opend by this true account of the world war
who knew a buzz bomb is a pilot less airplanes filled with bombs set to crash on London
I am so pleased the dads books got republished too
a great book do looking forward to book 3
judith kerr has told a amazing story I have gad my eyes opend by this true account of the world war
who knew a buzz bomb is a pilot less airplanes filled with bombs set to crash on London
I am so pleased the dads books got republished too
a great book do looking forward to book 3
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews