37 Days at Sea: Aboard the M.S. St. Louis, 1939

by Barbara Krasner

In May 1939, nearly one thousand German-Jewish passengers boarded the M.S. St. Louis luxury liner bound for Cuba. They hoped to escape the dangers of Nazi Germany and find safety in Cuba. In this novel in verse, twelve-year-old Ruthie Arons is one of the refugees, traveling with her parents. Ruthie misses her grandmother, who had to stay behind in Breslau, and worries when her father keeps asking for his stomach pills. But when the ship is not allowed to dock in Havana as planned—and when she and her friend Wolfie discover a Nazi on board—Ruthie must take action. In the face of hopelessness, she and her fellow passengers refuse to give up on the chance for a new life.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Poetry, Middle Grade, Novel In Verse, Chapter Books, Fiction

168 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2024

Reviews

[Liza Wiemer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in free verse poetry, this story put readers on the M.S. St. Louis, sharing the harrowing tale of the nearly 1,000 German-Jewish refugees who fled from the Nazis and were denied a safe haven in Cuba, and then the United States. They were forced to return to Europe, welcomed by England, France, Holland and Belgium. This is a meticulously researched, emotional, powerful, important story told through the eyes of twelve-year-old Ruthie Arons that is informative and an excellent introduction of the Holocaust. Appropriate for 8-13 year olds. Highly recommend!

[Shirley Vernick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krasner’s compelling verse, meticulous research, and intuitive storytelling power bring the M.S. St. Louis tragedy to life for young readers. This middle-grade book will be a valued addition to classrooms, libraries and homes everywhere. I wish there had been such accessible literature about the Holocaust and WWII when I was a youngster.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book by Barbara Krasner that I have read about the 938 European Jews who set sail in 1939 aboard the M.S. St. Louis hoping to escape the Nazis and find safety in Cuba. The first book was called Liesel's Ocean Voyage. It is a fictionalized story based on the real experiences of Liesel Joseph Loeb (1928-2013) and I highly recommend it, and in fact, I would read it in tandem with 37 Days at Sea to get a broader picture of a voyage that began with so much hope ended in such disappointment.

Here, Krasner introduces readers to Ruthie Arons, 12, from Breslau, Germany. The decision to leave and eventually settle in America came shortly after Kristallnacht, when their beautiful home was ransacked by Nazis who broke into Jewish homes and businesses all over Germany, stealing, breaking and destroying everything in their path.

Now, onboard the M.S. St. Louis, missing the family they had to leave behind, Ruthie, a somewhat mischievous girl thinks that "Adventure/ across the Atlantic Ocean beckons." And indeed it does, when she quickly makes friends with Wolfie, a twelve-year-old Jewish boy traveling with his mother and whose father is already living in Havana.

Secure in the knowledge that they have the necessary papers to enter Cuba, people on the ship enjoy a wonderful voyage of good food, entertainment, and friendliness, including Captain Schroeder. And although the crew wear their NSDAP pins, there is a problem with only one, Kurt Steinfelder. Ruthie's mother suffers from seasickness and her father, an attorney, is busy with some other business, so that leaves her plenty of time to hang out with Wolfie, exploring the ship and getting into mischief: "Grown-up, watch out. We/ are a band of trouble,/ and by we, I mean/ Wolfie and me." (pg 24)

There is a, however, a very concrete reminder of what was left behind in Germany, when a group of men with shaved heads come on board and Ruthie's father must explain to her about concentration camps and the arrest of so many Jewish men on Kristallnacht, including him. Some were released, others sent to camps, released with the promise never to return.

After two weeks at sea, on the fifteenth day, the M.S. St. Louis enters Havana, Cuba but it doesn't take long to realize that there is more trouble ahead for these Jewish refugees. No one is allowed to disembark and enter Cuba, including Wolfie and his mother, even though his father is already there. Negotiations take place, the United States refuses to help and eventually the ship is forced to return to Europe. Needless to say, the trip back is nothing like the trip to Cuba.

37 Days at Sea is written in free verse from Ruthie's first person point of view, which gives it an interesting perspective. Ruthie may have experienced some of the cruelty of the Nazis in Breslau, but she was younger and her parents seem to have been able to shield her from some of the worst events. The trip to Cuba and the return to Europe makes this a kind of end of innocence story, but the beginning of understanding the seriousness of what was happening to the Jews in Europe for Ruthie (and hopefully today's reader).

Krasner used a few different poetic forms, and although the free verse is sometimes a little off, it is still an important book for young readers, especially in the lower middle grades. She really knows how to build the excitement and expectation of landing in Cuba and being free to come and go as they please as the ship travels to its destination, and the disappointment and dejection the passengers feel when they are forced to go back. The first half of the books is devoted to the trip to Cuba, and the second half covers the trip back, which I think is an important part of the story to include.

Back matter includes an Author's Note, a Timeline of Events, suggestions for Further Information including Films, Oral Testimonies, and Books.

This book was a digital version purchased for my personal library.

[Rosi Hollinbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruthie Arons is 12, and has a great life in Breslau, Germany. She lives with her parents in a grand house, but it is 1939, and suddenly it is not a good place for Jewish people to live. Her father has to sell their house for very little, but they have enough to buy tickets on a ship called the St. Louis which will take them to America. It is a luxury ship, and Ruthie realizes they are very important people on the ship when they are led to the captain’s table for dinner. There are many men on the ship with shaved heads, and Ruthie’s father explains they had been in concentration camps. The troubles in Germany don’t seem so far away when Ruthie hears about the camps. There are many Jewish children on the ship as well, and soon Ruthie makes friends with a boy named Wolfie. They are both mischevious and have a lot of fun, but the reminders of what is going on in Germany with the Nazis are everywhere. Even some of the people working on the ship are Nazis. When the ship arrives in Cuba, they get their first taste that things will not go as easily as they expected. Wolfie’s father is in Cuba, but no one is allowed off the ship, and they end up sailing away without Wolfie ever seeing his father. Then the United States turns them away as well, and the ship turns back to Europe.

While this is a work of fiction, told in beautiful, lyrical poetry, it is extremely well researched, and the back-matter completes the sad tale of the St. Louis. Krasner’s research is impeccable, her story-telling is powerful and imaginative, and her poetry is simply lovely. This will be a welcome addition to middle-grade classrooms everywhere and will draw readers in and hold them through to the end. Do not miss this book. I received an ebook ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel007 · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful surprise it was to see Barbara Krasner had interviewed my grandmother (with the correct spelling!!! Thank you, Barbara!!!) in the acknowledgements. Did I cry? Yeah. (I miss my grandmother so much and so often.)

This book is so lovely. A verse (poetry) novel that tells the story of a fictionalized German family (12 year old Ruthie is our narrator) on their journey from Germany to Cuba to eventually England.

[Fernanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book would be a great book for students to get a bit of information on the holocaust. I would recommend this book for 4-5th grade students because i feel like they would be old enough to understand what the holocaust was. The book was written in a series of poems so it is easier to read. I enjoyed this book a lot

[Alma Morales · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like that it has the date and the place the characters are at throughout the book. The writing is also placed as a poem style and counts the days. The back matter also include a timeline of events which students could get more context about the holocaust. Its a more lengthy book for 4-5th graders.

[Thalia Garza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great read full of emotions. I like how it was told in a unique poem-like style. It follows the story of a 12-year-old and the struggles she and her family go through during the holocaust. They are on a boat hoping to flee to Cuba, and eventually land in the United States.

[Askia Chalich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read a book from this perspective before. Interesting book and also impactful. One of my favorite quotes from the book was, “Don’t let your head hang low, celebrate the roses and butterflies, the songs insist” (Krasner, 138).

[LS Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know a number of readers that like historical fiction from this time period. Combine that with a book in verse and this makes and easy recommendation.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4

[Heidi Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

37 Days at Sea is an emotional WWII story written in verse. A quick and enjoyable MG read.

[Kip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really wonderful poetry from the POV of a child aboard the St. Louis.