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Fania's Heart
Ten-year-old Sorale discovers a tiny heart-shaped book among her mother's belongings. Its pages are shaped like four-petaled flowers, upon which are written words in languages Sorale does not understand. Who wrote these words? Where did the heart come from? Why has her mother never mentioned this tiny book before?
Fania's Heart reveals the story of the crafting of the heart, against all odds, within the confines of Auschwitz, and of the women of immeasurable resilience, courage and loyalty who risked their lives for Sorale's mother, their friend.
Fania's Heart reveals the story of the crafting of the heart, against all odds, within the confines of Auschwitz, and of the women of immeasurable resilience, courage and loyalty who risked their lives for Sorale's mother, their friend.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 18, 2018
258 people want to read
About the author
Anne Renaud
46 books31 followersAnne Renaud is a life-long Quebecker. She received her Bachelor of Translation from Concordia University in Montreal. Anne is the author of several picture books, as well as historical non-fiction books for children, including, A Bloom of Friendship: The Story of the Canadian Tulip Festival, Island of Hope and Sorrow: The Story of Grosse Île, Pier 21: Stories from Near and Far, and Into the Mist: The Story of the Empress of Ireland. Her work has been nominated for several awards, including the Silver Birch Award, the Hackmatack Children’s Choice Award, the Red Cedar Book Award, the Red Maple Award and the Quebec Writers’ Federation Prize for Children's & Young Adult Literature. Anne is also a regular contributor to children’s magazines, such as Highlights, Pockets, Cricket, Odyssey, Faces, Clubhouse and Shine. Anne's readers often ask her why she writes books. She tells them it is because she likes to do creative things and she finds writing to be a very creative exercise. It’s also because she can’t dance well and she can’t sing well, so she tries her best at writing well. She hopes her books educate, entertain and inspire children.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 3, 2018
Wow.
I thought I had read enough of Nazis and concentration camps. Does the world need one more book about it, including a picture book.
Yes, they do. This picture book is the story of a real woman who lived and survived Auschwitz, and on her 20th birthday received the little heart birthday card shown in these pictures below.
It is always important, to repeat stories that we don't want to happen again. Each new generation needs to hear of what happened in the past, as the last of the survivors die off.
Very gentle, but real book. Highly recommend this to one and all.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
I thought I had read enough of Nazis and concentration camps. Does the world need one more book about it, including a picture book.
Yes, they do. This picture book is the story of a real woman who lived and survived Auschwitz, and on her 20th birthday received the little heart birthday card shown in these pictures below.
It is always important, to repeat stories that we don't want to happen again. Each new generation needs to hear of what happened in the past, as the last of the survivors die off.
Very gentle, but real book. Highly recommend this to one and all.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
November 1, 2017
This picture book format story tells the true tale of a young girl imprisoned in Auschwitz. So that we may never forget the terrors of war, we follow her as she struggles each day to survive. Forced to do assembly line work as they built weapons, the young girls treasured each other the most. With brave spirits they risked their life to make a small paper heart as a gift to a friend.
April 7, 2021
This is a picture book designed for older readers, which tells the story of a young girl discovering a special gift in her mother's belongings and asking about it. The mother shares about her experiences in Auschwitz and emphasizes the impact of this special, creative birthday card, which her friends sacrificed to make for her. This book includes a historical note at the end with real-life pictures of the fold-out card.
This book deals with the Holocaust in an accurate and serious way, while also remaining appropriate for children. Parents of very young or more sensitive kids should read this first to consider whether or not their child is ready for it, but anyone who is at a reading level to read this independently should be fine, and it would be great for family discussion or classroom engagement. The text and illustrations portray difficult realities without being graphic, and without a level of traumatic detail that would haunt a child.
This book deals with the Holocaust in an accurate and serious way, while also remaining appropriate for children. Parents of very young or more sensitive kids should read this first to consider whether or not their child is ready for it, but anyone who is at a reading level to read this independently should be fine, and it would be great for family discussion or classroom engagement. The text and illustrations portray difficult realities without being graphic, and without a level of traumatic detail that would haunt a child.
March 29, 2018
This is such a small book. One with only a few pages and no one page is filled with words. And yet it is filled with so much emotion; from sadness and despair to hope and freedom.
I read the main story and wondered to myself two things:
1) How could I ever read this bittersweet story to a child? And at what age would I be okay reading it to them?
2) Is it truly possible that this tiny heart was created in a concentration camp?
While I still perhaps unsure of the answer to the first item, the answer to the second one truly astonished me. This is a TRUE STORY. While I was a bit choked up reading the story itself (as it's very moving) when I moved on to read the last pages that outline that Fania's Heart is a true story. Fania's Heart is a relic of Auschwitz that is in a museum in Montreal and was owned by a Jewish woman of 20 years old imprisoned there during WWII. She eventually came to Canada following the war which is how it came to be at a museum in Montreal.
I'm not a crier most days but this is an unbelievably moving story. The simplicity of it as a children's illustrated book is part of what makes it so moving, in my opinion. You don't need a lot of words or pictures to tell a story like this. You only need some symbolism, context and genuine truth.
Upon writing this and reflecting upon Fania's Heart I have decided that I would read this story to any child, of any age if they asked. Because at it's core this is a story of hope, courage and love. All wonderful things to teach our children of from any age. I encourage everyone to look for this story, even if only to leaf through it at your library and experience the story of Fania's Heart.
For this and more of my reviews please visit my blog at: Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
I read the main story and wondered to myself two things:
1) How could I ever read this bittersweet story to a child? And at what age would I be okay reading it to them?
2) Is it truly possible that this tiny heart was created in a concentration camp?
While I still perhaps unsure of the answer to the first item, the answer to the second one truly astonished me. This is a TRUE STORY. While I was a bit choked up reading the story itself (as it's very moving) when I moved on to read the last pages that outline that Fania's Heart is a true story. Fania's Heart is a relic of Auschwitz that is in a museum in Montreal and was owned by a Jewish woman of 20 years old imprisoned there during WWII. She eventually came to Canada following the war which is how it came to be at a museum in Montreal.
I'm not a crier most days but this is an unbelievably moving story. The simplicity of it as a children's illustrated book is part of what makes it so moving, in my opinion. You don't need a lot of words or pictures to tell a story like this. You only need some symbolism, context and genuine truth.
Upon writing this and reflecting upon Fania's Heart I have decided that I would read this story to any child, of any age if they asked. Because at it's core this is a story of hope, courage and love. All wonderful things to teach our children of from any age. I encourage everyone to look for this story, even if only to leaf through it at your library and experience the story of Fania's Heart.
For this and more of my reviews please visit my blog at: Epic Reading
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
February 2, 2018
This bittersweet book is a true story.
Sorale, a ten-year-old girl is rummaging through her mother's bedroom drawers and stumbles upon a very curious object. She gently picks it up and realizes it is a tiny heart-shaped book. When she opens it she finds the pages unfold like petals on a flower. Inscribed on each page are handwritten words of different languages that she is unable to read or decifier.
She's never seen this little book before and she wonders why her mother has never shown it to her. She takes it straightway to her mother who painfully relates the sad story behind this beautiful, treasured keepsake.
"Fania's Heart" is about a valued gift (a little book) that was designed and created for Fania while she was held in Auschwitz.
She relates to her daughter the hardships and trials she faced while there and the coveted friendships she made with the other female prisoners. It was her birthday and those beloved women took it upon themselves (perhaps even sacrificing their own lives if caught by the guards) and with unbelievable courage, fierce loyalty to one another, and unconditional love they crafted a birthday card just for her. On each petal of the book they wrote in their own language birthday wishes for their friend.
Her mother reveals with mixed emotions her deep, deep sadness of being held captive and the cruelty she sustained while in the prisoner-of-war camp. She then relates the euphoria and happiness everyone felt when she receives that precious birthday card from her fellow-inmates and true friends.
The original "Fania's heart" is homed now in the Montreal Holocaust Museum and the author has added the historical details of the little book and photos to authenticate the source. It is a heartfelt story and one that would serve well in classrooms and libraries everywhere. I highly recommend this book.
Sorale, a ten-year-old girl is rummaging through her mother's bedroom drawers and stumbles upon a very curious object. She gently picks it up and realizes it is a tiny heart-shaped book. When she opens it she finds the pages unfold like petals on a flower. Inscribed on each page are handwritten words of different languages that she is unable to read or decifier.
She's never seen this little book before and she wonders why her mother has never shown it to her. She takes it straightway to her mother who painfully relates the sad story behind this beautiful, treasured keepsake.
"Fania's Heart" is about a valued gift (a little book) that was designed and created for Fania while she was held in Auschwitz.
She relates to her daughter the hardships and trials she faced while there and the coveted friendships she made with the other female prisoners. It was her birthday and those beloved women took it upon themselves (perhaps even sacrificing their own lives if caught by the guards) and with unbelievable courage, fierce loyalty to one another, and unconditional love they crafted a birthday card just for her. On each petal of the book they wrote in their own language birthday wishes for their friend.
Her mother reveals with mixed emotions her deep, deep sadness of being held captive and the cruelty she sustained while in the prisoner-of-war camp. She then relates the euphoria and happiness everyone felt when she receives that precious birthday card from her fellow-inmates and true friends.
The original "Fania's heart" is homed now in the Montreal Holocaust Museum and the author has added the historical details of the little book and photos to authenticate the source. It is a heartfelt story and one that would serve well in classrooms and libraries everywhere. I highly recommend this book.
July 2, 2018
Back in 2015, I reviewed a book for teens called Paper Hearts by Meg Wiviott. A novel in verse, it told the story of two young Polish women, Zlaka and Fania, who were slave laborers in Auschwitz in 1944. At the center of the novel is a small heart, crafted by Zlatka for Fania's 20th birthday, and signed by all of the 19 girls that Fania worked with.
Now, this inspiring story has been is retold in a picture book for older readers by Anne Renaud. Fania had survived Auschwitz, and traveled to Canada after the war, married and had a daughter named Sorale, nicknamed Sandy. As a young child, Sandy understood that her mother had many secrets, among them were why she had no relatives - no mother, father, siblings, cousins. aunts or uncles, and why there was a tattooed number on her arm.
Then, one day, when Sandy was 10, she came across another of her mother's secrets. It was a tiny book shaped heart, with a purple cloth cover and the letter F embroidered in orange thread. Opening it up, she saw lots of words in different languages, but could only read a few names. Her mother finally told her daughter her secrets when Sandy asked her about the heart.
Fania begins with her imprisonment in Auschwitz, after being torn from her home and family because Hitler hated certain people, but especially Jews. In Auschwitz, she was no longer a human being but became a number - 74207. She describes the deplorable conditions she and everyone else in Hitler's concentration camps were forced to live under, how she and the other girls in her barrack worked as slave laborers in a munitions factory making weapons for the German army, and how they tried to sabotage the what they made whenever they could, and then, how they were forced to walk a mile to and from the their job in all kinds of weather. All the while, Fania searched for her family among the other prisoners, but never saw them.
Although they lived in constant fear and extreme hunger, Fania and her friends would recall recipes and food they loved. One day, Fania mentioned she was going to turn 20 soon. Imagine her surprise when she was secretly handed a small handmade heart-shaped card from her friends on her birthday. The heart was a cherished bit of hope and resilience for Fania: "It is an act of defiance. A symbol of strength. An expression of hope and love. My friends wanted to prove that despite all that was inflicted upon us, we could still treat each other with humanity. Their words saved me."
The heart is also the only tangible thing Fania had left from her past.
Fania's Heart is a very moving story. It is historical fiction based on the true experiences of Fania Fanier, née Landau. This is such a well written, poignant story of resistance and survival under such unimaginable circumstances. It begins from the point of view of her daughter Sandy, but seamlessly switches to Fania's voice, always shown in quotes. To her credit, Renaud has managed to describe the horrors of living in a concentration camp under the Nazis including enough reality without getting overly graphic, given he age of her target audience.
There is an interesting Author's Note at the end of the book that briefly describes how Hitler and the Nazis believed in the racial inferiority of certain groups of people, including Jews. It goes on to describe how Fania's heart was made and hidden from the Nazis. The heart was eventually donated to the Montreal Holocaust Museum, where it is on display.
I thought that Rudnicki's realistic watecolor illustrations captured so much truth about the harsh conditions in Auschwitz, but also the intensity of the friendships the girls developed with each other. The post-Auschwitz illustrations have a bit more clarity to them than the ones that involve Fania and her friends during the Holocaust, giving them a real sense of being a focused part of Fania's memory.
While this is an excellent telling of Fania's important story, I do wish there had been more back matter, such as a more detailed biography of Fania's life before and after the war, and a list of suggestions for further reading. For this reason, it book felt incomplete to me.
This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL
Now, this inspiring story has been is retold in a picture book for older readers by Anne Renaud. Fania had survived Auschwitz, and traveled to Canada after the war, married and had a daughter named Sorale, nicknamed Sandy. As a young child, Sandy understood that her mother had many secrets, among them were why she had no relatives - no mother, father, siblings, cousins. aunts or uncles, and why there was a tattooed number on her arm.
Then, one day, when Sandy was 10, she came across another of her mother's secrets. It was a tiny book shaped heart, with a purple cloth cover and the letter F embroidered in orange thread. Opening it up, she saw lots of words in different languages, but could only read a few names. Her mother finally told her daughter her secrets when Sandy asked her about the heart.
Fania begins with her imprisonment in Auschwitz, after being torn from her home and family because Hitler hated certain people, but especially Jews. In Auschwitz, she was no longer a human being but became a number - 74207. She describes the deplorable conditions she and everyone else in Hitler's concentration camps were forced to live under, how she and the other girls in her barrack worked as slave laborers in a munitions factory making weapons for the German army, and how they tried to sabotage the what they made whenever they could, and then, how they were forced to walk a mile to and from the their job in all kinds of weather. All the while, Fania searched for her family among the other prisoners, but never saw them.
Although they lived in constant fear and extreme hunger, Fania and her friends would recall recipes and food they loved. One day, Fania mentioned she was going to turn 20 soon. Imagine her surprise when she was secretly handed a small handmade heart-shaped card from her friends on her birthday. The heart was a cherished bit of hope and resilience for Fania: "It is an act of defiance. A symbol of strength. An expression of hope and love. My friends wanted to prove that despite all that was inflicted upon us, we could still treat each other with humanity. Their words saved me."
The heart is also the only tangible thing Fania had left from her past.
Fania's Heart is a very moving story. It is historical fiction based on the true experiences of Fania Fanier, née Landau. This is such a well written, poignant story of resistance and survival under such unimaginable circumstances. It begins from the point of view of her daughter Sandy, but seamlessly switches to Fania's voice, always shown in quotes. To her credit, Renaud has managed to describe the horrors of living in a concentration camp under the Nazis including enough reality without getting overly graphic, given he age of her target audience.
There is an interesting Author's Note at the end of the book that briefly describes how Hitler and the Nazis believed in the racial inferiority of certain groups of people, including Jews. It goes on to describe how Fania's heart was made and hidden from the Nazis. The heart was eventually donated to the Montreal Holocaust Museum, where it is on display.
I thought that Rudnicki's realistic watecolor illustrations captured so much truth about the harsh conditions in Auschwitz, but also the intensity of the friendships the girls developed with each other. The post-Auschwitz illustrations have a bit more clarity to them than the ones that involve Fania and her friends during the Holocaust, giving them a real sense of being a focused part of Fania's memory.
While this is an excellent telling of Fania's important story, I do wish there had been more back matter, such as a more detailed biography of Fania's life before and after the war, and a list of suggestions for further reading. For this reason, it book felt incomplete to me.
This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL
March 14, 2018
Fania’s Heart by author Anne Renaud tells the true story of how a daughter finds out about her mother's secret past, with the horrors of war forever tattooed on her arm, her mind and her heart. Through flashbacks and dialogue between a mother and her child, Anne Renaud explains how young Jewish girls like Fania were enslaved in work camps to produce the very weapons the Nazis intended to use to kill the Jewish people.
By a small miracle and with incredible courage, a small heart shaped book filled with wishes written in different languages made its way to Fania on her 20th birthday. Bound together with bread and water, this gesture gives way to unspeakable courage, selfless friendship and a will to survive. Fania secretly holds onto the book for dear life. She carries it in the crook of her arm for the duration of the grueling Death March out of Auschwitz and she keeps it with her belongings long after the war is over.
How do you tell your daughter about the hell Hitler created, resulting in lifelong visible and invisible scars from the horrendous experience of the Holocaust? Fania had her heart shaped book to initiate that dialogue with her own daughter and now we are privileged to share her story with our children and future generations.
Thanks to Anne Renaud’s beautifully written, child friendly rendition of Fania’s story, I am able to use the picture book to introduce this difficult topic to my grade five students. The Holocaust Museum in Montreal, which houses Fania’s actual heart shaped book, offers lesson plans for teachers where students can replicate the book with messages of their own.
Fania’s Heart should be that book you recommend to parents and teachers everywhere to read with their children and to start the important task of talking about racism and genocide. To do so is to not only educate the next generation, but to honour the legacy of the tens of millions like Fania who had to endure horrors that we could not possibly imagine.
I am very proud to be giving a copy of Fania's Heart to my daughter, on her Bat Mitzvah this month, I hope that she gives it to her daughter one day.
By a small miracle and with incredible courage, a small heart shaped book filled with wishes written in different languages made its way to Fania on her 20th birthday. Bound together with bread and water, this gesture gives way to unspeakable courage, selfless friendship and a will to survive. Fania secretly holds onto the book for dear life. She carries it in the crook of her arm for the duration of the grueling Death March out of Auschwitz and she keeps it with her belongings long after the war is over.
How do you tell your daughter about the hell Hitler created, resulting in lifelong visible and invisible scars from the horrendous experience of the Holocaust? Fania had her heart shaped book to initiate that dialogue with her own daughter and now we are privileged to share her story with our children and future generations.
Thanks to Anne Renaud’s beautifully written, child friendly rendition of Fania’s story, I am able to use the picture book to introduce this difficult topic to my grade five students. The Holocaust Museum in Montreal, which houses Fania’s actual heart shaped book, offers lesson plans for teachers where students can replicate the book with messages of their own.
Fania’s Heart should be that book you recommend to parents and teachers everywhere to read with their children and to start the important task of talking about racism and genocide. To do so is to not only educate the next generation, but to honour the legacy of the tens of millions like Fania who had to endure horrors that we could not possibly imagine.
I am very proud to be giving a copy of Fania's Heart to my daughter, on her Bat Mitzvah this month, I hope that she gives it to her daughter one day.
April 26, 2018
When Sorale, a ten-year-old girl, finds a tiny heart-shaped book among her mother's possessions, the story behind this treasured object shocks her. Based on the real-life experience of Fania Landau Fainer, who survived the Auschwitz concentration camp, this picture book tells yet another important story from the Holocaust. As much as I've read about that time period and those horrible events, I had never heard this story before and was quite moved by it as Fania explains the significance of the heart and the Holocaust to her daughter. Fania was forced to work in a munitions factory during the war, and she describes the harsh living conditions and how frequently the prisoners dreamed of food, freedom, and family. Fania's fellow prisoners celebrated her twentieth birthday with a cake made from bread rations they had combined. Inside the cake was a cloth heart with origami petals signed with words of encouragement by her friends. It is impossible to imagine the courage and commitment this simple act required, and clearly, the women risked punishment and death to craft the birthday card. Back matter includes an Author's Note describing how Fania smuggled the card out when the concentration camps were liberated. There are also photographs of Fania and her daughter. The heart is now housed in the Montreal Holocaust Museum, a priceless treasure. After finishing this book, with its inspiring, gently-told story and its delicate artwork, I had to pause for several moments, stunned once again by human resilience and the impact one act can have in changing a life or providing encouragement to keep on going. It is often hard to persist or to believe that things will get better. This story offers hope that they will. I'm so glad that the author told this story for a young audience.
May 18, 2018
Fania’s Heart by Anne Renaud, illustrated by Richard Rudnicki. PICTURE BOOK. Second Story Press, 2018. $19. 978177260575
EL, MS – ADVISABLE.
Sorale finds a tiny book shaped like a heart hidden in her mother’s drawer. Her mother tells her finally about her time in Auschwitz and the women who made the heart for her as a birthday gift in that hateful place. Based on the true story of Fania and the heart book she managed to hide and take with her when she was finally liberated.
Writing this as a picture book makes it a hard choice for which library collection. If your elementary school teaches the Holocaust in 5thor 6thgrade, then you definitely need this. It is too wordy for any younger grade, plus no child will understand it without some background knowledge. Picture books in the middle school are a harder sell, but if your school teaches The Diary of Anne Frank, then try to talk your teachers into a day or two of picture book reading for a wider perspective of the Holocaust.
Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
EL, MS – ADVISABLE.
Sorale finds a tiny book shaped like a heart hidden in her mother’s drawer. Her mother tells her finally about her time in Auschwitz and the women who made the heart for her as a birthday gift in that hateful place. Based on the true story of Fania and the heart book she managed to hide and take with her when she was finally liberated.
Writing this as a picture book makes it a hard choice for which library collection. If your elementary school teaches the Holocaust in 5thor 6thgrade, then you definitely need this. It is too wordy for any younger grade, plus no child will understand it without some background knowledge. Picture books in the middle school are a harder sell, but if your school teaches The Diary of Anne Frank, then try to talk your teachers into a day or two of picture book reading for a wider perspective of the Holocaust.
Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
September 6, 2019
I read & evaluated this book for the Vancouver Children's Round Table (VCLR)'s 2019 Information Book Award.
This was quite a moving story, and I really liked how there was an author's note as well. That being said, the illustration style felt somewhat dated. Based on the cover art alone, I'm not sure I would be drawn to the book on a shelf. Occasionally, the narrative felt a bit didactic but it wasn't a deal breaker. Also, I felt like the photo credits were too hidden within the copyright page.
This was quite a moving story, and I really liked how there was an author's note as well. That being said, the illustration style felt somewhat dated. Based on the cover art alone, I'm not sure I would be drawn to the book on a shelf. Occasionally, the narrative felt a bit didactic but it wasn't a deal breaker. Also, I felt like the photo credits were too hidden within the copyright page.
June 10, 2018
One incredible act of love and sacrifice to celebrate Fania's 20th birthday while imprisoned at Auschwitz. Based on the true story with accompanying back matter including photographs. A testament to the strength and resilience of women living in their darkest hours.
September 6, 2018
I loved this book. Once a while, my kids ask about how it was many years ago. I try to explain to the that the reality was much different, beyond conception. This book shows how it was in those years, for many people. It is very well written. Thumbs up!
April 5, 2018
This is such a moving story. Everyone should read this - not just kids.
June 9, 2018
“Fania’s Heart” was amazing and every person should read it.
March 4, 2022
This is incredible and heartbreaking at the same time. The survival of love.
February 23, 2024
Ten-year-old Sorale discovers a tiny heart-shaped book among her mother's belongings. Its pages are shaped like four-petaled flowers, upon which are written words in languages Sorale does not understand. Who wrote these words? Where did the heart come from? Why has her mother never mentioned this tiny book before?
A beautiful story told with love, empathy and heartbreak and I could see it being made into a movie.
A beautiful story told with love, empathy and heartbreak and I could see it being made into a movie.
February 28, 2018
"Words have power.
There are words that injure and words that heal.
Then there are words that can save your life."
An unnamed 9 year old girl finds a tiny heart-shaped book in her mother's dresser. Thus begins the tale of her mother Fania, who was in Auschwitz during the war.
She spins a tale of sadness and heartbreak, and of a broken spirit in a broken time. She tells of how she focused on the good even amidst all of the bad.
FANIA'S HEART should be read by or to children everywhere early on in their lives, so that when they reach the right age, they're prepared for learning more in-depth about Hitler and Germany in school.
I got goosebumps reading this book. I even had some tears come to my eyes. FANIA'S HEART is a book about bravery and holding onto hope despite everything telling you to give up. Based off of an actual woman named Fania and her time spent in Auschwitz, it's a haunting yet hopeful tale that you won't want to miss out on.
There are words that injure and words that heal.
Then there are words that can save your life."
An unnamed 9 year old girl finds a tiny heart-shaped book in her mother's dresser. Thus begins the tale of her mother Fania, who was in Auschwitz during the war.
She spins a tale of sadness and heartbreak, and of a broken spirit in a broken time. She tells of how she focused on the good even amidst all of the bad.
FANIA'S HEART should be read by or to children everywhere early on in their lives, so that when they reach the right age, they're prepared for learning more in-depth about Hitler and Germany in school.
I got goosebumps reading this book. I even had some tears come to my eyes. FANIA'S HEART is a book about bravery and holding onto hope despite everything telling you to give up. Based off of an actual woman named Fania and her time spent in Auschwitz, it's a haunting yet hopeful tale that you won't want to miss out on.
Want to Read
January 9, 2018Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
April 14, 2018
Fania’s Heart by Anne Renaud and Richard Rudnicki is another beautiful offering from Second Story Press. A story inspired by Fania Landau Fainer, a Jewish prisoner imprisoned at Auschwitz during the Second World War. Her heart is a card, crafted meticulously and at great risk by her fellow prisoners, for her 20th birthday. Filled with nineteen birthday messages in several different languages, the heart is one of only a very few objects to have survived that was created by the prisoners. The heart speaks to the resilience and the strength of those who where imprisoned and the very failure of the Nazi campaign to weaken and destroy all those who were deemed “racially inferior”,
In a story told in the voice of Fania’s daughter Sorale, she speaks of her mother’s secrets, some that were shared and some that were hidden. When Sorale finds the heart hidden in a lace handkerchief, she wonders whether this is a secret that will be shared. In a beautifully written talk between mother and daughter, Fania tells Sorale the story behind the heart and the powerful meaning in the messages written to her. Anne Renaud has carefully crafted Fania’s story in a way that is understandable and truly demonstrates the resilience of those who were imprisoned simply because of their faith. With a wonderful section at the back to give the background to the story, Fania’s Heart is a beautiful non-fiction picture book for your older readers. With beautiful illustrations by Richard Rudnicki, depicting life in the camps and the factories and camps, this story is a perfect compliment to any discussion about bias, World War II, resilience, and the power of words.
The real “Heart of Auschwitz” now resides at the Montreal Holocaust Museum for all to witness the power of words.
In a story told in the voice of Fania’s daughter Sorale, she speaks of her mother’s secrets, some that were shared and some that were hidden. When Sorale finds the heart hidden in a lace handkerchief, she wonders whether this is a secret that will be shared. In a beautifully written talk between mother and daughter, Fania tells Sorale the story behind the heart and the powerful meaning in the messages written to her. Anne Renaud has carefully crafted Fania’s story in a way that is understandable and truly demonstrates the resilience of those who were imprisoned simply because of their faith. With a wonderful section at the back to give the background to the story, Fania’s Heart is a beautiful non-fiction picture book for your older readers. With beautiful illustrations by Richard Rudnicki, depicting life in the camps and the factories and camps, this story is a perfect compliment to any discussion about bias, World War II, resilience, and the power of words.
The real “Heart of Auschwitz” now resides at the Montreal Holocaust Museum for all to witness the power of words.
February 1, 2019
A short, but extremely moving and true, account of Sorale who finds a tiny heart-shaped book belonging to her mother, Fania. It had been made by her friends in the camp at Auschwitz as a birthday gift and was filled with encouraging messages. She had managed to keep it hidden until her release and it is now on show in a museum. Her story is one of courage during what must have been the most difficult and horrendous time of her life. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews