false 2 0 false true Fri Jun 26 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 03 18:03:24 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 03 18:06:01 -0700 2009
The reality of what WWII and being taken from one’s family and repatriated to be one of the enemy is like is something that would truly horrify children (and adults). Since Joan Wolf has written a book for children (grades 4 – 7), she tells Eva/Milada’s story with enough details to pique readers’ curiosity without scaring (or scarring) them for life. By being taken to the Lebensborn, Milada was spared many of the privations and horrors of the work and/or concentration camps – compared to some people (like many Jews) she had it easy. She did, however, lose most of her family and her best friend to the war. As an adult reading this, I wanted to know more about the Lebensborn and what they were really like (and how they tied into Hitler’s grand plans for Germany), and I wanted Eva’s story to be more heart-breaking, grittier. It ends on a positive note, with Milada and her mother beginning to heal, beginning to know one another again and hoping – together – that they’ll one day be reunited with another family member (Anechka). The story loses some of its power to impress and affect readers by leaving out the Bad Stuff, glossing over details, and fast-forwarding to a time when everything is ok. Realistically, things were not really ok for most people immediately after the war. Although Milada survives the war, she’s not really memorable enough to stick around long in readers’ heads.

The cover, incidentally, does nothing for this book. The girl on the front - Eva/Milada - looks possessed. It's not appealing, and I don't think anyone is going to look at the jacket and say, "Hey, that looks good!"]]>