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Waltraut
The story of a first-generation-Canadian girl growing up in the shadows of the Second World War and navigating two cultures while struggling to find herself.
Eleven-year-old Waltraut wants to fit in at school, but it’s not easy. Not only does her name rhyme with the ethnic slur that is often hurled her way, but no one can relate to her immigrant family and their complicated past. On weekends, however, she attends German school with friends who are just like her. They share a language, food, and customs—and they understand what it’s like to live in two cultures.
As Waltraut navigates between her two worlds, she copes by reading and imagines how much easier her life would be if her name was Nancy, like the heroine of her favourite mystery series. So when her family moves to a new neighbourhood, Waltraut seizes the chance to reinvent herself. But she soon learns the price of pretending to be someone else. With support from an insightful teacher, a warm-hearted father, a tough-minded mother, and even her annoying younger brother, she embraces her true self, with all of its complexities and contradictions.
Eleven-year-old Waltraut wants to fit in at school, but it’s not easy. Not only does her name rhyme with the ethnic slur that is often hurled her way, but no one can relate to her immigrant family and their complicated past. On weekends, however, she attends German school with friends who are just like her. They share a language, food, and customs—and they understand what it’s like to live in two cultures.
As Waltraut navigates between her two worlds, she copes by reading and imagines how much easier her life would be if her name was Nancy, like the heroine of her favourite mystery series. So when her family moves to a new neighbourhood, Waltraut seizes the chance to reinvent herself. But she soon learns the price of pretending to be someone else. With support from an insightful teacher, a warm-hearted father, a tough-minded mother, and even her annoying younger brother, she embraces her true self, with all of its complexities and contradictions.
- GenresHistorical FictionCanada
224 pages, Paperback
Published September 3, 2024
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 25, 2025
Gabriele Goldstone's 2024 middle grade novel Waltraut (which is realistic fiction taking place in 1960s Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, but is also based on the author's own childhood as the daughter of post WWII German immigrants to Canada) is thematically, contents wise and also stylistically spectacular (and has as such been rated with five stars and also placed on my favourites shelf, with me textually adoring absolutely everything about Waltraut, including the German words, culture, foods etc. Goldstone has included in her text). And yes (in my not really all that humble opinion) with Waltraut Gabriele Goldstone absolutely brilliantly textually captures and focuses on 11-year-old second generation Canadian protagonist and first person narrator Waltraut Weiss' voice and the complex balancing act straddling and trying to balance both the German and the Anglo-Canadian post WWII culture, traditions and history that are much of her life, how Waltraut has to navigate school, friendships and adult relationships (seeking acceptance, trying to fit in, while also trying to establish her identity and her own and very personal Waltanschauung).
And yes, I do find it quite uplifting that by the end of Waltraut and after the family has moved to a new house, in a new neighbourhood (and equally with a new school for Waltraut and her younger brother Sonny), Waltraut finally does accept her nicely encouraging English teacher's, that she accepts Mr. Sheldon's advice that she should no longer be using the artificial and Anglophone name of Nancy (after Nancy Drew) chosen at church camp and that her given name of Waltraut is both her own and is also lovely in and of itself (no matter what others might say, no matter if classmates make fun of and deride her German name and that certain teachers might consider it not "Canadian" enough). Furthermore, not to mention that I do find it totally refreshing and hugely delightful how Gabriele Goldstone in her Acknowledgments section mentions that Waltraut was written and takes place in Winnipeg and that the city is located (and I am quoting from those same Acknowledgments here) in Treaty I Territory, the home and ancestral lands of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Ininew (Cree) and the Dakota Peoples, and in the National Homeland of the Red River Métis (and that Goldstone also mentions in the Acknowledgments for Waltraut that all of us Canadians and permanent residents to Canada who are not First Nations and not Inuit are indeed and always have been immigrants on First Nations and Inuit lands, yes, this makes me hugely smile with major and all-encompassing appreciation).
But indeed, much of Waltraut is also a story that hits too realistically and thus also uncomfortably close to home for me (as a German Canadian, as a post WWII immigrant from Germany) to be in any way comfortable reading, although I am also at the same time really and hugely glad, glad, glad regarding this and that Gabriele Goldstone's story for WaltrautWaltraut shows and demonstrates how some of the main villains regarding the bullying are in fact Waltraut's teachers, this is indeed a huge bonus for me as some of my teachers both enabled and encourages me getting bullies and that one of them also told me I deserved being bullied for having a horrible German accent and supposedly being too lazy and too ignorant to get rid of it). So yes, yes, yes, what I have textually speaking encountered in Waltraut and in particular regarding the ethnic bullying by nasty schoolmates and seriously bigoted so-called teachers Waltraut experiences (and so much so that she actually sometimes ends up hiding in the supply closets at school), this emotionally bothers me, this has been painful, but that I hugely do appreciate and love Waltraut as a story and that Gabriele Goldstone does not shy away from showing the totally unfair bigotry Waltraut experiences regarding her German background and her emotional suffering.
And yes, I do find it quite uplifting that by the end of Waltraut and after the family has moved to a new house, in a new neighbourhood (and equally with a new school for Waltraut and her younger brother Sonny), Waltraut finally does accept her nicely encouraging English teacher's, that she accepts Mr. Sheldon's advice that she should no longer be using the artificial and Anglophone name of Nancy (after Nancy Drew) chosen at church camp and that her given name of Waltraut is both her own and is also lovely in and of itself (no matter what others might say, no matter if classmates make fun of and deride her German name and that certain teachers might consider it not "Canadian" enough). Furthermore, not to mention that I do find it totally refreshing and hugely delightful how Gabriele Goldstone in her Acknowledgments section mentions that Waltraut was written and takes place in Winnipeg and that the city is located (and I am quoting from those same Acknowledgments here) in Treaty I Territory, the home and ancestral lands of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Ininew (Cree) and the Dakota Peoples, and in the National Homeland of the Red River Métis (and that Goldstone also mentions in the Acknowledgments for Waltraut that all of us Canadians and permanent residents to Canada who are not First Nations and not Inuit are indeed and always have been immigrants on First Nations and Inuit lands, yes, this makes me hugely smile with major and all-encompassing appreciation).
But indeed, much of Waltraut is also a story that hits too realistically and thus also uncomfortably close to home for me (as a German Canadian, as a post WWII immigrant from Germany) to be in any way comfortable reading, although I am also at the same time really and hugely glad, glad, glad regarding this and that Gabriele Goldstone's story for WaltrautWaltraut shows and demonstrates how some of the main villains regarding the bullying are in fact Waltraut's teachers, this is indeed a huge bonus for me as some of my teachers both enabled and encourages me getting bullies and that one of them also told me I deserved being bullied for having a horrible German accent and supposedly being too lazy and too ignorant to get rid of it). So yes, yes, yes, what I have textually speaking encountered in Waltraut and in particular regarding the ethnic bullying by nasty schoolmates and seriously bigoted so-called teachers Waltraut experiences (and so much so that she actually sometimes ends up hiding in the supply closets at school), this emotionally bothers me, this has been painful, but that I hugely do appreciate and love Waltraut as a story and that Gabriele Goldstone does not shy away from showing the totally unfair bigotry Waltraut experiences regarding her German background and her emotional suffering.
May 25, 2025
After publishing two brilliant young adult novels loosely based on her mother's traumatic experiences in East Prussia and the Soviet Union ("Tainted Amber" and "Crow Stone"), Gabriele Goldstone is back with a middle-grade book set in Canada. "Waltraut" is a captivating story about an inquisitive ten-year-old daughter of immigrants who desperately wants to belong somewhere but is constantly positioned as the Other. Readers familiar with Goldstone's other books will for sure appreciate the mentions of themes introduced in the "Red Stone" series, while fans of Nancy Drew will find "Waltraut"'s intertextual elements especially appealing.
June 23, 2024
Goldstone's best book yet.
October 18, 2024
Thoroughly loved getting to journey with Waltraut as she faced her struggles and questions of where she fit in with her school, family and church community. I love to read historical fiction and find this time period in Canadian history so interesting. The relationship Wali has with her father warmed my heart. The author captured the characters and settings in a way that the reader could not help but be invested in the story.
April 9, 2026
In Poland, we associate Canadian children's literature with Anne of Green Gables. This novel about an 11-year-old girl, Anne Shirley, shows emotions and the beautiful imagination of a vulnerable child who appears in a new environment. Fortunately, she finds friendship and family. The story about Anne begins in the mid-1870s, and about a century later, another 11 year-old girl from Canada appears in literature.
Gabriele Goldstone wrote the novel about Waltraut, who is in a situation similar to Anne's, as she also begins to live in a new environment. However, this girl is not easily accepted because her roots are not Canadian. Born in Canada, Waltraut feels Canadian, but the others reject her because of her German origin. This type of rejection is not typical for Canadians – it can be experienced similarly in any other nation. This is important to all of us, as we should be conscious of our attitude toward immigrants.
Goldstone’s book is interesting from many other perspectives, too. As I mentioned before, we can get familiarised with a young girl’s world. Waltraut is vulnerable just like Anne Shirley. She would like to find acceptance and to have friends. Another similar point is that she likes reading literature, writing, and imagining herself as characters from fictional stories, e.g., a princess lying in a satin canopy bed.
I would also mention that these books help us familiarise ourselves with the development of the education system in Canada and get a sense of people’s everyday lives. Anne of Green Gables features the first female teacher, Miss Stacy. Local people are surprised that a woman can teach. They do not understand Stacy’s didactic method as teaching outside the classroom in nature or introducing physical education. In the Canadian school of the 20th century, as described in Waltraut, everyday recesses are normally outdoors; therefore, pupils have physical activities in the fresh air. And it goes without saying that a woman is a teacher. At the beginning, Waltraut does not have a teacher who would be as helpful as Anne’s Miss Stacy, because it was her who showed Anne how to believe in herself and how to develop. Waltraut’s teachers do not take care of her enough, so the girl feels uncomfortable in the Canadian school, where she is alone, unheard, and unseen. Other pupils abuse this situation and bully Waltraut. Fortunately, the attentive teacher appears and helps Waltraut to develop herself and accept her family roots as they are. In what way? You can read and find it out by yourself!
Finally, allow me to add that fans of Annie Shirley have the opportunity to read about her in other books in the series, and the same holds for Goldstone’s book. We can learn about Waltraut’s mother’s past through the author’s previous books: Red Stone, Broken Stone, Tainted Amber, and Crow Stone. Many readers will be eager to dive into these stories.
Gabriele Goldstone wrote the novel about Waltraut, who is in a situation similar to Anne's, as she also begins to live in a new environment. However, this girl is not easily accepted because her roots are not Canadian. Born in Canada, Waltraut feels Canadian, but the others reject her because of her German origin. This type of rejection is not typical for Canadians – it can be experienced similarly in any other nation. This is important to all of us, as we should be conscious of our attitude toward immigrants.
Goldstone’s book is interesting from many other perspectives, too. As I mentioned before, we can get familiarised with a young girl’s world. Waltraut is vulnerable just like Anne Shirley. She would like to find acceptance and to have friends. Another similar point is that she likes reading literature, writing, and imagining herself as characters from fictional stories, e.g., a princess lying in a satin canopy bed.
I would also mention that these books help us familiarise ourselves with the development of the education system in Canada and get a sense of people’s everyday lives. Anne of Green Gables features the first female teacher, Miss Stacy. Local people are surprised that a woman can teach. They do not understand Stacy’s didactic method as teaching outside the classroom in nature or introducing physical education. In the Canadian school of the 20th century, as described in Waltraut, everyday recesses are normally outdoors; therefore, pupils have physical activities in the fresh air. And it goes without saying that a woman is a teacher. At the beginning, Waltraut does not have a teacher who would be as helpful as Anne’s Miss Stacy, because it was her who showed Anne how to believe in herself and how to develop. Waltraut’s teachers do not take care of her enough, so the girl feels uncomfortable in the Canadian school, where she is alone, unheard, and unseen. Other pupils abuse this situation and bully Waltraut. Fortunately, the attentive teacher appears and helps Waltraut to develop herself and accept her family roots as they are. In what way? You can read and find it out by yourself!
Finally, allow me to add that fans of Annie Shirley have the opportunity to read about her in other books in the series, and the same holds for Goldstone’s book. We can learn about Waltraut’s mother’s past through the author’s previous books: Red Stone, Broken Stone, Tainted Amber, and Crow Stone. Many readers will be eager to dive into these stories.
April 11, 2026
Waltraut by Gabriele Goldstone is a rich middle-grade novel that draws on the author’s own experiences as the daughter of German immigrants, and it shows. The story captures 11-year-old Waltraut Weiss’s struggle to balance her German heritage with Canadian expectations, much like the author herself once did.
I especially appreciate the book’s portrayal of a child’s mind. Waltraut is a lovable and relatable protagonist. She acts and thinks like a real child, which isn’t always a given in media, even when it’s geared toward children. The novel gives readers a genuine glimpse into what it feels like to be a child torn between cultures and burdened by a history that is beyond one’s control or full understanding.
Thematically, the book is rich, exploring topics such as belonging, identity, and the migrant experience. Goldstone does not shy away from portraying bullying, generational trauma, or the internal struggles surrounding one’s identity. Waltraut, along with the rest of her family, faces no shortage of challenges. Yet despite these hardships, the novel is ultimately uplifting.
On those grounds, I highly recommend it both to children of immigrants who may be seeking representation in their reading repertoire and to children from any other background, who will likely relate to Waltraut all the same and be better for it. Parents who choose to read it alongside their children will also find it rewarding, as the book is mature and nuanced enough to engage adult readership as well.
I especially appreciate the book’s portrayal of a child’s mind. Waltraut is a lovable and relatable protagonist. She acts and thinks like a real child, which isn’t always a given in media, even when it’s geared toward children. The novel gives readers a genuine glimpse into what it feels like to be a child torn between cultures and burdened by a history that is beyond one’s control or full understanding.
Thematically, the book is rich, exploring topics such as belonging, identity, and the migrant experience. Goldstone does not shy away from portraying bullying, generational trauma, or the internal struggles surrounding one’s identity. Waltraut, along with the rest of her family, faces no shortage of challenges. Yet despite these hardships, the novel is ultimately uplifting.
On those grounds, I highly recommend it both to children of immigrants who may be seeking representation in their reading repertoire and to children from any other background, who will likely relate to Waltraut all the same and be better for it. Parents who choose to read it alongside their children will also find it rewarding, as the book is mature and nuanced enough to engage adult readership as well.
April 16, 2026
“Who am I? Who do I want to be? Can an immigrant girl become a hero in her own story?” The answer is clear: yes, Waltraut, you can.
Waltraut is an eleven-year-old girl who, throughout the story, searches for her place in society. In fact, she moves two social environments, as she studies at a Canadian school on weekdays and attends a German school on weekends. At the same time, she is also trying to understand and construct her own identity. Because of this, she experiences two different cultures, languages, and expectations in her everyday life. While trying to adapt to both environments, Waltraut is also trying to understand herself and figure out who she really is.
Gabriele Goldstone, the author of the novel, primarily writes books for children and young adults. However, it would be a mistake for us, readers, to rely solely on the label “for children.” The novel addresses complex ideas that can be carefully examined and thoughtfully analysed.
I was truly fascinated by the depiction of the role of one’s surroundings on the development of the main character. As a young teacher, I found it especially interesting to observe the role that educators play in shaping Waltraut’s identity and her understanding of who she truly is. At the beginning of the story, the reader can observe how the girl is discouraged from speaking about her roots, her family, and her connections to Germany, and from simply expressing her authentic self. As a result, Waltraut desperately tries to fit in, to be respected, and to be loved. In order to achieve this, she changes her name from Waltraut to Nancy (after all, what could possibly sound more Canadian?).
However, after moving to a different house, Waltraut has an opportunity to begin her new “Nancy life.” She enters a new school and has a conversation with a teacher who deliberately addresses her as Waltraut and asks her to stop writing “Nancy stories” and instead write stories as Waltraut, giving her space to embrace her true self.
“I think about this for a long, long time before I finally start writing. I’m Wautraut, and this is my story.”
Waltraut is an eleven-year-old girl who, throughout the story, searches for her place in society. In fact, she moves two social environments, as she studies at a Canadian school on weekdays and attends a German school on weekends. At the same time, she is also trying to understand and construct her own identity. Because of this, she experiences two different cultures, languages, and expectations in her everyday life. While trying to adapt to both environments, Waltraut is also trying to understand herself and figure out who she really is.
Gabriele Goldstone, the author of the novel, primarily writes books for children and young adults. However, it would be a mistake for us, readers, to rely solely on the label “for children.” The novel addresses complex ideas that can be carefully examined and thoughtfully analysed.
I was truly fascinated by the depiction of the role of one’s surroundings on the development of the main character. As a young teacher, I found it especially interesting to observe the role that educators play in shaping Waltraut’s identity and her understanding of who she truly is. At the beginning of the story, the reader can observe how the girl is discouraged from speaking about her roots, her family, and her connections to Germany, and from simply expressing her authentic self. As a result, Waltraut desperately tries to fit in, to be respected, and to be loved. In order to achieve this, she changes her name from Waltraut to Nancy (after all, what could possibly sound more Canadian?).
However, after moving to a different house, Waltraut has an opportunity to begin her new “Nancy life.” She enters a new school and has a conversation with a teacher who deliberately addresses her as Waltraut and asks her to stop writing “Nancy stories” and instead write stories as Waltraut, giving her space to embrace her true self.
“I think about this for a long, long time before I finally start writing. I’m Wautraut, and this is my story.”
April 19, 2026
The book by Gabriele Goldstone tells the story of an 11-year-old girl who doesn’t feel she belongs anywhere.
Born in Canada to a German father and a German-Ukrainian mother, Waltraut is not accepted by her classmates, which also leads her to struggle self-acceptance.
It seems that the character’s main goal is to find out who she really is. Her father is a German who was a Luftwaffe fighter pilot during WWII. He doesn’t want to talk about the past, tries to forget it, and live a new life in a new country. The mother, born in Ukraine, is seriously traumatized by her experiences. She barely talks about the war and what she had gone through. And it had been a lot! Being sexually abused and sent to Siberia twice, she wants for Waltraut all the best but isn’t aware of what her daughter really needs. And it’s not a lot – just acceptance and some cuddling when she feels under the weather. Instead of some warmth and soft talks, Waltraut wants her to do or at least help with all the housework, while her brother is allowed to sit on the couch and watch stupid shows.
This situation also shows the reality of women and girls in the 1960s. Waltraut might be confused about her identity, but she does not want to become one of the housewives from the 1960s.
I like the way it’s been written. The language used in the book is simple, and everyone will be able to read it. At the same time, the writer brings up important topics such as the need to be accepted and to have someone for whom we are important.
Many of us face similar struggles, and I believe books like Waltraut remind us that we are not alone and have the right to be whoever we want.
Born in Canada to a German father and a German-Ukrainian mother, Waltraut is not accepted by her classmates, which also leads her to struggle self-acceptance.
It seems that the character’s main goal is to find out who she really is. Her father is a German who was a Luftwaffe fighter pilot during WWII. He doesn’t want to talk about the past, tries to forget it, and live a new life in a new country. The mother, born in Ukraine, is seriously traumatized by her experiences. She barely talks about the war and what she had gone through. And it had been a lot! Being sexually abused and sent to Siberia twice, she wants for Waltraut all the best but isn’t aware of what her daughter really needs. And it’s not a lot – just acceptance and some cuddling when she feels under the weather. Instead of some warmth and soft talks, Waltraut wants her to do or at least help with all the housework, while her brother is allowed to sit on the couch and watch stupid shows.
This situation also shows the reality of women and girls in the 1960s. Waltraut might be confused about her identity, but she does not want to become one of the housewives from the 1960s.
I like the way it’s been written. The language used in the book is simple, and everyone will be able to read it. At the same time, the writer brings up important topics such as the need to be accepted and to have someone for whom we are important.
Many of us face similar struggles, and I believe books like Waltraut remind us that we are not alone and have the right to be whoever we want.
April 9, 2026
“Waltraut” by Gabriele Goldstone is a children’s book, yet I believe it touches on a theme so universal that it should be spread among older readers as well. The story is set in post-war Canada (1960s) and handles themes of identity, belonging, and liminality. The narrator and main character, Waltraut, navigates through her life in Canada, showing the real struggles migrants face. Waltraut’s family moves from Germany to a supposedly multicultural country. Yet, they are met with a harsh reality in the world, where every German is deemed a Nazi. The book repeatedly questions Canada's openness, a point the story uncovers later on.
Contrary to what many adults I know assume, children are not oblivious to whatever is happening around them. Waltraut proves so several times, as she watches adults around her and analyses their behaviour. Though she does not know the term “trauma”, she knows something is indeed wrong. Her inner monologues depict the world she sees as vast and complicated. Her identity is torn between being German and, Canadian, as well as a Christian and a sinner. The 11-year-old girl is left alone to deal with peers’ rejection, adults’ comments, and her parents’ lack of communication. Throughout the story, Waltraut also must cope with the guilt that follows her everywhere.
Despite the simple language (the narrator is a child, after all), the story touches on truly painful topics. Is Waltraut’s father a ruthless murderer? Or perhaps he had no choice but to follow orders if he wanted to provide for his family during WW2? Similarly, as I was reading the story, the narrator’s mother, Katya, seemed so harsh as a character that it fueled me with rage. Yet, positioning her as a villain was something I’ve come to regret later on. “Waltraut” taught me to be more compassionate and less judgmental towards other people.
Of course, the book is not limited to a heavy atmosphere in the post-war world. Waltraut and her friends at the German school are quite the troublemakers, which adds a bit of humour at times. Apart from the German school, which emphasises migrants’ need to preserve their traditions and language, Waltraut also attends a regular Canadian school. She struggles to assimilate there and has more sad than happy moments (at one point, spending her break in a broomstick storage area).
The fact that she tries to create a new identity for herself at some point is truly heartbreaking. She tries so hard to fit in, but she only hurts herself. Luckily, she meets kind and reliable adults who guide her.
I recommend this book to everyone because I truly believe everyone shall find a relatable or eye-opening theme somewhere among (or between) the lines. As I was reading Waltraut’s story, I cried with her, laughed with her, felt anger in her stead; but, most importantly, I understood. What lies inside a person is often not what they show to the world. Sometimes it is still being made, molding their identity and influencing them in most unexpected ways.
Contrary to what many adults I know assume, children are not oblivious to whatever is happening around them. Waltraut proves so several times, as she watches adults around her and analyses their behaviour. Though she does not know the term “trauma”, she knows something is indeed wrong. Her inner monologues depict the world she sees as vast and complicated. Her identity is torn between being German and, Canadian, as well as a Christian and a sinner. The 11-year-old girl is left alone to deal with peers’ rejection, adults’ comments, and her parents’ lack of communication. Throughout the story, Waltraut also must cope with the guilt that follows her everywhere.
Despite the simple language (the narrator is a child, after all), the story touches on truly painful topics. Is Waltraut’s father a ruthless murderer? Or perhaps he had no choice but to follow orders if he wanted to provide for his family during WW2? Similarly, as I was reading the story, the narrator’s mother, Katya, seemed so harsh as a character that it fueled me with rage. Yet, positioning her as a villain was something I’ve come to regret later on. “Waltraut” taught me to be more compassionate and less judgmental towards other people.
Of course, the book is not limited to a heavy atmosphere in the post-war world. Waltraut and her friends at the German school are quite the troublemakers, which adds a bit of humour at times. Apart from the German school, which emphasises migrants’ need to preserve their traditions and language, Waltraut also attends a regular Canadian school. She struggles to assimilate there and has more sad than happy moments (at one point, spending her break in a broomstick storage area).
The fact that she tries to create a new identity for herself at some point is truly heartbreaking. She tries so hard to fit in, but she only hurts herself. Luckily, she meets kind and reliable adults who guide her.
I recommend this book to everyone because I truly believe everyone shall find a relatable or eye-opening theme somewhere among (or between) the lines. As I was reading Waltraut’s story, I cried with her, laughed with her, felt anger in her stead; but, most importantly, I understood. What lies inside a person is often not what they show to the world. Sometimes it is still being made, molding their identity and influencing them in most unexpected ways.
November 20, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 - A middle-grade book that tells the story of a Canadian girl growing up in the shadows of WWII in 1960s Winnipeg, navigating two cultures while struggling to find herself.
I was immediately captivated by the premise of this book. Waltraut may attend German school on the weekend, but she was born in Canada and is a Canadian citizen. At school she is frequently bullied for being German and is self-conscious about the food her mom packs in her lunch and her parents’ heavy accents. Her mom was a particularly interesting character. The subtle way her upbringing was woven into the story was well done and it was evident the many hardships she faced when she was her daughter’s age, often causing tension in their relationship.
When Waltraut and her family move to a new neighbourhood, she decides to go by the name Nancy in hopes for a more Canadian-sounding name. The way her father patiently entertained this idea and helped her navigate her feelings was super heartwarming.
I would’ve liked (and was expecting) more time spent with Waltraut as “Nancy.” Things wrapped up a bit too quickly in that regard as I think there was opportunity for some more interesting, thought-provoking scenarios!
Overall, this book would be a fantastic addition to all Canadian schools as it offers so much discussion for young readers.
Thank you @heritagehousepublishing for my gifted copy 🤍
I was immediately captivated by the premise of this book. Waltraut may attend German school on the weekend, but she was born in Canada and is a Canadian citizen. At school she is frequently bullied for being German and is self-conscious about the food her mom packs in her lunch and her parents’ heavy accents. Her mom was a particularly interesting character. The subtle way her upbringing was woven into the story was well done and it was evident the many hardships she faced when she was her daughter’s age, often causing tension in their relationship.
When Waltraut and her family move to a new neighbourhood, she decides to go by the name Nancy in hopes for a more Canadian-sounding name. The way her father patiently entertained this idea and helped her navigate her feelings was super heartwarming.
I would’ve liked (and was expecting) more time spent with Waltraut as “Nancy.” Things wrapped up a bit too quickly in that regard as I think there was opportunity for some more interesting, thought-provoking scenarios!
Overall, this book would be a fantastic addition to all Canadian schools as it offers so much discussion for young readers.
Thank you @heritagehousepublishing for my gifted copy 🤍
January 10, 2025
It is the 1960s and though 10-year-old Waltraut was born in Canada, her parents are immigrants from Germany and with WWII barely in the rear view mirror, Waltraut's classmates see her as a 'Kraut', someone not to be associated with. (Her name doesn't help.) Her only friends are at the German School she attends on Saturdays. Waltraut's other escape are her books, particularly her collection of Nancy Drew mysteries, and she imagines how much better her life would be if she could just change her name to Nancy, move to a new school, leave the old prejudices behind, and start over.
But, of course, life is never that easy, which Waltraut quickly discovers.
What I loved most about this novel was travelling back to my own childhood. Though not from an immigrant family, I did grow up in the 60s, and Gabriele Goldstone's depiction of those times took me right back. Some of the memories are laughable; others not so much, but they are all part and parcel of the era, and Goldstone lays it out perfectly.
My mother used to say kids' problems are just as big to them as grown-ups' problems are to adults. She was right. Nothing earth-shattering happens in this novel; it is just a young girl navigating the mysteries and roadblocks of life, but Waltraut's efforts to make sense of it all are so sincere, the reader can't help but feel the weight of her struggles.
But, of course, life is never that easy, which Waltraut quickly discovers.
What I loved most about this novel was travelling back to my own childhood. Though not from an immigrant family, I did grow up in the 60s, and Gabriele Goldstone's depiction of those times took me right back. Some of the memories are laughable; others not so much, but they are all part and parcel of the era, and Goldstone lays it out perfectly.
My mother used to say kids' problems are just as big to them as grown-ups' problems are to adults. She was right. Nothing earth-shattering happens in this novel; it is just a young girl navigating the mysteries and roadblocks of life, but Waltraut's efforts to make sense of it all are so sincere, the reader can't help but feel the weight of her struggles.
November 7, 2024
Trying to fit in, to belong and finding out who she really is, is Waltraut’s quest. The daughter of German immigrants in post-war Winnipeg, 11-year-old Waltraut faces bullying and prejudice. She navigates these challenges with curiosity and her determination to solve every obstacle that comes her way, with Nancy Drew’s detective skills.
Gabriele Goldstone has written a powerful story with honesty and compassion, rich with historical detail. All readers, but especially immigrant and refugee children will be able to identify and be inspired by this uplifting story.
Martha Attema, author of 'Awesome Wildlife Defenders' and 'when the dikes breached'
Gabriele Goldstone has written a powerful story with honesty and compassion, rich with historical detail. All readers, but especially immigrant and refugee children will be able to identify and be inspired by this uplifting story.
Martha Attema, author of 'Awesome Wildlife Defenders' and 'when the dikes breached'
October 21, 2024
Interesting. The adult male characters, except Papi, are a bit ominous.
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