What do you think?
Rate this book
Little Girl Lost
In 1945, seven-year-old Barbie and her sister Eva were trapped, terrified, in war-torn Germany. With their father missing, and hundreds of miles from their mother, news of the approaching army left them confronted with an impossible to face invasion, or to flee on foot. Eva, aged 19, was determined to find her mother. For Barbie, 12 years younger, the journey was to be more perilous but, spurred on by her sister’s courage and her desperate desire to be reunited with her mother, she joined Eva on a journey no child should ever have to endure. Over three hundred miles across a country ravaged by a terrible war, they encountered unimaginable hardship, extraordinary courage and overwhelming generosity. Against all the odds, they survived. But neither sister came out of the journey unscathed.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
12 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
Barbie Probert-Wright
5 books3 followersBarbie was born in Germany in 1939. She moved to the UK in her early twenties as a student, married an Englishman, and has lived here ever since.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
April 28, 2014
I liked the book and I did like to hear what happened to the family after the war. Being German living in England myself, the sentence that made me cry most was: I still cook traditional German food ... So I suppose I make my home life a little bit German.
July 16, 2010
The story brought me to tears several times.
The things people go though, just to survive sometimes , and still come out with a smile(well, scarred but smiling).
My only criticism is that the book should have stopped after the war, instead of continuing until her old age. I was interested in Bärbel and Eva's experiences during the war and not so much in how wonderful Bärbel is doing after the war.
I wish a book was written by Eva too.Eva was 17 and took most of damage, and it would be interesting to hear her how she overcame her cruel rape and the agony of wanting to protect 7 year old Bärbel from the harsh reality of the war and being unable to.
The things people go though, just to survive sometimes , and still come out with a smile(well, scarred but smiling).
My only criticism is that the book should have stopped after the war, instead of continuing until her old age. I was interested in Bärbel and Eva's experiences during the war and not so much in how wonderful Bärbel is doing after the war.
I wish a book was written by Eva too.Eva was 17 and took most of damage, and it would be interesting to hear her how she overcame her cruel rape and the agony of wanting to protect 7 year old Bärbel from the harsh reality of the war and being unable to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2018
Simple language makes the reader a companion of Barbie and Eva in their journey across the hundreds of miles...geographically, physically and mentally!Barbies innocence and Eva's steadfastness make the book for a soft reading. A little too descriptive sometimes, Barbie has well been able to bring out the basic goodness of human nature and the utter futility of unfounded hatred and political warfare...and a humble realization of all of us who were spared the holocaust of the world wars how and why to cherish every moment...every relationship...every tiniest thing!
May 29, 2019
Really beautiful, true and poingent book about something so tragic which happened, you don't realise just what some families had to go through, wonderful read
February 27, 2019
Quite simple this is a story that needed to be told! It really educated me with a perspective of the second world war that I had no idea of. It had me crying on the train to work. One of the best books I've ever read!
January 12, 2015
This is a beautiful, moving story, and one that has stayed with me in the years since I first read it. For a long time it was my favourite book. The raw emotions in the book are both uplifting and heartbreaking, and to know this story is absolutely true is just incredible. There are so many parts of the book that still haunt me today, almost 7 years since I read it. I will definitely read it again, and give a more detailed review then.
September 8, 2015
I understand that this women is not your regular writer, this is a one off novel she has written for her own pleasure/ comfort, but I can't help but become bored of her waffling on. there is no rhythm to the book. there is one thing that happens and then another and then another and then this happened in there as well but I forgot to say so so I'll slot it in here.
it's a lovely story and I feel if recreated by an experienced novelist it could be a great story with twists and turns.
it's a lovely story and I feel if recreated by an experienced novelist it could be a great story with twists and turns.
August 19, 2013
A very moving read, well written with a few "goose bump" moments. Enjoyed it and definitely would recommend
Read
September 15, 2015one of my best novels. made me develop interest in reading novels.
November 1, 2016
Hmm, felt rather arduous in the end. Interesting to hear this ww2 story told from a German childs perspective, but the post-war detail wasn't necessary and I'm afraid was boring.
August 6, 2009
Loved this book! Intersting story about two little girls on their own during WWII.
November 28, 2017
For some time now I have been trying to get my German mother who was born in 1932, to write her life story. She has written short articles about herself for magazines and newspapers but never managed to get it together to tell her full story. She has so many laugh out loud memories (she was a very naughty child) and many poignant memories too plus stories from after she moved to the UK at 17 years old and then much later became a maternity nanny to the rich and famous in LA. She read this book and passed it on to me as a lot of it brought back memories from her time during the war. However, and this is where it gets to the reason I didn't love this book; I found the writing style dull and rarely engaging. The story could have been so much more emotive. My mum always says 'Who wants to read a book about a German girl?' Clearly a lot of people do!
July 16, 2024
I've had this on my bookshelves for much longer than I can even remember, and I've kept passing it by simply because of the length of it. At 447 pages it is a chunky book! However I found I was getting through the pages and chapters really quickly! The story didn't drag on as I was expecting it to. I really enjoyed following the sisters' journey back to their mother and I liked the addition of the map in this book so I could see how far they'd come and how much further they still had to go. I can't imagine how it must have felt to embark on that long journey, knowing how tough it would be and how long it would take.
September 17, 2021
What to do when your computer i9s down read even more and this is one of the books I picked up. Interesting read especially viewing the war or the ending of a war through a child's eye. What this little girl saw along her epic trek no child should witness. The extremes of human kindness and cruelty was amazing as was the resilience and what becomes the norm. This is not a comment on the happenings/ethics/morality of what happened but just life viewed through a childs eye. Spoiler alert towards the end of the book well after the war there is an eulogy and poem that bought me too tears
September 9, 2024
There was an eerie phenomenon being played out in my psyche while reading this well-told true story. It was as if, as the author told her story, a little girl's voice (the author as a child) was the one who was actually relating the story, imparting it via my inner consciousness. The memories, via both Barbie and her sister Eva who kept a diary during their days as refugees, were clear and concise, and yet filled with pertinent detail. I was happily intrigued by the fact that though there was a reference to violence, it was not graphicly told nor hardly experienced. Thankfully.
January 17, 2025
At first, I thought it was great. Well-written, accurate and moving. The first 35o pages were good
but the last 100 or so felt like a monologue about Barbie. (The MC, not the doll.)
I think ending after would have been better, instead of saying everything that happened to every character with the briefest mention of a name.
It was fairly clean. Obviously, there was some violence, and allusions to sexual attraction.
If I were to read it again, I would just skip the last two or three chapters.
but the last 100 or so felt like a monologue about Barbie. (The MC, not the doll.)
I think ending after would have been better, instead of saying everything that happened to every character with the briefest mention of a name.
It was fairly clean. Obviously, there was some violence, and allusions to sexual attraction.
If I were to read it again, I would just skip the last two or three chapters.
March 9, 2023
A beautifully written story detailing many harrowing experiences on a long journey. Very descriptive and I felt that I personally knew Eva and Barbie. I was astounded at what Barbie had achieved after such dangerous and sad early years. This story is a lesson to us all.
December 25, 2017
Vandringen är huvudhandlingen i boken, men den är också en slags sammanfattning av Barbies liv. Hur det blev. I sin enkelhet ett rörande dokument över ett liv.
February 7, 2018
Interesting read set at the end of the war
March 17, 2018
Abandoned after it took to long to progress to the journey, which I'd presumed would make up the bulk of the book.
September 29, 2018
Nice and Gripping for most parts. But I really thought that the last three chapters weren't really needed, and felt like and extended epilogue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2020
The adventures of barbel is so fascinating with the fact that it’s a real life experience.
August 8, 2020
This one will bring you to tears.
September 7, 2020
Very good read got happy and sad bits in it and very nasty in one part.It was very interesting.
March 10, 2022
This was an excellent story, especially with the problems in Ukraine at present. An incredible true story of two children walking through Germany just before the end of the 2nd World War.
April 6, 2022
Incredible story of a little girl and her courageous sister.
Read
May 11, 2023wow what a story! If I didn't know it was true I never would have believed it and so beautifully written my heart was in my mouth for most of it
June 20, 2024
Such a mix of emotions I’d have loved to have heard more about Eva and her diary but all in all it was a very eye opening read
January 18, 2012
Kisah nyata ini membuatku teringat, bahwa korban keganasan NAZI bukan hanya suku bangsa Yahudi, namun juga orang Jerman kala itu, bahkan seorang anak kecil bernama Barbel (Barbie) dan kakaknya (Eva) yang berjuang dalam sebuah perjalanan panjang demi bertemu dengan ibu tercinta. Mereka yang terpisahkan dalam situasi perang, melintasi Jerman yang bergolak dan menjadi saksi betapa mengerikannya efek perang itu di sepanjang perjalanan.
Barbie belum juga remaja, sedangkan Eva baru sekitar 19 tahun. Dua perempuan muda yang berani, dan tegar menghadapi segala rintangan, dengan kekuatan cinta dan harapan bertemu dengan ibu yang sangat dicintai.
Kekecewaan dan kepedihan, kelaparan dan luka, mereka rasakan silih berganti. Ancaman peluru nyasar atau bom, serta perilaku orang-orang jahat terus mereka hadapi. Namun ada pula kebaikan dari penduduk yang sederhana, yang bersedia untuk mereka singgahi.
Kisahnya lumayan menegangkan, dan rasanya jika difilmkan bisa menjadi sesuatu yang menarik. Melihat perang dari sisi pihak penduduk negara, yang tak tahu mengapa perang itu harus ada? Bahkan harus menerima pertanyaan dari banyak orang yang menjadi korban kekejaman NAZI, biarpun mereka pun tak pernah setuju dengan paham NAZI. Bahwa kala itu, banyak anak muda yang bergabung dalam Hitler Youth tanpa memahami idealisme Hitler, namun karena sebuah keharusan, dan tertarik dengan kegiatan kepemudaannya. Namun ada juga yang begitu bangga menghabisi nyawa sesamanya manusia tanpa mengerti esensi mengapa ia harus membunuh.
Perang selalu menimbulkan trauma, baik bagi prajurit yang langsung berjuang di garis depan, maupun bagi penduduk negara yang berperang. Barbie dan Eva pun tak luput dari itu, walau Eva selalu berupaya untuk mencegah adiknya melihat dan mengingat kepedihan itu, dengan menjadi seorang 'ibu' dan pelipur yang setia. Eva bukannya tak menanggung beban berat. ia juga harus menerima perlakuan yang menyakitkan dalam perjalanan itu, yang pastinya menimbulkan trauma bagi seorang perempuan. Tapi dia tetap teguh dan tabah, paling tidak di depan Barbie, jarang sekali menunjukkan emosinya. Setelah menangis, ia kemudian bangkit dan menjadi lebih tegar lagi. Aku kagum pada Eva.
Tempaan demi tempaan itu membuatnya menjadi pribadi yang kuat dan menyenangkan, berkesan bagi semua orang yang mengenalnya, hingga dijemput ajal karena sakit.
Ingin tahu bagaimana kesulitan dan tantangan yang mereka hadapi sepanjang perjalanan melintasi Jerman yang berkecamuk oleh perang di tahun 1945 ? Bacalah buku ini, dan 'terjunlah' dalamnya...
Barbie belum juga remaja, sedangkan Eva baru sekitar 19 tahun. Dua perempuan muda yang berani, dan tegar menghadapi segala rintangan, dengan kekuatan cinta dan harapan bertemu dengan ibu yang sangat dicintai.
Kekecewaan dan kepedihan, kelaparan dan luka, mereka rasakan silih berganti. Ancaman peluru nyasar atau bom, serta perilaku orang-orang jahat terus mereka hadapi. Namun ada pula kebaikan dari penduduk yang sederhana, yang bersedia untuk mereka singgahi.
Kisahnya lumayan menegangkan, dan rasanya jika difilmkan bisa menjadi sesuatu yang menarik. Melihat perang dari sisi pihak penduduk negara, yang tak tahu mengapa perang itu harus ada? Bahkan harus menerima pertanyaan dari banyak orang yang menjadi korban kekejaman NAZI, biarpun mereka pun tak pernah setuju dengan paham NAZI. Bahwa kala itu, banyak anak muda yang bergabung dalam Hitler Youth tanpa memahami idealisme Hitler, namun karena sebuah keharusan, dan tertarik dengan kegiatan kepemudaannya. Namun ada juga yang begitu bangga menghabisi nyawa sesamanya manusia tanpa mengerti esensi mengapa ia harus membunuh.
Perang selalu menimbulkan trauma, baik bagi prajurit yang langsung berjuang di garis depan, maupun bagi penduduk negara yang berperang. Barbie dan Eva pun tak luput dari itu, walau Eva selalu berupaya untuk mencegah adiknya melihat dan mengingat kepedihan itu, dengan menjadi seorang 'ibu' dan pelipur yang setia. Eva bukannya tak menanggung beban berat. ia juga harus menerima perlakuan yang menyakitkan dalam perjalanan itu, yang pastinya menimbulkan trauma bagi seorang perempuan. Tapi dia tetap teguh dan tabah, paling tidak di depan Barbie, jarang sekali menunjukkan emosinya. Setelah menangis, ia kemudian bangkit dan menjadi lebih tegar lagi. Aku kagum pada Eva.
Tempaan demi tempaan itu membuatnya menjadi pribadi yang kuat dan menyenangkan, berkesan bagi semua orang yang mengenalnya, hingga dijemput ajal karena sakit.
Ingin tahu bagaimana kesulitan dan tantangan yang mereka hadapi sepanjang perjalanan melintasi Jerman yang berkecamuk oleh perang di tahun 1945 ? Bacalah buku ini, dan 'terjunlah' dalamnya...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews