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A Family Secret
While searching his grandmother’s attic for likely items to sell at a yard sale, Jeroen finds a photo album that brings back hard memories for his grandmother, Helena. Helena tells Jeroen for the first time about her experiences during the German occupation of the Netherlands during the Second World War, and mourns the loss of her Jewish best friend, Esther. Helena believes that her own father, a policeman and Nazi sympathizer, delivered Esther to the Nazis and that she died in a concentration camp. But after hearing her story, Jeroen makes a discovery and Helena realizes that her father kept an important secret from her.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
17 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
About the author
Eric Heuvel
61 books11 followersERIC HEUVEL is one of the top graphic artists in the Netherlands. He concentrates on writing and illustrating educational graphic novels—three of which, including A Family Secret and The Search, have won the Dutch Comics Association’s category award. He lives in Zaandam.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
December 28, 2016
This book opens with a visit. Jeroen, a teenage boy, drops by his grandmother's place to see if she has anything in her attic that he can sell for the Queen’s Day flea market. While he looks through her stuff, he discovers Holocaust-related articles and artifacts, including a yellow star. He asks his grandmother about it, and this becomes the framing narrative. During most of the rest of the book, his grandmother tells her story, which is a painful and complex narrative. The dangers and difficulties of dissent against the Nazi occupiers and their Dutch collaborators, and the dangers of collaboration with the Nazis, and the muddied in-between are all described in the portrayal of one family's experience. One of Jeroen's grandmother's brothers is actively interested in fighting for the Germans, another is in the resistance. Her father is a police officer who mostly collaborates, but not entirely. She has a Jewish best friend, Esther, and seeing what has happened to Esther and her family, she wishes to become part of the resistance, too. I will say no more so as not to give away too much of the story.
I think this book is educational and has some great qualities, but sometimes I was frustrated by the storytelling. It can be a bit contrived and the framing is perhaps a bit much. That said, I appreciate what it's trying to do, that it portrays a family that has the choice to keep their heads down and go along with those in power and just try to survive, or to take risks, some smaller, some not so small at all, all of them potentially dangerous and unnerving, in order to live in accordance with their values...I think every day we make choices, find ourselves faced with having to choose between one kind of comfort and another; between short-term gratification and safety, and actions that might bring more comfort and safety further down the road (or actions that fly in the face of a system whose most basic values conflict with our own.)
Around the same time I read "Family Secret" I also read "Irmina" which touches on some similar subject matter. It's more mature in terms of emotional depth and complexity, and not quite as optimistic (if one can write an optimistic book about Nazi occupation). I preferred "Irmina" in terms of style and tone, but reading the two together gave me a lot to think about--they are interesting to read side by side.
I think this book is educational and has some great qualities, but sometimes I was frustrated by the storytelling. It can be a bit contrived and the framing is perhaps a bit much. That said, I appreciate what it's trying to do, that it portrays a family that has the choice to keep their heads down and go along with those in power and just try to survive, or to take risks, some smaller, some not so small at all, all of them potentially dangerous and unnerving, in order to live in accordance with their values...I think every day we make choices, find ourselves faced with having to choose between one kind of comfort and another; between short-term gratification and safety, and actions that might bring more comfort and safety further down the road (or actions that fly in the face of a system whose most basic values conflict with our own.)
Around the same time I read "Family Secret" I also read "Irmina" which touches on some similar subject matter. It's more mature in terms of emotional depth and complexity, and not quite as optimistic (if one can write an optimistic book about Nazi occupation). I preferred "Irmina" in terms of style and tone, but reading the two together gave me a lot to think about--they are interesting to read side by side.
February 10, 2018
Back in 2013, I visited Amsterdam and the Anne Frank House. While perusing the bookshop, I came across this graphic novel and its series companion "The Search." Of course, I came home from vacation, moved from my apartment to a house and completely forgot that I had these stories. Three moves later and I finally read them!
When Jeroen stumbles upon long forgotten memories, his grandmother relates the story of the experiences of the Dutch people during German occupation. Plenty of historical detail moves the stirring narrative along to a beautiful ending.
When Jeroen stumbles upon long forgotten memories, his grandmother relates the story of the experiences of the Dutch people during German occupation. Plenty of historical detail moves the stirring narrative along to a beautiful ending.
September 15, 2012
This is the other side of the story set out in the graphic novel "The Search". ( I love that the author has put this history in 2 novels rather than one - it gives room for far more depth of character, among other things.) I thoroughly appreciate his story-telling skill - this is not an easy topic, and he manages to cover it with honesty and grace. People are not all good or all bad in this book, and to me this is an important point to make when telling a story about war. I know this is not necessarily a book for children - on the other hand, I can see that at the right stage, this would be an excellent way to introduce a young person to the realities of WW2 without traumatizing with horrific images. I highly recommend.
February 3, 2017
rings too true now for comfort...
March 19, 2024
Temelde klasik bir ikinci dünya savaşı ve soykırım anlatısı. Ama hikayeyi ele alış ve işleyiş biçimi fazlasıyla iyi.
Yardımcı oyuncumuz Jeroen, büyük annesi Helena’nın evine giderek bit pazarında satacak bir şeyler arıyor ve tesadüfen bulduğu şeylerle büyük annesinin ailesinin büyük bir sırrını açık ediyor. Büyük anne Helena da bu sırrı artık daha fazla taşıyamıyor ve ona hikayeyi anlatmaya başlıyor.
Nazizimin yükselişi, insanların neden destek verdiği ya da destek vermek zorunda kaldığı, ailenin içindeki net fikir ayrılıkları ve kötülüğün tanımı üstüne çok güzel bir hikaye. Mutlu sonla bitiyor elbette.
İkinci dünya savaşı ve yahudi soykırımı ile ilgili binlerce film bir o kadar da kitap vs var. Bu anlatılarından sıkılmadıysanız, aynı hikayenin bir miktar daha iyi ele alınmış bir versiyonunu okumak isterseniz ideal.
Yardımcı oyuncumuz Jeroen, büyük annesi Helena’nın evine giderek bit pazarında satacak bir şeyler arıyor ve tesadüfen bulduğu şeylerle büyük annesinin ailesinin büyük bir sırrını açık ediyor. Büyük anne Helena da bu sırrı artık daha fazla taşıyamıyor ve ona hikayeyi anlatmaya başlıyor.
Nazizimin yükselişi, insanların neden destek verdiği ya da destek vermek zorunda kaldığı, ailenin içindeki net fikir ayrılıkları ve kötülüğün tanımı üstüne çok güzel bir hikaye. Mutlu sonla bitiyor elbette.
İkinci dünya savaşı ve yahudi soykırımı ile ilgili binlerce film bir o kadar da kitap vs var. Bu anlatılarından sıkılmadıysanız, aynı hikayenin bir miktar daha iyi ele alınmış bir versiyonunu okumak isterseniz ideal.
May 4, 2023
PB|🇳🇱
4 mei re-read.
Dit was een nationaal geschenk in 2005 en had toen een hoop impact op 9 jarige Iris.
Nu ik het herlees vind ik het een hele goede manier voor jonge kinderen om kennis te maken met wat er in de oorlog is gebeurd.
4 mei re-read.
Dit was een nationaal geschenk in 2005 en had toen een hoop impact op 9 jarige Iris.
Nu ik het herlees vind ik het een hele goede manier voor jonge kinderen om kennis te maken met wat er in de oorlog is gebeurd.
October 3, 2013
A Family Secret by Anne Frank House
***SPOILER ALERT***
This book is very good but in the beginning. It is kind of boring, then you get in the middle and it is awesome. In the end of the book Helena meets Esther again. The genre is Historical Fiction.Also this is a good book for people how want to now about, history and like fiction.
This book is about a boy how goes to his grandma's to find, stuff to sell in a big garage sale.Then he finds some old things and ask his grandma what they are, so his grandma, Helena tells him about the sadest time of her life. Then Helena remembers he long lost friend, then she twist her ankle so she can't go the a memorial about the war so jeroen her grandson goes for her. The woman giving the speach looks like Helena friend so jeroen asked for her name and it was Esther, than she follows jeroen to his grandma's and the finally after years see each other again.The setting is in present day but the story his grandma tells is from 1939 - 1945 in America. The conflict is person vs society because the German's and nazi's where trying to take all the Jews to Germany.
I was blown away by this book because it is very good and you connect with the character's. An interesting thing I learned from this book was that I didn't know that Nazi where that cruel to Jews and that this is real, like how they teat the Jews during war. The main character is jeroen I like how he was really cool and listened, and wanted to know about the story like I did. I was surprised when the Nazi's caut Helena's dad and he died. I was satisfied with the book it is very good and exciting. I thought the end of the book was really good and I loved it was awesome to read.
I think this book is very similar to ower wars and I like how it's is very similar. This book is very similar to ower world. Also to ower rules. Then it is very good it is short book but very good. I like this author because she express all the character's felling good.
This is a very good book I loved the author and how the book is written and there's action every where. This book for me is rated a 10 it is awesome for everybody. I rated this book a 10 because I love the story and the character's and the overall story line. I would recommend this for anybody who likes fiction and comic books and historical event. This book is the best at first you don't get it but then you do at the end.
THE END
***SPOILER ALERT***
This book is very good but in the beginning. It is kind of boring, then you get in the middle and it is awesome. In the end of the book Helena meets Esther again. The genre is Historical Fiction.Also this is a good book for people how want to now about, history and like fiction.
This book is about a boy how goes to his grandma's to find, stuff to sell in a big garage sale.Then he finds some old things and ask his grandma what they are, so his grandma, Helena tells him about the sadest time of her life. Then Helena remembers he long lost friend, then she twist her ankle so she can't go the a memorial about the war so jeroen her grandson goes for her. The woman giving the speach looks like Helena friend so jeroen asked for her name and it was Esther, than she follows jeroen to his grandma's and the finally after years see each other again.The setting is in present day but the story his grandma tells is from 1939 - 1945 in America. The conflict is person vs society because the German's and nazi's where trying to take all the Jews to Germany.
I was blown away by this book because it is very good and you connect with the character's. An interesting thing I learned from this book was that I didn't know that Nazi where that cruel to Jews and that this is real, like how they teat the Jews during war. The main character is jeroen I like how he was really cool and listened, and wanted to know about the story like I did. I was surprised when the Nazi's caut Helena's dad and he died. I was satisfied with the book it is very good and exciting. I thought the end of the book was really good and I loved it was awesome to read.
I think this book is very similar to ower wars and I like how it's is very similar. This book is very similar to ower world. Also to ower rules. Then it is very good it is short book but very good. I like this author because she express all the character's felling good.
This is a very good book I loved the author and how the book is written and there's action every where. This book for me is rated a 10 it is awesome for everybody. I rated this book a 10 because I love the story and the character's and the overall story line. I would recommend this for anybody who likes fiction and comic books and historical event. This book is the best at first you don't get it but then you do at the end.
THE END
May 8, 2015
Jeroen goes into his grandmother’s attic in search of things to sell at a garage sale. He finds items from World War 11 and questions his grandmother. His grandmother forgot all that was up there and never talked about her past. She opens up to her grandson and tells her story about the experiences of German occupation in the Netherlands and how her father worked with the Nazi’s because he was a Dutch police officer and was following orders. Her best friend Esther was Jewish and her father needed to take her to the concentration camp. What she didn’t know until the end of the story was that her dad saved her best friend’s life and did not live to tell her. I have little interest in graphic novels, and agree that most of the books are glorified comic books with action figures, but this one caught my eye because of the topic. I find the story and the graphics in this book excellent. I think students learning about the holocaust would love this book. It is great for struggling readers. The pictures really help with the story.
January 7, 2017
Story: 5 stars
Art: 4 stars
A fictional but historically accurate graphic novel, set in The Netherlands, that examines the effect of World War II on two school-aged female best friends, one Jewish and one not, and their families. Despite the book's brevity (a mere 62 pgs), the scope and depth of this work is outstanding. Highlights the difficult decisions that had to be made during the war, and the conflicts that resulted among family members, neighbors, co-workers, and friends. Through a relative's story, this book also covers the Japanese involvement in WWII. Despite heavy losses for both families, the book ends on a happy note for the two friends, now grown women.
A must-read for anyone interested in WWII and/or holocaust literature. An excellent teaching resource for upper middle school or high school students. Would pair well with The Diary of a Young Girl.
Art: 4 stars
A fictional but historically accurate graphic novel, set in The Netherlands, that examines the effect of World War II on two school-aged female best friends, one Jewish and one not, and their families. Despite the book's brevity (a mere 62 pgs), the scope and depth of this work is outstanding. Highlights the difficult decisions that had to be made during the war, and the conflicts that resulted among family members, neighbors, co-workers, and friends. Through a relative's story, this book also covers the Japanese involvement in WWII. Despite heavy losses for both families, the book ends on a happy note for the two friends, now grown women.
A must-read for anyone interested in WWII and/or holocaust literature. An excellent teaching resource for upper middle school or high school students. Would pair well with The Diary of a Young Girl.
May 29, 2015
A Dutch graphic novel set during WW II, about a young girl who lived in Amsterdam and the Jewish friend she made in 1939. It was translated into English, but there are a lot of details still in Dutch, which lends it a very authentic and exotic feel.
It's aimed at teens - and since it was published by the Anne Frank House in cooperation with the Resistance Museum of Friesland, it is perfect background for kids who are reading (or have read) The Diary of Anne Frank. It has some very insightful perspectives on Dutch collaborators, resistance fighters, and ordinary citizens. I wouldn't give this to kids younger than 12-13 y.o., though, since the details from the concentration camps and the neighborhood roundups of Jewish families in Amsterdam are pretty graphic.
My 14 y.o. son was riveted. Thank you, Katie, for suggesting it!
It's aimed at teens - and since it was published by the Anne Frank House in cooperation with the Resistance Museum of Friesland, it is perfect background for kids who are reading (or have read) The Diary of Anne Frank. It has some very insightful perspectives on Dutch collaborators, resistance fighters, and ordinary citizens. I wouldn't give this to kids younger than 12-13 y.o., though, since the details from the concentration camps and the neighborhood roundups of Jewish families in Amsterdam are pretty graphic.
My 14 y.o. son was riveted. Thank you, Katie, for suggesting it!
April 6, 2025
A harrowing account of the rise of the Nazis from the Dutch perspective, done in a tribute to Hergé’s style.
The one thing about this book that didn’t sit right with me was how it failed to consider that Indonesians were also people worthy of being liberated from their Dutch oppressors, a pretty obvious parallel to the Netherlands being occupied by the Germans. It’s very sad what happened to their relatives in Indonesia — all loss of human life is — but … Indonesians wanting to liberate their country from their Dutch occupiers are not really opportunistic thugs in the way they’re depicted in this book, imo
The one thing about this book that didn’t sit right with me was how it failed to consider that Indonesians were also people worthy of being liberated from their Dutch oppressors, a pretty obvious parallel to the Netherlands being occupied by the Germans. It’s very sad what happened to their relatives in Indonesia — all loss of human life is — but … Indonesians wanting to liberate their country from their Dutch occupiers are not really opportunistic thugs in the way they’re depicted in this book, imo
December 26, 2019
Cool graphic novel about the occupation in Holland. Short and educational.
July 12, 2025
Such a moving and important story. I wish the story was longer.
January 28, 2018
In choosing a random stack of books not knowing the theme, it is shocking to discover how tied they are. After devouring Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, I turned to Eric Huevel's A Family Secret. Immediately, with the mention of victim, bystander, perpetrator, and collaborator, (flashback from the Holocaust Museum exhibits) I knew I was being transported back to World War II. I loved this detail-oriented tale of relatives and friends that endured the Holocaust.
I always felt the personalization that graphic novels have reinsert the importance of the story itself. This would be no exception as many characters contemplate the reasons behind such volatile actions, allowing the reader to contemplate as well. Another book on tolerance diversity, and mistaken motives, this novel by Eric Huevel has some twists and turns that add to the deep-seeded tragedy that unfolds page by artistic page.
I always felt the personalization that graphic novels have reinsert the importance of the story itself. This would be no exception as many characters contemplate the reasons behind such volatile actions, allowing the reader to contemplate as well. Another book on tolerance diversity, and mistaken motives, this novel by Eric Huevel has some twists and turns that add to the deep-seeded tragedy that unfolds page by artistic page.
May 6, 2017
A teen Dutch boy visits his grandmother's attic to gather things for a yard sale. The scrapbook he finds starts his grandmother on the tale of her family's experiences during WWII. Her narrative is a straight-forward account of the events that unfolded so the historical information, although complex, is clear. Alongside the events, she pulls in the emotional side of the story: the impact on her neighborhood, on her Jewish friend, and on her own family, which is increasingly split over supporting or resisting the Germans.
The size, coloring, and style of illustration have the feel of the Tintin comics. The text arrangement and layout is easy to read and understand. This would make a good supplement to any unit about Anne Frank.
The size, coloring, and style of illustration have the feel of the Tintin comics. The text arrangement and layout is easy to read and understand. This would make a good supplement to any unit about Anne Frank.
January 17, 2015
This graphic novel tells the story of a Dutch family during World War II. The family members all take different paths during the war. The father is a collaborator, the mother tries to mind her own business, the older brother joins the German army, and the younger brother and sister join the Dutch resistance. It's interesting to see how people reacted in different ways. It also touches on the fate of Dutch Jews since the younger sister's best friend is Jewish. The art is beautiful and the story makes you think about the war from several different perspectives.
December 23, 2024
I've owned this for a number of years, having purchased it in the Anne Frank House gift shop in Amsterdam. Finally got around to it and am pleasantly surprised. A judicious, personal view of the Holocaust in the Netherlands plus a little history about the Dutch interned in Indonesia. I would highly recommend this volume as a present for younger persons who know little or are just learning about some of the real life atrocities of history that are never as far away as one might think.
July 15, 2017
The other side of the story. In the style of the Tin Tin comics, this graphic novel tells the story of a Dutch family who witness their Jewish friends and neighbors get rounded up by the Nazis and taken to camps during WW2. The story comes full circle when a teenage boy finds relics in their attic that can only be explained by his grandmother.
March 30, 2023
A unique and meaningful perspective of War World II and the persecution of the Jews by Nazi Germany.
A Family Secret is the story of a girl, Helena, and her Dutch family's experiences during World War II. The storyteller is Helena herself in her elderly years. It is a story that she has not told many times before, but when her nephew, Jeroen, finds a scrapbook from Helena's youth, she quickly begins sharing about the most difficult time in her life. In so doing, she emphasizes the struggles of the Dutch as the Nazis invaded their home and changed their lives forever. Helena's story is one of family divisions, identity crises, and the gradual decay of moral courage when placed under oppression.
What I found most interesting about this graphic novel is the perspective of Helena as a non-Jew living in the Netherlands. I have read a fair amount of Holocaust and World War II literature geared toward the same audience as this book, but it has all come from either the viewpoint of a Jew or an American. But as I read Helena's story, it reminded me that war does not occur in a bubble. Though no other people group can say they faced even close to the persecution that the Jews did, almost all the European countries involved in the war had to endure suffering. The harmful effects of that fateful conflict were as far-reaching as humanity may ever see. Even for those safe from concentration camps, the cruelty of the Nazis and their allies was still felt in very real and traumatic ways.
One thing I thought was especially insightful about this book was the various viewpoints it included. Each of Helena's family members saw the war differently. Her father allowed himself to be gaslit into the propaganda of the Nazis, her oldest brother joined the German military, her other brother entered the resistance against the Nazis, and her mother wanted nothing more than for Hitler to be defeated. This variation in conviction was visible in the Dutch people as well. Some conformed, some resisted, while others pretended that there was not even a war taking place. Although frustrating to read at times, the way the book presented these conflicting views helped me empathize with all parties.
Overall, I believe this is a great book for young people to read. The graphic art makes the narrative entertaining and easy to follow, and the story it tells is important. It does not contain offensive details or images inappropriate for a younger audience. Instead, it helps begin to answer the question that so many ask when thinking about the Nazis and the Holocaust: How could the world let that happen?
A Family Secret is the story of a girl, Helena, and her Dutch family's experiences during World War II. The storyteller is Helena herself in her elderly years. It is a story that she has not told many times before, but when her nephew, Jeroen, finds a scrapbook from Helena's youth, she quickly begins sharing about the most difficult time in her life. In so doing, she emphasizes the struggles of the Dutch as the Nazis invaded their home and changed their lives forever. Helena's story is one of family divisions, identity crises, and the gradual decay of moral courage when placed under oppression.
What I found most interesting about this graphic novel is the perspective of Helena as a non-Jew living in the Netherlands. I have read a fair amount of Holocaust and World War II literature geared toward the same audience as this book, but it has all come from either the viewpoint of a Jew or an American. But as I read Helena's story, it reminded me that war does not occur in a bubble. Though no other people group can say they faced even close to the persecution that the Jews did, almost all the European countries involved in the war had to endure suffering. The harmful effects of that fateful conflict were as far-reaching as humanity may ever see. Even for those safe from concentration camps, the cruelty of the Nazis and their allies was still felt in very real and traumatic ways.
One thing I thought was especially insightful about this book was the various viewpoints it included. Each of Helena's family members saw the war differently. Her father allowed himself to be gaslit into the propaganda of the Nazis, her oldest brother joined the German military, her other brother entered the resistance against the Nazis, and her mother wanted nothing more than for Hitler to be defeated. This variation in conviction was visible in the Dutch people as well. Some conformed, some resisted, while others pretended that there was not even a war taking place. Although frustrating to read at times, the way the book presented these conflicting views helped me empathize with all parties.
Overall, I believe this is a great book for young people to read. The graphic art makes the narrative entertaining and easy to follow, and the story it tells is important. It does not contain offensive details or images inappropriate for a younger audience. Instead, it helps begin to answer the question that so many ask when thinking about the Nazis and the Holocaust: How could the world let that happen?
May 31, 2020
This book is a historical fiction graphic novel, the main objective of the book was to inform the readers about the situation in the Netherlands during world war 2 and the Nazi occupation. The reason I gave this book a four out of five star rating because I liked it, but not in it's entirety. I felt like the way that the story was integrated was very technical and done well, I think the author did a good job of tying the important story to the current events by using the grandma as a vivid storyteller that eventually just has her story become the actual book. The drawings were pretty good in my opinion, they weren't my favorite, but then again, you can never have your favorite drawings in every comic, because it isn't you writing them. The perspective was also a good addition to the book, for the main character's best friend is a Jew in the midst of the war, and we get a first hand look at how jews are treated as well as the whole situation altogether. I liked the graphic novel, but I'm not sure if I would read it again, it just didn't grab me like that, and so I will give it a four out of five stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2024
"Die Entdeckung" ist das Buch, das vor der Geschichte "Die Suche" spielt und auch als das erste Buch der Reihe konzipiert ist. Leider habe ich die Comics aus Versehen in der anderen Reihenfolge gelesen, was zwar das Verständnis der Geschichte nicht beeinflusst, da es sich um zwei verschiedene Sichtweisen derselben Geschichte handelt, allerdings werden einige Überraschungen hinweggenommen. Im Allgemeinen fand ich "Die Suche" wesentlich mitreißender als "Die Entdeckung", da für mich persönlich etwas zu viele Erklärungen vorkamen und die Geschichte nicht densselben Fluss hatte wie "Die Suche". Trotzdem finde ich, dass die beiden Comics gemeinsam gelesen werden sollten und vor allem für ältere Jugendliche einen großen Mehrwert bieten. Leider sind aber bei der Übersetzung anscheinend Formatierungsfehler passiert, sodass ab und zu Sätze in den Sprechblasen abgeschnitten sind, die in der Originalfassung vollständig sind. Außerdem werden einige Informationen im Hintergrund, zum Beispiel auf Zeitungen oder Plakaten, nicht übersetzt. Damit gehen leider Informationen und ein Teil des Sinns verloren.
March 30, 2019
A Family Secret is by Eric Hewvel. It is a graphic comic. I have never been a big fan of graphic novels; but this one just might have begun to change my mind. It is the story of two families intertwined during the Holocaust in the Netherlands. Jeroen goes through his Grandmother’s attic to find items for a yard sale on Queen’s Day. He has already gone through his parents’ attic. Surely, Grandmother will have something up there.
With her permission, Jeroen begins to go through her attic. He finds a box of fishing magazines which he turns down, a Dutch policeman’s uniform, and a box of things along with some journals. He takes these to his Grandmother and asks her about them. She deems him old enough and tells him what the occupation was like and how people disappeared, even her friend Esther. However, her disappearance was much worse than the others because her own Father turned her in. Jeroen decides some things are better left alone.
With her permission, Jeroen begins to go through her attic. He finds a box of fishing magazines which he turns down, a Dutch policeman’s uniform, and a box of things along with some journals. He takes these to his Grandmother and asks her about them. She deems him old enough and tells him what the occupation was like and how people disappeared, even her friend Esther. However, her disappearance was much worse than the others because her own Father turned her in. Jeroen decides some things are better left alone.
April 7, 2019
This book details the experiences of those who lived in Amsterdam during WWII. The graphic novel makes the story accessible for both children and adults, although I would recommend that parents discuss the book with their children, especially those who are middle grade or younger.
The narrative is matter of fact when describing some of the horrors of war, but the illustrations are much tamer. Thankfully there are no gory images and pictures that show killing or death allude to the act more so than actually show it.
Overall, I believe that this book is an important story for a younger generation, especially as those who survived WWII are dwindling rapidly.
After finishing the book, I discovered that there is a companion story, The Search. I put that one on hold at our local library immediately. I am eager to learn about Esther's side of the story.
The narrative is matter of fact when describing some of the horrors of war, but the illustrations are much tamer. Thankfully there are no gory images and pictures that show killing or death allude to the act more so than actually show it.
Overall, I believe that this book is an important story for a younger generation, especially as those who survived WWII are dwindling rapidly.
After finishing the book, I discovered that there is a companion story, The Search. I put that one on hold at our local library immediately. I am eager to learn about Esther's side of the story.
October 7, 2019
Genre: Picture Book - Graphic Novel
Awards: None
Audience: 5th - 6th graders
A. This book consists mainly of illustrations that are in boxes with the only words in either speech bubbles or in scene transitions.
B. The lines in this book create many details in the illustrations. Since this is a graphic novel, which means the graphics are the most important part of the story, the illustrator used lines so that the audience can be more engaged in the story with all of the details. For example, there are lines in the newsletters to resemble words or there are lines next to the faces to show more emotion, such as surprise.
C. I would use this book with a group of children when teaching about World War II so that the students can see the perspective of the people living through the war.
D. What was the bad news that Esther received? Jewish students have to go to separate schools.
Awards: None
Audience: 5th - 6th graders
A. This book consists mainly of illustrations that are in boxes with the only words in either speech bubbles or in scene transitions.
B. The lines in this book create many details in the illustrations. Since this is a graphic novel, which means the graphics are the most important part of the story, the illustrator used lines so that the audience can be more engaged in the story with all of the details. For example, there are lines in the newsletters to resemble words or there are lines next to the faces to show more emotion, such as surprise.
C. I would use this book with a group of children when teaching about World War II so that the students can see the perspective of the people living through the war.
D. What was the bad news that Esther received? Jewish students have to go to separate schools.
December 7, 2023
Setting → Netherlands
Writing → single story timeline (main character: Helena)
Pros:
a) illustrations: cartoon/whimsical (color)
b) bright & colorful art
Cons:
a) characters (not connecting)
b) writing style - telling not showing
c) no character development
d) no fluid transitions
A very short graphic novel that follows an elderly woman, named Helena, as she tells the story of her life during WWII to her grandson. It switches between past and present illustrating key events during the war including when the Jewish population was targeted by the Germans.
The illustrations are drawn in a cartoon/whimsical style with bright coloration. Unfortunately, because it covers so many historical moments, it often feels like an info dump of times and places. There also isn’t any character development. Overall, it's a good introductory book for young readers to explore.
Writing → single story timeline (main character: Helena)
Pros:
a) illustrations: cartoon/whimsical (color)
b) bright & colorful art
Cons:
a) characters (not connecting)
b) writing style - telling not showing
c) no character development
d) no fluid transitions
A very short graphic novel that follows an elderly woman, named Helena, as she tells the story of her life during WWII to her grandson. It switches between past and present illustrating key events during the war including when the Jewish population was targeted by the Germans.
The illustrations are drawn in a cartoon/whimsical style with bright coloration. Unfortunately, because it covers so many historical moments, it often feels like an info dump of times and places. There also isn’t any character development. Overall, it's a good introductory book for young readers to explore.
December 3, 2019
Family secret by Eric Heuvel is a book about the grandmother of this kid and she tells about of was the childhood of his friend who was Jewish and how she suffers discrimination from the nazis the main characters are Helena her grandson and his friend. This book was interesting to read because it is about an interesting topic that I didn't even born. One thing that I could enjoy about this book is that I learn things that I didn't know about how Jewish were looked in those times of world war and that. I give this book 4 stars out of 5 because show some parts that were so intense I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about how was the world in these times
March 22, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. For one, it was a graphic novel (which I really appreciated). I also really enjoyed the plot twist. I figured before reading it that it would be pretty much self-explanatory; a kid looking through his grandparents' stuff then feeling inspired. That was not the case. I thought it was really cool how Jeroen played an active role and helping his grandmother rediscover her own history. I think from the students' perspective, this can be really inspiring. Many people don't realize that they play such a heavy role in history and their world. I think this graphic novel did an excellent job showing how you always play a significant role in the world around them.
March 22, 2021
A family secret is a a book with a great plot and interesting story . It shows what can happen after you go digging in your grandmother's attic that says "keep out " . Memories are reunited with Esther , and the storytelling begins about the period in the war she so dearly hates . She tell stories and experiences that she went through during Nazi Germany with her bestfriend . However , hope is one thing some people lacked of during this time period and afterwards also . Maybe Esther should have kept it at the end .
March 22, 2021
This week we read a book in class that was for our subject are in a group, and this is the book I talked to my group members to choose. I remember reading this book throughout middle school and I enjoyed every moment, and that still showed when I read it again. This book is a graphic novel about WWII and a boy named Jeroen's grandma that tells him the history of their family in Germany. I think this would be a great book especially in a short time frame for students. I think the story is great and gives students a great sense of what is going on during that time period.
February 11, 2014
Eric Heuvel's first book, The Search, told the story of Esther Hecht and her parents during the Holocaust. Esther was the only one family member to survive and she had moved to the United States after the war ended. But she always wondered what happened to her best friend Helena Van Dort. Although Helena wasn't a Jew, Esther never knew if she had survived the war or not.
In A Family Secret, the reader already knows that Helena did survive if the reader has read The Search. But Helena has never spoken to anyone abut about that happened during the Holocaust in the Netherlands, and especially not about her friend Esther or her father, a collaborator.
Now, though, her grandson Jeroen wants to look in her attic for things to sell at the flea market to celebrate Dutch Queen's Day on April 30th. Going through all the things that have accumulated in the attic, Jeroen comes across some old items from the 1930s and 1940s - a yellow star with Jood (Jew) on it, old newspapers from the 1936 Berlin Olympics, an old scrapbook of newspaper cutting from before and during the war, and an old photograph of two young girls - his grandmother and a girl named Esther.
Downstairs, Jeroen asks about these items and his grandmother begin to tell him about her experiences during the war. In a series of flashbacks, she tells him about how, when the people in her building discovered that a Jewish family from Germany was about to move in, there was grumbling by some that the Dutch borders should have been closed to refugees. But as soon as Helena meets Esther Hecht, the two girls become best friends.
As their friendship grows, Esther tells Helena more and more about how things are in Germany, beginning in 1933 when Hitler became Chancellor and started blaming the Jews for Germany's problems. The more he blamed the Jews, the more anti-Semitic Germany became. Laws were passed limiting Jewish activity and depriving Jews of their livelihood, their education, their privileges and their civil rights. Luckily, Esther's father had a friend in Holland who sponsored their move to Amsterdam.
But when Germany invades Poland in 1939 and war is declared, everything changes in Holland, as well. The Hechts try to flee again, but are turned back. Helena's father had been a policeman, but when Germany invades the Netherlands in 1940, he begins working for the Nazis, even joining the Dutch Nazi Party. Helena's brother Theo is also a strong supporter of the Nazis and joins the Wehrmacht when Hitler tries to invade Russia. Her other brother, Wim, takes the opposite path and joins the Dutch Resistance.
On the day that Esther's parents are rounded up with other Jews, Esther is at school. Helena's father is in charge of the roundup and tells Mr. Hecht he will wait for Esther to come home and bring her to her parents on the transport. But, after an argument with Helena about what he has done, her father storms out of the house to look for Esther.
When he returns, he refuses to talk about what and Helena never knew what Esther's fate, whether she had died in the Holocaust or not. Helena spent her life ashamed of her father's collaboration and always wondering about Esther.
Jeroen finally finds enough stuff to sell for Dutch Queen's Day on April 30th, and on May 4, he goes to see his grandmother again. Helena had wanted to attend a Memorial Day Service, but she had sprained her ankle and so Jeroen goes in her place.
While there, a women tells about how she survived the Holocaust and during her story, she mentions her best friend Helena. Jeroen recognizes parts of what she says and introduces himself to her.
And you know from The Search, it is Esther and she and Helena are reunited.
Just as he did in The Search, Heuvel doesn't hold back in A Family Secret, creating another graphic novel that is sensitive and dynamic but also factual. There is really no surprise ending in either of the novels and, the reader knows from the start that the two friends meet again and even if you didn't read it, the ending of both novels is really predictiable. What is interesting and important in these two graphic novels are the two different sides of the girl's experiences under the Nazis and the authentic information that Heuvel provides while telling Esther and Helens's stories.
Graphic novels have become such excellent vehicles for histocial fiction, and have evolved so much since they first gainted in popularity, making them a great way to introduce young readers to the difficult subject like the Holocaust.
Eric Heuvel is a first rate cartoonist but I believe that to date, A Family Secret and The Search are the only works of his translated into English. His graphics are very clear and well done, and leave no room for ambiguity as to who is who or what time period he is depicting. And the same translator of The Search, Lorraine T, Miller, has also once again proiduced an excellent translation from the original Dutch that totally supports the illustrations.
A Family Secret and The Search are two graphic novels that shouldn't be missed by anyone interested in the Holocaust.
This book is recommended for readers age 11+
This book was borrowed from the library at Bank Street School
This review was originally posted at The Children's War
In A Family Secret, the reader already knows that Helena did survive if the reader has read The Search. But Helena has never spoken to anyone abut about that happened during the Holocaust in the Netherlands, and especially not about her friend Esther or her father, a collaborator.
Now, though, her grandson Jeroen wants to look in her attic for things to sell at the flea market to celebrate Dutch Queen's Day on April 30th. Going through all the things that have accumulated in the attic, Jeroen comes across some old items from the 1930s and 1940s - a yellow star with Jood (Jew) on it, old newspapers from the 1936 Berlin Olympics, an old scrapbook of newspaper cutting from before and during the war, and an old photograph of two young girls - his grandmother and a girl named Esther.
Downstairs, Jeroen asks about these items and his grandmother begin to tell him about her experiences during the war. In a series of flashbacks, she tells him about how, when the people in her building discovered that a Jewish family from Germany was about to move in, there was grumbling by some that the Dutch borders should have been closed to refugees. But as soon as Helena meets Esther Hecht, the two girls become best friends.
As their friendship grows, Esther tells Helena more and more about how things are in Germany, beginning in 1933 when Hitler became Chancellor and started blaming the Jews for Germany's problems. The more he blamed the Jews, the more anti-Semitic Germany became. Laws were passed limiting Jewish activity and depriving Jews of their livelihood, their education, their privileges and their civil rights. Luckily, Esther's father had a friend in Holland who sponsored their move to Amsterdam.
But when Germany invades Poland in 1939 and war is declared, everything changes in Holland, as well. The Hechts try to flee again, but are turned back. Helena's father had been a policeman, but when Germany invades the Netherlands in 1940, he begins working for the Nazis, even joining the Dutch Nazi Party. Helena's brother Theo is also a strong supporter of the Nazis and joins the Wehrmacht when Hitler tries to invade Russia. Her other brother, Wim, takes the opposite path and joins the Dutch Resistance.
On the day that Esther's parents are rounded up with other Jews, Esther is at school. Helena's father is in charge of the roundup and tells Mr. Hecht he will wait for Esther to come home and bring her to her parents on the transport. But, after an argument with Helena about what he has done, her father storms out of the house to look for Esther.
When he returns, he refuses to talk about what and Helena never knew what Esther's fate, whether she had died in the Holocaust or not. Helena spent her life ashamed of her father's collaboration and always wondering about Esther.
Jeroen finally finds enough stuff to sell for Dutch Queen's Day on April 30th, and on May 4, he goes to see his grandmother again. Helena had wanted to attend a Memorial Day Service, but she had sprained her ankle and so Jeroen goes in her place.
While there, a women tells about how she survived the Holocaust and during her story, she mentions her best friend Helena. Jeroen recognizes parts of what she says and introduces himself to her.
And you know from The Search, it is Esther and she and Helena are reunited.
Just as he did in The Search, Heuvel doesn't hold back in A Family Secret, creating another graphic novel that is sensitive and dynamic but also factual. There is really no surprise ending in either of the novels and, the reader knows from the start that the two friends meet again and even if you didn't read it, the ending of both novels is really predictiable. What is interesting and important in these two graphic novels are the two different sides of the girl's experiences under the Nazis and the authentic information that Heuvel provides while telling Esther and Helens's stories.
Graphic novels have become such excellent vehicles for histocial fiction, and have evolved so much since they first gainted in popularity, making them a great way to introduce young readers to the difficult subject like the Holocaust.
Eric Heuvel is a first rate cartoonist but I believe that to date, A Family Secret and The Search are the only works of his translated into English. His graphics are very clear and well done, and leave no room for ambiguity as to who is who or what time period he is depicting. And the same translator of The Search, Lorraine T, Miller, has also once again proiduced an excellent translation from the original Dutch that totally supports the illustrations.
A Family Secret and The Search are two graphic novels that shouldn't be missed by anyone interested in the Holocaust.
This book is recommended for readers age 11+
This book was borrowed from the library at Bank Street School
This review was originally posted at The Children's War
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