Escaping the Nazis on the Kindertransport

"Using their memoirs, photographs, poems, and artifacts, Berne captures the bittersweet nature of the story, as 10,000 children of all ages boarded trains to freedom. Since the stories are told from the perspective of the young people who lived them, middle-grade readers will find the narrative engaging and resonant. Readers don't learn the fate of the evacuees or their families until the very last pages, heightening the emotional connection to main characters. The Kindertransport is a rare bright spot in one of the bleakest events in human history, and it is impossible to remain indifferent about the outcome of these intensely hopeful stories."

"Memorable, gripping short stories tell about some of the 10,000 children who escaped the Nazis without their parents, traveled to England, and lived with host families until the war was over. Some were reunited with families while others were not, but they were all saved."

"In their own words, the survivors poignantly recount the pain of leaving loved ones behind and their experiences as refugees. The final chapter briefly explains what became of each survivor after the war. That Berne tells this story in language that makes it accessible to middle graders is no small feat, and though it is a brief account, it does its best to encompass the enormity of the Holocaust. . . .A powerful, insightful perspective on the Holocaust."