Escaping the Nazis on the Kindertransport

In this addition to the Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Stories series, Berne poignantly recounts the true stories of seven children who fled Nazi Germany and Austria via the Kindertransport. They were just a few of the thousands of young Jewish refugees who traveled without parents aboard boats, trains, and planes to live with families in England. An explanatory narrative provides context and a sense of immediacy: “We can imagine the train whistle blowing. ‘All aboard,’ the conductor might have yelled in German over the crowd of frightened children and weeping parents.” Black and white photos of the children in happier times, as well as their verbatim recollections of the journey as adults, punctuate each chapter. The italicized excerpts from interview transcripts record their confusion and fear. “The parting was terrible,” remembers Ursula Rosenfeld. “That’s the one thing I’ve never forgotten in all my life.” The closing chapter recounts a recent reunion of Kindertransport participants and offers epilogues for each of the featured children. A timeline, glossary, bibliography, and index wrap up a clear and concise introduction to the Holocaust. Ages 9–12. (Feb.)