Synopsis: A story set on the brink of World War II. Germany in 1938 is a dangerous place for Jews. Clara and her little brother, Maxi, are leaving behind everything they know and going to England to live with a family they have never met. Will Clara and Maxi adapt to life in an English village, and will they ever see their parents again?

Review: Set within a period of eleven momentous days for the two main characters, this short book in the historical Flashbacks’ series, vividly recounts through the children’s eyes the persecution of one Jewish family in the build up to the Second World War and their subsequent experiences in the imaginary village of  Long Easterby.A detailed account of Christalnacht makes the beginning of this short novel a powerful experience for the reader and could be very usefully included in a history scheme of work in Key Stage Two. Having reached England the account of the children’s anxieties and the problems they encounter as they meet the challenges of their new environment are perhaps less gripping, but could be the basis for discussion about racial stereotypes, forming friendships and loss of family.

2006-11-06