Like Finding My Twin: How An Eighth-Grade Class Reunited Two Holocaust Refugees

by Fern Schumer Chapman

* Finalist, Society of Midland Authors 2016 Award for Children's Nonfiction
* Independent Publisher Book Award
2016 Bronze Medal Winner (Juvenile-Young Adult Non-fiction category)

On the ship that brought her from Nazi Germany to America, young Edith Westerfeld met Gerda Katz. Both 12-year-old girls were traveling alone and immediately became best friends. Unfortunately, the two unaccompanied minors lost touch after their arrival in 1938.

Decades later, after a northern Illinois middle-school class read Is It Night or Day?, a historical novel that captures the two girls’ friendship, the students were so moved by the story that they made it a class project to reunite the two friends. Through pictures, historical documents, and storytelling, Like Finding My Twin captures the friendship of the two Holocaust refugees, the students’ research, and the remarkable reunion 73 years after Gerda and Edith shared their immigration journey.

Genres: Nonfiction, Holocaust, World War II

58 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2015

About the author

Critically acclaimed Chicago-based writer Fern Schumer Chapman has written several award-winning books. Viking/Penguin released BROTHERS, SISTERS, STRANGERS: Sibling Estrangement and the Road to Reconciliation in 2021. She writes a blog about sibling estrangement for psychologytoday.com: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/bl... Some of her blog posts are compiled in her latest work, THE SIBLING ESTRANGEMENT JOURNAL: A Guided Exploration of Your Experiences .

Her memoir, MOTHERLAND -- a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, and a BookSense76 pick -- is a popular choice for book clubs. She has written two picture books in the HAPPY HARPER series., which explores little people's big emotions.

Her other books -- IS IT NIGHT OR DAY?, LIKE FINDING MY TWIN, STUMBLING ON HISTORY, and THREE STARS IN THE NIGHT SKY -- are used in middle and high school classrooms. In 2004, Illinois Association of Teachers of English (IATE) named Chapman "Illinois Author of the Year." Twice, Oprah Winfrey shows have featured her books. The Junior Library Guild has selected STUMBLING ON HISTORY, IS IT NIGHT OR DAY?, and THREE STARS IN THE NIGHT SKY as featured titles.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting follow-up to Is It Night or Day? with the facts from that book neatly summarized in case you haven't read it. This was quite beautifully produced.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of Like Finding My Twin: How An Eighth-Grade Class Reunited Two Holocaust Refugees by Fern Schumer Chapman in a Goodreads giveaway. It is a great book mixing history and current events. The true story is emotional, creating a true connection with a part of history that isn't the easiest to understand. The book is well written, easy to read and short enough that it could be used as a single class period lesson for social studies or reading. I like it a lot and plan on adding it to my classroom bookshelf if I get my own class.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fern Schumer Chapman has continued the story of her mother as she travelled from Germany to the United States just before WWII. Children were sent to families and friends in our country so that their lives could be saved from the Holocaust. On the journey, the young Edith makes a great friend named Gerda and they plan to remain close friends. Unfortunately the girls are separated and addresses are lost so they lose contact. When the author tells her mother's story to a school group in Naperville, Illinois, the middle grade students decide to search for Edith's friend. This is the heart warming story of that search and the eventual meeting of two special friends. Written in a picture book format, the story is especially poignant for young middle grade readers learning about the humanity of friendship!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, powerful read!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a touching book for ages 8 and up. I love how there is a connection to Chicago, Naperville, and mostly a group of students trying to help someone. Great book!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I see a book about the holocaust it brings me a memory of when I was much younger. A friend of my mothers came to visit. The memory I have as a little girl is seeing her arm. She had a tattoo of numbers running down it. I don't remember the numbers or even this woman's name. My own mother passed away when I was 11 and my father has too so I cannot ask more. I just remember being told why she had this tattoo and the impact that it brings when I think about what that tattoo meant.
What a exceptional teacher Mrs. O'Boyle is, and this class. What a wonderful lesson they all will remember forever. Encouraging the students that wanted to learn more of what happened to Gerda. Letting them spend the time researching. This story is bitter sweet and I'm so happy for all involved that it was a happy outcome. This short book is packed with info and articles and lots of pictures. I will recommend this book to all. I will remember this story and all involved too.
I won a copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.

[David V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received this book in a drawing from Goodreads. The story of two 12-year old girls (Edith and Gerda) who are placed alone on a passenger ship in 1938 by their respective parents to escape Nazi Germany. The girls meet and become close friends since they're both traveling alone to live with relatives in the US whom neither girl has ever met. I wonder how many 12 year olds these days could accomplish this. After spending a few days together in NYC, they separate to go to their new homes, one in Chicago, the other in Seattle. The girls lose contact with each other. In 2011 after the author(daughter of Edith) told the story of her mother to an eighth-grade class, the class wanted to find the other girl Gerda. Using social media, they track down Gerda and arrange a reunion with the help of Oprah Winfrey. That reunion is filmed, and Edith and Gerda continue their relationship. An excellent way to introduce the Holocaust to children, and to show what kids can accomplish, much to the surprise of their elders.

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this free from a Goodreads Giveaway.

This is a quick read that I couldn't put down. The story is amazing and it teaches us how two girls became friends on a ship coming to America and then lost touch with each other once they got here. Students when they learn of one of the girls lives they start questioning what happened to the other girl. They start searching for her and find her and bring the two together. These girls never forgot about the other and the lives they lived during the Holocaust. This would be a great book for school children so they can learn what some people went through during this time in history.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edith Westerfeld and Gerda Katz, 12 year olds, are placed on a ship heading for America from Germany. Their parents feel they will be safer there. During their long voyage, these two girls become very best friends. After the ship arrives in America they lose track of each other.

Edith's daughter, a writer, shares this information with an 8th grade class in Illinois. The students ask their teacher if they can try to reunite the two friends. After researching via the internet, they are able to find Gerda and the two friend finally come together again.

There is also a lot of history recorded in this book about the Nazi control of Germany.

A small book with a very large message.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so happy to find this book after reading "Is It Night or Day" with my students over the past several years. While I enjoyed it, I found myself being critical of several things that the author chose to remove from the telling of this story (characters, especially). I will share this with my own students, now, showing them how they can make a difference like the students of Naperville did for Edith and Gerda.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing true story about how an Illinois middle school class and the author works to reunite two women, who left Germany for America in 1938 and developed a close bond on the voyage, after not seeing each other for 73 years. A well-told, moving story, attractively designed and abundantly illustrated with photographs, artifacts, and historical documents.

[Ann Sherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a teacher, this book serves as a great model for relevancy projects, where students learn through a real life classroom experience. . It's also an amazing story that will gently introduce students to the difficult topic of the Holocaust.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from a giveaway.

A short, yet moving account how two elderly women were reunited after many decades apart. Written mostly for children, it's a sweet read even for adults.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be an excellent edition to any classroom. Really well done and designed.