Hedys Journey: the True Story of a Hungarian Girl Fleeing the Holocaust (Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books)

Description

It is 1941. Hedy and her family are Jewish, and the Jew-hating Nazi party is rising. Hedy's family is no longer safe in their home in Hungary. They decide to flee to America, but because of their circumstances, sixteen-year-old Hedy must make her way through Europe alone. Will luck be with her? Will she be brave? Join Hedy on her journey-where she encounters good fortune and misfortune, a kind helper and cruel soldiers, a reunion and a tragedy-and discover how Hedy is both lucky and brave. Hedy's Journey adds an important voice to the canon of Holocaust stories, and her courage will make a lasting impact on young readers.

Michelle Bisson is an award-winning journalist and playwright and was a long-time book reviewer for The Seattle Times. This is her first picture book. Michelle lives just outside of New York City in Tarrytown, New York.

An excellent introduction to the Holocaust for children ages 10 and up, this slender book combines simple but expressive illustrations with an age-appropriate narrative. . . .Although Hedy tells her story in matter-of-fact language, the illustrations convey her anxiety and fear, showing a teenager traveling alone during a dangerous time. The inclusion of family photographs and use of conversational language communicate to the reader the terror and fright of this young Jewish girl, doing her best to maintain her composure and her judgment as she wends her way toward neutral Portugal.-- "Jewish Book Council" Bisson effectively communicates the high level of stress and danger, while also emphasizing the value of love and family. The illustrator's color palette of gray, sepia, and a subdued dusty pink (for Hedy's clothing) suits the historical time period. . . .should work well in a small group or one-on-one setting.-- "School Library Journal, 9 Nonfiction Series for Back-to-School Reading" Bisson writes with great immediacy about Hedy, who was her mother. The author's note on Holocaust history is a personal one of learning her family's story over time. The attractive artwork suggests the time period while dramatizing the characters' emotions effectively. This handsome series both dramatizes and personalizes history through the experiences of individuals.-- "Booklist" Michelle Bisson uses her mother's first-person voice to tell the tale of escape from Nazi-occupied Hungary to Vienna, Barcelona, Lisbon, and the United States. . . . Illustrations track Hedy's journey and the use of a muted palette is effective. The story is filled with real-life conflict and determination to reach safe haven...-- "Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews" This thoughtful picture book from the Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books series includes a note at the end that follows Hedy's story after she arrives in America, capturing the aftermath and epilogue of her refugee experience.-- "A Mighty Girl"