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Chance: Escape from the Holocaust
From a beloved voice in children’s literature comes this landmark memoir of hope amid harrowing times and an engaging and unusual Holocaust story.
With backlist sales of over 2.3 million copies, Uri Shulevitz, one of FSG BYR’s most acclaimed picture-book creators, details the eight-year odyssey of how he and his Jewish family escaped the terrors of the Nazis by fleeing Warsaw for the Soviet Union in Chance.
It was during those years, with threats at every turn, that the young Uri experienced his awakening as an artist, an experience that played a key role during this difficult time. By turns dreamlike and nightmarish, this heavily illustrated account of determination, courage, family loyalty, and the luck of coincidence is a true publishing event."
With backlist sales of over 2.3 million copies, Uri Shulevitz, one of FSG BYR’s most acclaimed picture-book creators, details the eight-year odyssey of how he and his Jewish family escaped the terrors of the Nazis by fleeing Warsaw for the Soviet Union in Chance.
It was during those years, with threats at every turn, that the young Uri experienced his awakening as an artist, an experience that played a key role during this difficult time. By turns dreamlike and nightmarish, this heavily illustrated account of determination, courage, family loyalty, and the luck of coincidence is a true publishing event."
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2020
40 people are currently reading
1927 people want to read
About the author
Uri Shulevitz
61 books103 followersUri Shulevitz was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. He won the 1969 Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration, recognizing The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship, an Eastern European fairy tale retold by Arthur Ransome in 1916.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
May 14, 2021
One of the subject headings for this absorbing memoir is “Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)”. That descriptor doesn’t quite fit with the text’s telling subtitle “Escape from the Holocaust". Also problematic is the decision to shelve the book in the juvenile section of the library. To my mind, this is not a children’s book, and anyone who categorizes it as one hasn’t read it. Calling it young adult is less of an issue: there are mature young adult readers, after all, and the book has illustrations, photos, and maps, all of which increase accessibility. Having said this, I still think the content is more suited to adults.
Chance is an atypical memoir in a few respects. First of all, the author's experience of World War II is different from that of many, perhaps even most, Eastern-European Jews. The only autobiographical works I’ve read that compare are Ilona Flutsztejn-Gruda’s When Grownups Play at War and Esther Hautzig’s The Endless Steppe. While some of the women’s childhood recollections are similar to Shulevitz’s, his memoir is more informative about key events in World War II Eastern-European and Soviet history. Visuals, including comic-book/graphic-novel elements, also bring something different to the reading experience, often adding emotional resonance. Finally: this is not just a story of survival; it’s also about the growth and development of an artist.
In his beautiful 2008 picture book, How I Learned Geography , Shulevitz writes about a map his father brought him one evening when he and his mother were expecting—indeed, desperate for—food. This was when the author and his parents were living a hardscrabble existence as refugees in Soviet Kazakhstan, an experience which is covered in far more detail in the memoir. Chance, which is divided into eight chronological sections, explains how the Shulevitzes ended up in that part of Asia in the first place. It tells about their long journey across Eastern Europe, to northern Russia, then Soviet Kazakhstan, and it also describes the post-war trek aboard mining trains back to Poland, the time spent in a German displaced persons camp, a further trip west to Paris, France, and the family’s eventual emigration to Israel. The multiple chapters are seldom more than a page long, making this a propulsive read.
Shulevitz, who was born in Warsaw, Poland, was only four years old when the German blitz on that city began in September 1939. At the time, he was alone in the family apartment with his mother. His father, having heard rumours that men were to be conscripted for slave labour by the Germans, had presciently gone east. He would eventually send for his wife and son to come to Bialystok, which had become part of Soviet Belarus when Hitler and Stalin signed a non-aggression pact and carved up Poland between them.
Early in life–in fact, as a baby just home from the hospital—Uri had stared intently at the flowers on the wallpaper. His parents saw this as a sign of their child’s inborn talent and vocation; they named him Uri, after the father of Bezalel, the first artist of the Bible. During the German bombing of Warsaw, the boy sought refuge from the bombs by drawing. He produced only stick figures then, but his parents made the effort to guide and encourage him, even during difficult times, and his skills progressed. Uri’s name seems to have determined his fate and, strangely, that of his family as well.
Another thing that allowed the Shulevitzes to survive was a chance encounter Uri’s father’s had not long after he’d left Warsaw. In Bialystok, he briefly had a job painting Soviet slogans on trucks and banners, but work for refugees soon dried up, and he decided to return to Poland. Since crossing the border had become so difficult, he took a route through an abandoned warehouse, where he fortuitously met a Jewish man crawling into Belarus from the Polish side. Mr. Shulevitz should not go back to Poland, said the man; it had become a hell. He advised Uri’s father to return to Bialystok and send for his wife and child. Shulevitz ponders the meaning of this event: Was this Jewish man from God? The Shulevitzes were not at all religious, but they were the only members of their family in Poland to survive. Uri's grandfather, on the other hand, was devout, yet he “died a miserable death at the hands of the Nazis.” Tell me, he asks the reader, “Why was he not saved by divine intervention? I have no answers.” This is a theme he revisits a few times in the memoir.
The most memorable parts of the book are those which detail the author's life in Turkestan, a Muslim city in Kazakhstan where life had apparently not changed since medieval times and where hunger and deprivation were Uri's constant companions. Right after the family’s arrival there, Mr. Shulevitz mysteriously disappeared for a time. Uri never learned why, but speculates that his father, always an impulsive man, may well have travelled to Iran hoping to join a Polish army regiment that was forming there. There are many stories of hardship in Turkestan, but also some amusing recollections about friendships, Kazakh culture, and Mr. Shulevitz's farfetched, unsuccessful schemes to make money. Not surprisingly, Uri was frequently ill—in Soviet Asia and, later, in France, where he and his parents would live for a short period with an uncle and his family. Living in France was a very unhappy time for the boy. As in Poland, anti-semitism was rampant there, and Uri was bullied. Were it not for his art and the companionship of books, he would have been very lonely indeed. The family decided to emigrate to Israel when Uri was fourteen.
Chance is a compelling memoir of survival—simply, clearly, and beautifully written and effectively illustrated. It is by turns harrowing, sardonic, warm, and wise. I am so glad Uri Shulevitz survived, and I am grateful for his book.
Chance is an atypical memoir in a few respects. First of all, the author's experience of World War II is different from that of many, perhaps even most, Eastern-European Jews. The only autobiographical works I’ve read that compare are Ilona Flutsztejn-Gruda’s When Grownups Play at War and Esther Hautzig’s The Endless Steppe. While some of the women’s childhood recollections are similar to Shulevitz’s, his memoir is more informative about key events in World War II Eastern-European and Soviet history. Visuals, including comic-book/graphic-novel elements, also bring something different to the reading experience, often adding emotional resonance. Finally: this is not just a story of survival; it’s also about the growth and development of an artist.
In his beautiful 2008 picture book, How I Learned Geography , Shulevitz writes about a map his father brought him one evening when he and his mother were expecting—indeed, desperate for—food. This was when the author and his parents were living a hardscrabble existence as refugees in Soviet Kazakhstan, an experience which is covered in far more detail in the memoir. Chance, which is divided into eight chronological sections, explains how the Shulevitzes ended up in that part of Asia in the first place. It tells about their long journey across Eastern Europe, to northern Russia, then Soviet Kazakhstan, and it also describes the post-war trek aboard mining trains back to Poland, the time spent in a German displaced persons camp, a further trip west to Paris, France, and the family’s eventual emigration to Israel. The multiple chapters are seldom more than a page long, making this a propulsive read.
Shulevitz, who was born in Warsaw, Poland, was only four years old when the German blitz on that city began in September 1939. At the time, he was alone in the family apartment with his mother. His father, having heard rumours that men were to be conscripted for slave labour by the Germans, had presciently gone east. He would eventually send for his wife and son to come to Bialystok, which had become part of Soviet Belarus when Hitler and Stalin signed a non-aggression pact and carved up Poland between them.
Early in life–in fact, as a baby just home from the hospital—Uri had stared intently at the flowers on the wallpaper. His parents saw this as a sign of their child’s inborn talent and vocation; they named him Uri, after the father of Bezalel, the first artist of the Bible. During the German bombing of Warsaw, the boy sought refuge from the bombs by drawing. He produced only stick figures then, but his parents made the effort to guide and encourage him, even during difficult times, and his skills progressed. Uri’s name seems to have determined his fate and, strangely, that of his family as well.
Another thing that allowed the Shulevitzes to survive was a chance encounter Uri’s father’s had not long after he’d left Warsaw. In Bialystok, he briefly had a job painting Soviet slogans on trucks and banners, but work for refugees soon dried up, and he decided to return to Poland. Since crossing the border had become so difficult, he took a route through an abandoned warehouse, where he fortuitously met a Jewish man crawling into Belarus from the Polish side. Mr. Shulevitz should not go back to Poland, said the man; it had become a hell. He advised Uri’s father to return to Bialystok and send for his wife and child. Shulevitz ponders the meaning of this event: Was this Jewish man from God? The Shulevitzes were not at all religious, but they were the only members of their family in Poland to survive. Uri's grandfather, on the other hand, was devout, yet he “died a miserable death at the hands of the Nazis.” Tell me, he asks the reader, “Why was he not saved by divine intervention? I have no answers.” This is a theme he revisits a few times in the memoir.
The most memorable parts of the book are those which detail the author's life in Turkestan, a Muslim city in Kazakhstan where life had apparently not changed since medieval times and where hunger and deprivation were Uri's constant companions. Right after the family’s arrival there, Mr. Shulevitz mysteriously disappeared for a time. Uri never learned why, but speculates that his father, always an impulsive man, may well have travelled to Iran hoping to join a Polish army regiment that was forming there. There are many stories of hardship in Turkestan, but also some amusing recollections about friendships, Kazakh culture, and Mr. Shulevitz's farfetched, unsuccessful schemes to make money. Not surprisingly, Uri was frequently ill—in Soviet Asia and, later, in France, where he and his parents would live for a short period with an uncle and his family. Living in France was a very unhappy time for the boy. As in Poland, anti-semitism was rampant there, and Uri was bullied. Were it not for his art and the companionship of books, he would have been very lonely indeed. The family decided to emigrate to Israel when Uri was fourteen.
Chance is a compelling memoir of survival—simply, clearly, and beautifully written and effectively illustrated. It is by turns harrowing, sardonic, warm, and wise. I am so glad Uri Shulevitz survived, and I am grateful for his book.
August 23, 2020
I have long been a fan of Uri Shulvevitz's stunning picture books, and the opportunity to read his own story made me love him even more. This autobiography is Uri's recollections of growing up in WWII Poland and his family's immigration to various other countries to avoid imprisonment or worse by Nazis. The story is horrifying, sad, and encouraging all at once. He explains the severe food shortages and hunger he faced which in turn caused susceptibility to serious diseases and medical issues. Through all the hardships, drawing was the one thing that gave Uri hope and helped him through the hardships he faced growing up.
This books is a must have for middle and high school library collections. Not only is it an excellent example of an autobiography, but it should be read by all students studying the Holocaust and World War II.
This books is a must have for middle and high school library collections. Not only is it an excellent example of an autobiography, but it should be read by all students studying the Holocaust and World War II.
August 14, 2020
Books that tell the story of what people went through during WWII and the Holocaust are so important. This one was from the POV of someone who had lived in Poland and fled to Russia, which is not the usual WWII Holocaust story, at least for me to read.
The story is DARK and while it is written for more middle readers, it might not be for every one. I would recommend adults read this first before passing on to younger readers to make sure it isn't too much for them. What the author went through was not easy.
The artwork was amazing and enhanced the words, which were more sparse and grim. The chapters were short, so a quick, if not easy, read.
Highly recommended for more mature middle readers on up. 4 solid, sad that this happened and hopefully it never will again, stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
The story is DARK and while it is written for more middle readers, it might not be for every one. I would recommend adults read this first before passing on to younger readers to make sure it isn't too much for them. What the author went through was not easy.
The artwork was amazing and enhanced the words, which were more sparse and grim. The chapters were short, so a quick, if not easy, read.
Highly recommended for more mature middle readers on up. 4 solid, sad that this happened and hopefully it never will again, stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
January 10, 2021
What a survival story! Illustrator Shulevitz story of being a small boy surviving the daily hunger and poverty refugee life during WWII.
Honestly told, with bits of illustration throughout.
Honestly told, with bits of illustration throughout.
November 13, 2020
Richie’s Picks: CHANCE: ESCAPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST by Uri Shulevitz, Farrar, Straus Giroux, October 2020, 336p., ISBN: 978-0-374-31371-5
“Now we see everything that’s going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don’t have the means
To rise above and beat it
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change”
-- John Mayer (2006)
“On September 1, 1939, Nazi planes burst into the Warsaw skies, some dropping incendiary bombs and spreading fires throughout the city, others dropping high-explosive bombs and turning buildings into dust.
Nature responded with heavy rains angrily pounding the pavement.
Terrified people ran in all directions.
Streets were ripped into deep canyons.
Faucets ran dry. Between bombings, people dragged heavy buckets of water from the Vistula River for drinking and cooking.
Smoke from the fires painted everything gray. Not far from our building, amid this grayness, were big mounds of brilliant pigments--reds, yellows, blues--in the courtyard of a paint factory in ruins.
I watched from our window in a daze. I didn’t fully realize what I was seeing, although it was all happening right in front of my eyes. It seemed unreal and distant.
Later that day, I sat on a table, and as Mother was putting a pair of new boots on my feet, she said, ‘We’ll need to walk a lot.’
I was four years old.”
In my youth, I was never particularly excited about learning the details of battles in various wars in which the US has been involved. But I was mesmerized by my eighth grade American history teacher, who had lived through World War II. She shared with us, at length, what life was like for U.S. civilians during wartime. Of course, despite the shortages, rationing coupons, and other sacrifices, civilians in the U.S. had it a million times easier than those on the Continent, where most of the war was fought.
CHANCE: ESCAPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST is a stunning illustrated memoir that follows Uri Shulevitz’s perilous existence on the Continent as a Jewish child during World War II and the Holocaust. And, yes, young Uri Shulevitz did end up walking many miles in those new boots. They were in pieces by the time he was done with them.
During the early years of the war, Uri and his parents survived repeated and close encounters with those who would harm them, while all but starving to death. They escaped from Warsaw, Poland to Soviet-occupied Białystok, to a small settlement on the northern edge of the continent, to Turkestan, in the southeastern part of the Soviet Union. Somehow, the family remained alive and intact. Eventually, Uri’s father caught a few breaks and they were able to settle in for a while. Then, with the death of Hitler and the end of the war on the Continent, Uri and his parents made their way 3,000 miles back to Poland. Once again, Lady Luck played a major role in their survival.
None of this was easy for Uri and his parents, but they made it. Barely. As we know, eleven million men, women, and children died in the Holocaust, including six million Jews. That included most of Uri’s Jewish relatives and neighbors.
Seriously, don’t try to read this book when you’re hungry. For years, the family’s daily life revolved around finding a safe place to catch a little shut-eye and obtaining something-- anything--to eat. In his spare time, young Uri occupied himself with his imagination and his growing abilities as an artist.
Uri’s parents were artistic, and they encouraged Uri’s talents from his earliest days. We see his passion for art grow from drawing with sticks in mud, and coloring with leaves and flower petals, to the days when his father was occasionally able to barter something for art supplies.
Tales that Schulevitz has told in a pair of previously-published picture book stories are retold here, gaining much greater context. This includes the wonderful story of the map which his father once brought home instead of food, which is recounted in the beautiful 2009 Caldecott Honor book, HOW I LEARNED GEOGRAPHY.
Nearly half the pages in CHANCE: ESCAPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST feature black and white illustrations of varying size. Between the many illustrations and the large font size, this is a relatively quick 330-page read that a confident and curious eight-year-old reader might devour.
Because the story is told from the young child’s vantage point, young readers do not need a prior understanding of World War II or the Holocaust. CHANCE: ESCAPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST will serve as a stellar introduction to those times and events. I can imagine the experience of reading this book serving fifth or eighth graders belatedly, helping them to connect the dots when they formally study WWII, the Holocaust, and anti-Semitism.
Beginning in the late Sixties with ONE MONDAY MORNING and RAIN RAIN RIVERS, Uri Shulevitz has enchanted generations of young readers with his timeless stories and stunning artwork. CHANCE: ESCAPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST is a can’t-put-it-down masterpiece that offers young readers a unique look at the childhood of this award-winning children’s book creator.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
“Now we see everything that’s going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don’t have the means
To rise above and beat it
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change”
-- John Mayer (2006)
“On September 1, 1939, Nazi planes burst into the Warsaw skies, some dropping incendiary bombs and spreading fires throughout the city, others dropping high-explosive bombs and turning buildings into dust.
Nature responded with heavy rains angrily pounding the pavement.
Terrified people ran in all directions.
Streets were ripped into deep canyons.
Faucets ran dry. Between bombings, people dragged heavy buckets of water from the Vistula River for drinking and cooking.
Smoke from the fires painted everything gray. Not far from our building, amid this grayness, were big mounds of brilliant pigments--reds, yellows, blues--in the courtyard of a paint factory in ruins.
I watched from our window in a daze. I didn’t fully realize what I was seeing, although it was all happening right in front of my eyes. It seemed unreal and distant.
Later that day, I sat on a table, and as Mother was putting a pair of new boots on my feet, she said, ‘We’ll need to walk a lot.’
I was four years old.”
In my youth, I was never particularly excited about learning the details of battles in various wars in which the US has been involved. But I was mesmerized by my eighth grade American history teacher, who had lived through World War II. She shared with us, at length, what life was like for U.S. civilians during wartime. Of course, despite the shortages, rationing coupons, and other sacrifices, civilians in the U.S. had it a million times easier than those on the Continent, where most of the war was fought.
CHANCE: ESCAPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST is a stunning illustrated memoir that follows Uri Shulevitz’s perilous existence on the Continent as a Jewish child during World War II and the Holocaust. And, yes, young Uri Shulevitz did end up walking many miles in those new boots. They were in pieces by the time he was done with them.
During the early years of the war, Uri and his parents survived repeated and close encounters with those who would harm them, while all but starving to death. They escaped from Warsaw, Poland to Soviet-occupied Białystok, to a small settlement on the northern edge of the continent, to Turkestan, in the southeastern part of the Soviet Union. Somehow, the family remained alive and intact. Eventually, Uri’s father caught a few breaks and they were able to settle in for a while. Then, with the death of Hitler and the end of the war on the Continent, Uri and his parents made their way 3,000 miles back to Poland. Once again, Lady Luck played a major role in their survival.
None of this was easy for Uri and his parents, but they made it. Barely. As we know, eleven million men, women, and children died in the Holocaust, including six million Jews. That included most of Uri’s Jewish relatives and neighbors.
Seriously, don’t try to read this book when you’re hungry. For years, the family’s daily life revolved around finding a safe place to catch a little shut-eye and obtaining something-- anything--to eat. In his spare time, young Uri occupied himself with his imagination and his growing abilities as an artist.
Uri’s parents were artistic, and they encouraged Uri’s talents from his earliest days. We see his passion for art grow from drawing with sticks in mud, and coloring with leaves and flower petals, to the days when his father was occasionally able to barter something for art supplies.
Tales that Schulevitz has told in a pair of previously-published picture book stories are retold here, gaining much greater context. This includes the wonderful story of the map which his father once brought home instead of food, which is recounted in the beautiful 2009 Caldecott Honor book, HOW I LEARNED GEOGRAPHY.
Nearly half the pages in CHANCE: ESCAPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST feature black and white illustrations of varying size. Between the many illustrations and the large font size, this is a relatively quick 330-page read that a confident and curious eight-year-old reader might devour.
Because the story is told from the young child’s vantage point, young readers do not need a prior understanding of World War II or the Holocaust. CHANCE: ESCAPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST will serve as a stellar introduction to those times and events. I can imagine the experience of reading this book serving fifth or eighth graders belatedly, helping them to connect the dots when they formally study WWII, the Holocaust, and anti-Semitism.
Beginning in the late Sixties with ONE MONDAY MORNING and RAIN RAIN RIVERS, Uri Shulevitz has enchanted generations of young readers with his timeless stories and stunning artwork. CHANCE: ESCAPE FROM THE HOLOCAUST is a can’t-put-it-down masterpiece that offers young readers a unique look at the childhood of this award-winning children’s book creator.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
July 26, 2021
Shulevitz’s riveting picture book/memoir centers on his and his parents’ long journey of fleeing the Nazis during the 1940s as well as facing many struggles to survive, as we also see through his drawings. A (100%/Outstanding)
January 23, 2021
This book turned out to be surprisingly easy to read for two reasons: though he and his parents had a very difficult time in exile from Poland -- hungry, fearful, uncertain, sick -- his story does not take place in a concentration camp. Not to say that it wasn't a life-changing and terrible experience for Uri, who lost almost every other family member, but having recently read a book that took place in Ravensbruck, I wasn't eager to go back into that environment.
Second, the format of the book, which surprised me: I expected the frequent illustrations, as Uri Shulevitz is a Caldecott-winning artist, but I didn't expect the text to be in such a large font, which coupled with some unexpected extra time today allowed me to read this 300+ page book in a day. I wouldn't be surprised if this gets a nonfiction award from ALA.
Second, the format of the book, which surprised me: I expected the frequent illustrations, as Uri Shulevitz is a Caldecott-winning artist, but I didn't expect the text to be in such a large font, which coupled with some unexpected extra time today allowed me to read this 300+ page book in a day. I wouldn't be surprised if this gets a nonfiction award from ALA.
July 2, 2020
I received an electronic ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group through NetGalley.
Autobiography of Shulevitz told in graphic novel style. The text and illustrations blend together to show readers his life starting when he was four - just before World War II. He shares his experiences in Poland, Russia, Germany and France. He shares his life and doesn't shy away from the starvation and harassment he and his family experienced in each location.
Well written account of his life for middle grade readers. The illustrations are fantastic and bring his story to life. The text drags a bit at times but captures the events and emotions he felt.
Autobiography of Shulevitz told in graphic novel style. The text and illustrations blend together to show readers his life starting when he was four - just before World War II. He shares his experiences in Poland, Russia, Germany and France. He shares his life and doesn't shy away from the starvation and harassment he and his family experienced in each location.
Well written account of his life for middle grade readers. The illustrations are fantastic and bring his story to life. The text drags a bit at times but captures the events and emotions he felt.
April 18, 2021
In an illustrated memoir, Shulevitz tells the remarkable, harrowing story of his childhood from age four to fourteen during which his family endured years of near-starvation, brutal labor camps, and terrible illnesses as they fled east from Poland to escape the Nazi invasion, trekking from Belarus to a settlement north of Arkangel, and on to Turkestan, always barely surviving. They returned to Poland at the end of the war, then left the anti-Semitism they found there for a displaced persons camp in Germany, and finally Paris.
January 2, 2023
The cover and illustrations should not deceive you. The audience for this book is a more mature reader as some scenes described may be traumatic for a younger person. But overall an interesting account of escaping Nazi occupied Poland and surviving in the far depths of Turkestan and with a hostile welcome in Post war Europe thrown into the mix.
June 9, 2020
This story wasn't really a story in the traditional sense, there wasn't necessarily a beginning, middle, and end. Written by an acclaimed illustrator, not an author, the real story of this story is the illustrations. They are absolutely magical and convey the events and mood with far more ambiance and feeling that the words do. I found the text to be pedantic and plodding, often more like a recitation of facts than a story. But, the illustrations came to life on the page and you could feel the little boy's guilt, pain, fear, joy, love, or triumph.
One other interesting thing about this book is that the Jewish family didn't flee the Nazis by trying to go west, they instead went east into would become the Soviet Union. I've read lots of WWII novels where the refugees flee west, but not too many where they go into Russia and that tiny glimpse into life in Russia during WWII was interesting. Overall, recommended at 3 out of 5 stars. A solid read with amazing illustrations.
One other interesting thing about this book is that the Jewish family didn't flee the Nazis by trying to go west, they instead went east into would become the Soviet Union. I've read lots of WWII novels where the refugees flee west, but not too many where they go into Russia and that tiny glimpse into life in Russia during WWII was interesting. Overall, recommended at 3 out of 5 stars. A solid read with amazing illustrations.
January 31, 2021
In a way, I am surprised that I read this whole book in one sitting. At over 300 pages, it isn't short, but it also isn't dense. There are a lot of illustrations and somehow the story just pulled me in. Over the past few years, I have been reading more about World War II, but this is a more complicated story than the usual one. Shulevitz was born in Poland, but left his home when he was 4 with his parents. They moved eastward to avoid German bombing. The Russians sent them to the far north: Yura, where they eked out a living for a while, until they left again for Turkestan. After the war, they returned to a changed Europe, eventually settling in Paris.
This is a story about hanging on and doing whatever you had to do to keep living. It is captivating, in spite of its sadness and danger.
And now I am wondering just how many languages Shulevitz must know.
This is a story about hanging on and doing whatever you had to do to keep living. It is captivating, in spite of its sadness and danger.
And now I am wondering just how many languages Shulevitz must know.
October 13, 2020
If the name Uri Shulevitz sounds familiar to you, it is probably because he has won four Caldecott Medals in his career as a children's book writer and illustrator. What most people don't know is that Uri and his parents managed to escape the Holocaust by, as Uri writes, "blind chance deciding [their] fate." (pg 65)
Living in Warsaw, Poland with his parents, Uri is only 4-years-old and a budding artist specializing in stick figures when the Nazis begin bombing his country before they invade it. No longer feeling safe, first his father leaves and makes his way to Bialystok, then part of the Soviet Union. Finding a place to live and a job, he tries to return to his family, but is caught and returned to Bialystok. Instead of going back to them, he writes for Uri and his mother to join him. Traveling by smuggler's truck and on foot, mother and son make it to the Soviet Union, leaving all their family behind in Poland.
But when the Soviets order refugees to register for Russian citizenship, the Shulevitz family is denied because of Uri's name. The official is sure he was named after a well-known Zionist. When his father loses his job for not being a citizen, the family finds themselves without an income. Luckily, Uri's father finds another job, but soon, they are again forced to move, and find themselves in a labor camp in the Archangel region of Russia, when Uri is 5-years-old.
It is there that the Jewish people are told that they are no longer considered enemies of the Soviet Union now that the Germans are attempting to invade Russia, and that they are free to travel anywhere they wished. When Uri is 7-year-old, the family travels to Soviet Turkestan. They spend three year's there, often without any food in freezing cold winters and unbearably hoy summers, until the war finally ends.
But just because the war is over, doesn't mean things return to what they once were. Instead, when the family goes back to Poland, they are greeted with rampant anti-Semitism and the sad news that no other family has survived the Holocaust. Once again, they are on the move, ending up in a Displaced Persons camp in Bavaria. There, in 1946, Uri's father discovers that a brother is also still alive. and living in Paris. The Shulevitz's leave the DP camp for Paris.
Although Uri Shulevitz's first person narrative gives a linear account of how he and his parents were lucky enough to not fall into the hands of the Germans, he does so through a series of linked vignettes and his own drawings. And he chronicles what happened to them during that time, in such a way that it feels almost intimate, like his talking directly to you, and only you. And given how much the Shulevitz family experienced, it's hard to believe this chronicle only covers 8 years of Uri's life, from 4 to 12.
Most of what he is relating is wrapped in anti-Semitism, hate, starvation, illness, separation and loss, but there are, of course, also moments of laughter, of kindness, of sharing and helping, reminding the reader that no matter how terrible war is, there are still some good people. What clearly stands out is just how much love this family had for each other. If they hadn't, they just might not have survived. Uri says one of the things that really sustained him was his mother's stories. And all through their ordeal, both his mother and father encouraged Uri to continue drawing.
Chance: Escape from the Holocaust is an interesting account in that it is almost devoid of Nazis. It is not the kind of Holocaust story we are accustomed to reading. But it does gives young readers yet another look at what being a Jewish family in Nazi occupied Europe and their enemy the Soviet Union was like. We keep learning more and more about the Holocaust, thanks to survivors like Uri sharing their stories.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an eARC gratefully received from the publisher.
Living in Warsaw, Poland with his parents, Uri is only 4-years-old and a budding artist specializing in stick figures when the Nazis begin bombing his country before they invade it. No longer feeling safe, first his father leaves and makes his way to Bialystok, then part of the Soviet Union. Finding a place to live and a job, he tries to return to his family, but is caught and returned to Bialystok. Instead of going back to them, he writes for Uri and his mother to join him. Traveling by smuggler's truck and on foot, mother and son make it to the Soviet Union, leaving all their family behind in Poland.
But when the Soviets order refugees to register for Russian citizenship, the Shulevitz family is denied because of Uri's name. The official is sure he was named after a well-known Zionist. When his father loses his job for not being a citizen, the family finds themselves without an income. Luckily, Uri's father finds another job, but soon, they are again forced to move, and find themselves in a labor camp in the Archangel region of Russia, when Uri is 5-years-old.
It is there that the Jewish people are told that they are no longer considered enemies of the Soviet Union now that the Germans are attempting to invade Russia, and that they are free to travel anywhere they wished. When Uri is 7-year-old, the family travels to Soviet Turkestan. They spend three year's there, often without any food in freezing cold winters and unbearably hoy summers, until the war finally ends.
But just because the war is over, doesn't mean things return to what they once were. Instead, when the family goes back to Poland, they are greeted with rampant anti-Semitism and the sad news that no other family has survived the Holocaust. Once again, they are on the move, ending up in a Displaced Persons camp in Bavaria. There, in 1946, Uri's father discovers that a brother is also still alive. and living in Paris. The Shulevitz's leave the DP camp for Paris.
Although Uri Shulevitz's first person narrative gives a linear account of how he and his parents were lucky enough to not fall into the hands of the Germans, he does so through a series of linked vignettes and his own drawings. And he chronicles what happened to them during that time, in such a way that it feels almost intimate, like his talking directly to you, and only you. And given how much the Shulevitz family experienced, it's hard to believe this chronicle only covers 8 years of Uri's life, from 4 to 12.
Most of what he is relating is wrapped in anti-Semitism, hate, starvation, illness, separation and loss, but there are, of course, also moments of laughter, of kindness, of sharing and helping, reminding the reader that no matter how terrible war is, there are still some good people. What clearly stands out is just how much love this family had for each other. If they hadn't, they just might not have survived. Uri says one of the things that really sustained him was his mother's stories. And all through their ordeal, both his mother and father encouraged Uri to continue drawing.
Chance: Escape from the Holocaust is an interesting account in that it is almost devoid of Nazis. It is not the kind of Holocaust story we are accustomed to reading. But it does gives young readers yet another look at what being a Jewish family in Nazi occupied Europe and their enemy the Soviet Union was like. We keep learning more and more about the Holocaust, thanks to survivors like Uri sharing their stories.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an eARC gratefully received from the publisher.
November 28, 2025
“Chance: Escape from the Holocaust” (2020) is a powerful true story told by Uri Shulevitz about his childhood during World War II. I read the hardcover book from my public library. It was listed on the Database of Award-Winning Children’s Literature because it has received several honors and recognitions, such as a “Best Book of the Year (2020)” by multiple sources: The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, The Horn Book, and the Chicago Public Library. It was also a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in 2020. Shulevitz won the Caldecott Medal in 1969 for “The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship,” retold by Arthur Ransome.
Uri Shulevitz and his parents fled their home in Warsaw, Poland, when the Nazis invaded in 1939. To survive, they travelled through many countries and lived in poverty. He experiences extreme hunger, especially during their extended stay in Turkestan, which at the time was part of the Soviet Union but is now in Kazakhstan. He endured hardships, sickness, homelessness, and struggles living in different locales. His mother falls deathly ill several times, and his father must look for new jobs because they are not citizens. After the war, they made it back to Poland to find their entire extended family had died, except for his uncle, who was located in Paris. Uri’s family moved to Paris for over two years, finally living in Israel.
To try to ward off hunger and hard times, Uri finds a passion for art. The book is filled with many of his drawings, depicting the horrific conditions and struggles his family faces, helping readers picture what happened. He begins his story at the age of four, drawing stick figures, but as he grows, he develops a knack for creating detailed images of people and buildings. Many times during the war, he did not have paint or brushes, but used tree bark and flower petals for his art.
This book is intended for middle school and high school-aged students, not primary students. Starting with a KWL chart will help with building background knowledge. Since this is a nonfiction book written via a personal account, students could complete a fact versus feelings sort, with cards stating “The Nazis invaded Poland in 1939” or “Drawing gave Uri hope.” To build empathy for his personal experience, students may write a journal as if they were Uri and living through some of his experiences. To scaffold for some students, sentence starters like “Drawing helped me…” or “I wondered…” can be used to support their writing.
This nonfiction work is an accurate and organized account that helps young readers understand real events. Shulevitz combined his memories with the accounting his dad wrote during the last ten years of his life. Though Shulevitz escaped the Holocaust, he and his family grappled with many struggles and near-death experiences. These experiences must be shared with children to reveal the harsh truth about history, in the hope of preventing it from being repeated.
Uri Shulevitz and his parents fled their home in Warsaw, Poland, when the Nazis invaded in 1939. To survive, they travelled through many countries and lived in poverty. He experiences extreme hunger, especially during their extended stay in Turkestan, which at the time was part of the Soviet Union but is now in Kazakhstan. He endured hardships, sickness, homelessness, and struggles living in different locales. His mother falls deathly ill several times, and his father must look for new jobs because they are not citizens. After the war, they made it back to Poland to find their entire extended family had died, except for his uncle, who was located in Paris. Uri’s family moved to Paris for over two years, finally living in Israel.
To try to ward off hunger and hard times, Uri finds a passion for art. The book is filled with many of his drawings, depicting the horrific conditions and struggles his family faces, helping readers picture what happened. He begins his story at the age of four, drawing stick figures, but as he grows, he develops a knack for creating detailed images of people and buildings. Many times during the war, he did not have paint or brushes, but used tree bark and flower petals for his art.
This book is intended for middle school and high school-aged students, not primary students. Starting with a KWL chart will help with building background knowledge. Since this is a nonfiction book written via a personal account, students could complete a fact versus feelings sort, with cards stating “The Nazis invaded Poland in 1939” or “Drawing gave Uri hope.” To build empathy for his personal experience, students may write a journal as if they were Uri and living through some of his experiences. To scaffold for some students, sentence starters like “Drawing helped me…” or “I wondered…” can be used to support their writing.
This nonfiction work is an accurate and organized account that helps young readers understand real events. Shulevitz combined his memories with the accounting his dad wrote during the last ten years of his life. Though Shulevitz escaped the Holocaust, he and his family grappled with many struggles and near-death experiences. These experiences must be shared with children to reveal the harsh truth about history, in the hope of preventing it from being repeated.
August 20, 2021
A gripping, horrifying account of the children's author/illustrator Uri Shulevitz's harrowing escape, as a child, from Poland to Siberia to Turkestan to wait out WWII and ultimately survive the Nazi regime. I found this memoir to be surprisingly accessible for middle grade readers--a subject that many are drawn to. With evocative black and white drawings and straightforward text, Shulevitz conveys the horrific details from a child's point of view, slightly veiled but still revealed. He recounts what every child would remember--overwhelming hunger; ice on the walls; boredom, as he spent long hours in a small room, at home, alone, while his mother worked construction; confusion and abandonment when his father disappeared and then returned without explanation; and pervasive, crippling fear. At the same time, he found ways to discover and explore his artistic talent by constantly drawing--on scraps of newspaper, in the dirt, on the walls, even in the air--with whatever he could scrounge--sticks, rocks, and burnt wood. An unusual, daunting story of family survival in the most dire, almost unimaginable conditions that will stay with me for a very long time.
January 6, 2021
This is the kind of book that you have to finish once you start, because it just pulls you right in. Uri Shulevitz is a fabulous illustrator, and the art in the book really enhances his story. The book looks long, but as I showed the students I shared it with, you've got a lot of spot art and cartoons and there is also a lot of white space. I loved the theme of "chance" and how random chances ended up shaping young Uri's life. Uri's story is fascinating and well told, and I would recommend it for middle school readers and up.
February 11, 2021
I skimmed/read half of this new memoir. Though it is FAT the words per page and white space make it read like a much shorter book. Shulevitz's story is interesting, but not entirely engrossing. Still, a good addition for kids who are interested in true stories of Jews in WWII, especially of refugees who did not end up in the concentration camps.
February 10, 2023
Incredible. Unputdownable. Shulevitz shares his childhood journey of survival through a hostile Europe in brief and captivating anecdotes that are as profound as they are simple. A truly astounding work.
December 27, 2023
Maybe even 4,5
December 1, 2020
Author and illustrator Uri Shulevitz's experiences during World War II as he and his family escaped from Nazi-occupied Poland to U.S.S.R. and eventually Turkestan. This heart-breaking tale of the trials Uri and his parents had to face are coupled with photographs and beautiful illustrations.
May 6, 2021
Ever since picking up a copy of the board book "Snow" to read over and over again to my oldest as a baby, I've been enthralled by Schulevitz's work. When I saw he had an autobiography released last year I quickly requested it for Christmas. Uri does an amazing job reflecting on his life but also tapping back into his childhood self so that you really understand his childhood experiences. It was neat to see how his imagination and curricular flourished despite -- or was it because of?? -- his incredibly difficult childhood experiences of starvation, illness, violence, and the ravages of war forcing his family to live as vagabonds and refugees.
March 30, 2022
A child's memories of his time leading up to, and during, the second World War. THe writting is simple and straightforward, and they feel like a child's memories. And the drawings through out are just what you would expect from Uri Shulevitz. A quick, easy read.
April 21, 2025
One word: WOW.
Okay two words. FREAKING WOW
I cannot tell you how fantastic this book is. Just read. It is not easy, it is sad, heartbreaking, scary, beautiful, hopeful and more. It covers all the emotions. It shows you a piece of World War II that we don't know about.
Again, WOW and go read. For mature readers at least 12-13 and up, but I would recommend older. But if you read with them, ages 10 and up could handle.
Okay two words. FREAKING WOW
I cannot tell you how fantastic this book is. Just read. It is not easy, it is sad, heartbreaking, scary, beautiful, hopeful and more. It covers all the emotions. It shows you a piece of World War II that we don't know about.
Again, WOW and go read. For mature readers at least 12-13 and up, but I would recommend older. But if you read with them, ages 10 and up could handle.
September 21, 2020
It's not the holocaust story you think of when you first hear that word. Uri's family headed deep into Soviet country to survive world war II. Holocaust education is definitely lacking, so I am all for kids picking up this book. It's easy to read and has lots of illustrations. While my digital ARC didn't display them all correctly, the ones it did show added to Uri's childhood story.
Read
February 5, 2022This was a new Holocaust perspective for me — Uri’s experience was different from that of most Eastern-European Jews.
In 1939, when Uri was 4-years-old, him and his parents fled Warsaw. This illustrated middle grade book chronicles those hunger-filled eight years and their stops in Białystok, Settlement Yura, and Turkestan, then their way back post-war.
Excerpt —
“Our Warsaw apartment had flowered wallpaper. Because I stared at the flowers, Father named my Uri. Because my name was Uri, we didn’t get Soviet passports. Because we didn’t have Soviet passports, we were sent away deep into the Soviet Union. Because we spent the war years in faraway places where the Nazi invasion never reached, we survived.
On the other hand, if our Warsaw apartment hadn’t had flowered wallpaper, I wouldn’t have stared at the flowers and I wouldn’t have been named Uri. If my name hadn’t been Uri, we would’ve gotten Soviet passports. If we had Soviet passports, we would have remained in Belarus, where Father had work and we had an apartment. By remaining in Belarus, we would have been swept away by the invading Nazis and sent back to Poland to die with the rest of our family.
It goes to show that our survival had little to do with our own decisions. Rather, it was blind chance deciding our fate.”
There were illustrations and comic strip sections throughout the book, and I would’ve loved this even more if it was a graphic novel. I’m glad middle grade books like this exist to show the true horrors of WWII, as they don’t shy away from the graphic details and truth. His story of survival is truly incredible.
In 1939, when Uri was 4-years-old, him and his parents fled Warsaw. This illustrated middle grade book chronicles those hunger-filled eight years and their stops in Białystok, Settlement Yura, and Turkestan, then their way back post-war.
Excerpt —
“Our Warsaw apartment had flowered wallpaper. Because I stared at the flowers, Father named my Uri. Because my name was Uri, we didn’t get Soviet passports. Because we didn’t have Soviet passports, we were sent away deep into the Soviet Union. Because we spent the war years in faraway places where the Nazi invasion never reached, we survived.
On the other hand, if our Warsaw apartment hadn’t had flowered wallpaper, I wouldn’t have stared at the flowers and I wouldn’t have been named Uri. If my name hadn’t been Uri, we would’ve gotten Soviet passports. If we had Soviet passports, we would have remained in Belarus, where Father had work and we had an apartment. By remaining in Belarus, we would have been swept away by the invading Nazis and sent back to Poland to die with the rest of our family.
It goes to show that our survival had little to do with our own decisions. Rather, it was blind chance deciding our fate.”
There were illustrations and comic strip sections throughout the book, and I would’ve loved this even more if it was a graphic novel. I’m glad middle grade books like this exist to show the true horrors of WWII, as they don’t shy away from the graphic details and truth. His story of survival is truly incredible.
December 6, 2020
Brilliant, searing and utterly unforgettable! Uri Shulevitz tells the story of his childhood from age 4 to 14 during which his family fled east from Poland to escape the oncoming Nazi's in WWII, then back to Poland and on to Paris. As undocumented Jewish refugees, the family endured desperate times, starvation, brutal labor camps and terrible illnesses. Trekking from Belarus to a settlement north of Arkangel, on to Turkestan, always barely surviving. Aided by his parent's fierce determination, love of drawing and stories, Uri somehow survived.
He tells the story here in scenes and moments from his memory of the time in short compelling sections. Each is filled with details that make each scene vividly immediate and that will fascinate young readers. Reading this book felt as if Shulevitz was sitting with me, sharing his stories of his experiences. sufferings, hope and dreams. The book is liberally filled with black and white illustrations. Some are humorous and others starkly dramatic and all greatly enhance the immediacy of the telling.
The book design here is remarkable as well. Large dark font with widely spaced lines is set against all white pages. It allows the illustrations to have ample space and the book itself reads quickly due to the font size.
An Afterword provides information on the creative origins of the book. This is truly one of the best books of the year and not to be missed!
He tells the story here in scenes and moments from his memory of the time in short compelling sections. Each is filled with details that make each scene vividly immediate and that will fascinate young readers. Reading this book felt as if Shulevitz was sitting with me, sharing his stories of his experiences. sufferings, hope and dreams. The book is liberally filled with black and white illustrations. Some are humorous and others starkly dramatic and all greatly enhance the immediacy of the telling.
The book design here is remarkable as well. Large dark font with widely spaced lines is set against all white pages. It allows the illustrations to have ample space and the book itself reads quickly due to the font size.
An Afterword provides information on the creative origins of the book. This is truly one of the best books of the year and not to be missed!
October 14, 2022
I loved this book. I am a long-time admirer of Uri Shulevitz, and I always wondered about his background. He indicated in How I Learned Geography that he and his family spent 8 years in Russia as refugees during World War II and that they often had little food. This book filled in the missing pieces honestly and without self-pity. It will appeal to mature students in grades 5-9 who are interested in the Holocaust. Two powerful themes are that art (or creativity) can save one's spirit and that so much of what happens to us in life is a matter of chance.
July 12, 2020
Chance, the autobiography of Shulevitz is told in a graphic novel style with illustrations that leap of the pages, bringing this story to life. The story opens just prior to World War II and shares the author's experiences in Poland, Russia, Germany and France and provides readers with the realities of that time in history.
This is a great addition to Grades 5-8 classroom libraries.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the e-Arc.
This is a great addition to Grades 5-8 classroom libraries.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the e-Arc.
January 19, 2023
While I genuinely expected to enjoy or at least like this selection, I didn't.
I think I expected (wanted?) a more coherent storyline. Instead, readers are presented with short, choppy snippets of life events clumsily strung together.
Also, there are times when the author seems to be trying to be "funny", and the sarcastic humor just didn't sit right with me.
I think I expected (wanted?) a more coherent storyline. Instead, readers are presented with short, choppy snippets of life events clumsily strung together.
Also, there are times when the author seems to be trying to be "funny", and the sarcastic humor just didn't sit right with me.
March 8, 2021
This memoir by the author/illustrator Uri Shulevitz tells of his harrowing childhood from age 4 to 14, when he and his family fled their home in Poland to escape certain death by the Nazis, only to suffer one hardship after another; year upon year of hunger, meager shelter with no stability, vulnerable & infrequent sources of employment & income, and harrassment due to their religion & refugee status.
The author relied on his father's written memoirs as well as his own memory to tell how their small family - Uri, his mother, & his father - spend the 10 years from 1939 to 1949; leaving Warsaw (which was in Nazi-occupied Poland), first staying at Bialystok (which was then inside Soviet-occupied Poland) in a Jewish ghetto, then at Settlement Yura - a forced labor camp in the far north of the Soviet Union, then to a refugee center in Turkestan (the city that is now in Kazakhstan, but was then also in the Soviet Union), then after the war ended, to Moscow, Kiev, back to Poland, and on to France. As the book ends, Uri & his parents are headed to Israel, and we know Uri will later immigrate to the U.S.
Although fleeing Nazi-occupied cities directly to Israel, the U.S., or another country in Europe is more often described in books or movies, this is a story children & their parents are much less likely to have heard. Yet there were millions of Jews in the Soviet Union before Hitler and after who were mistreated, discriminated against, and murdered by the local authorities and citizens.
This glimpse into the life of one refugee family will help people not only understand Jewish history but also feel empathy for refugees today.
On page 73-75, Uri, at age 4, newly arrived at Settlement Yura, recites a rhyming Yiddish poem to the group of refugees about bugs which would be laugh-out-loud funny in a normal situation, but is especially ridiculous because they are all itchy from bedbugs. (I wish Shulevitz & the publisher will record and share this rhyme!)
It is a pity Shulevitz did not provide more illustrations! I especially appreciated the ones where it appears he took an old photo of the locale, and drew on top of it - I would have liked to see the same for each new place they arrived. Some of the b&w sketches show such anguish & despair that readers can't pretend it was just an uncomfortable few weeks.
Since adults are often asking me for books to help them introduce this difficult history to their children, it will matter that the entire book is presented as an adult looking back on his own childhood - that is; his memories reflect his emotional state & intellectual development at the time, but he comments on it with an adult's consciousness & historical perspective, with the intention of writing for young people.
I believe it is artfully done to show young readers (or listeners) how the experience of the lucky survivors was wretched and awful, while referring to the worse cases - death, torture, hopeless persecution - without the details that a child at the time also wouldn't have been told. As such, this would work as an introduction to the experience of Jews, although probably Jewish families now AND/OR refugee families now would be more likely to be able to hear & absorb this painful history at ages 7-10, whereas other readers might need more scaffolding (from a teacher or adult) to read it, even at ages 10-13. (By age 14, a reader might prefer to learn about this history from a teenager's voice rather than a child's.)
The author relied on his father's written memoirs as well as his own memory to tell how their small family - Uri, his mother, & his father - spend the 10 years from 1939 to 1949; leaving Warsaw (which was in Nazi-occupied Poland), first staying at Bialystok (which was then inside Soviet-occupied Poland) in a Jewish ghetto, then at Settlement Yura - a forced labor camp in the far north of the Soviet Union, then to a refugee center in Turkestan (the city that is now in Kazakhstan, but was then also in the Soviet Union), then after the war ended, to Moscow, Kiev, back to Poland, and on to France. As the book ends, Uri & his parents are headed to Israel, and we know Uri will later immigrate to the U.S.
Although fleeing Nazi-occupied cities directly to Israel, the U.S., or another country in Europe is more often described in books or movies, this is a story children & their parents are much less likely to have heard. Yet there were millions of Jews in the Soviet Union before Hitler and after who were mistreated, discriminated against, and murdered by the local authorities and citizens.
This glimpse into the life of one refugee family will help people not only understand Jewish history but also feel empathy for refugees today.
On page 73-75, Uri, at age 4, newly arrived at Settlement Yura, recites a rhyming Yiddish poem to the group of refugees about bugs which would be laugh-out-loud funny in a normal situation, but is especially ridiculous because they are all itchy from bedbugs. (I wish Shulevitz & the publisher will record and share this rhyme!)
It is a pity Shulevitz did not provide more illustrations! I especially appreciated the ones where it appears he took an old photo of the locale, and drew on top of it - I would have liked to see the same for each new place they arrived. Some of the b&w sketches show such anguish & despair that readers can't pretend it was just an uncomfortable few weeks.
Since adults are often asking me for books to help them introduce this difficult history to their children, it will matter that the entire book is presented as an adult looking back on his own childhood - that is; his memories reflect his emotional state & intellectual development at the time, but he comments on it with an adult's consciousness & historical perspective, with the intention of writing for young people.
I believe it is artfully done to show young readers (or listeners) how the experience of the lucky survivors was wretched and awful, while referring to the worse cases - death, torture, hopeless persecution - without the details that a child at the time also wouldn't have been told. As such, this would work as an introduction to the experience of Jews, although probably Jewish families now AND/OR refugee families now would be more likely to be able to hear & absorb this painful history at ages 7-10, whereas other readers might need more scaffolding (from a teacher or adult) to read it, even at ages 10-13. (By age 14, a reader might prefer to learn about this history from a teenager's voice rather than a child's.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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