This is one of those books which you hear so much about in advance ("So inspirational!" "Absolutely fantastic!") that you are afraid that you will be disappointed. I happen to be friends with one of the author's grandchildren, which made me especially nervous to read the book. ("What if I hate it?")
I wasn't disappointed, and I loved it.
Chaim Shapiro was a teenage yeshiva student living in Poland at the outbreak of WWII. His years escaping the Nazis included adventures and misadventures which will have you turning page after page to learn what happened next. He depicts his friends - Jewish and non-Jewish - with such humanity and perception they will come alive for you. Probably one of my favorite books I've read this year.