Anne C. Voorhoeve

This is a sprawling book told from the perspective of Ziska, a young girl whose family is persecuted in Nazi Germany for their Jewish ancestors, though the family converted to Christianity a few generations back. As their friends make plans to emigrate, they stay, reasoning it will get better, until it's too late. When Ziska's father is detained, and their world closes in on them, Ziska's mother grasps at the one option available: the kindertransport that smuggled Jewish children out of show more Germany and to host families in England. Ziska is taken in by the Shepard family, observant Jews who are a bit disconcerted to find themselves fostering a Christian. Son Gary is delighted to have a sister, and warmly helps her assimilate. Ziska learns English, attends school (from which she sneaks away every day, knocking on doors to try to secure a position for her parents), and gradually embraces her Jewish heritage. The book takes place over the course of the war -- Ziska, now called Frances, is wrenched away from the Shepards to the safety of the countryside and another host family; her parents are deported to Holland, where their declining health and precarious circumstances strain and finally end their correspondence; Gary enlists to the dismay of his parents; the Shepards reclaim Frances and attempt to survive the blitz together in London. The war transforms everyone and everything, and at its conclusion Ziska/Frances must come to terms with her losses, and determine to whom she really belongs, and who she really is. This is far from a perfect read, with Frances's immature voice sometimes grating, and enough writing and/or translation issues to be a distraction (the book was published in Germany in 2007). Nevertheless, I was riveted and deeply moved.

Voorhoeve, A. (2012). My family for the war. New York: Dial Books. show less

This book, oh my word, where do I begin? My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve is a magnificent book, filled with so much information about WWII that I've not known before. It's beautifully written, exceptionally translated, incredibly emotional, and surprisingly accurate. I knew, from the beginning that I would love this book, and it didn't let me down. I know, it sounds weird to know you're going to love a book about the worst piece of human history, but somehow YA historical fiction show more authors - who write about WWII and the Nazis and Hitler - have a knack for keeping the story real without cheapening the truth with shock-horror cut-scenes. There's a very fine line between acceptable and unacceptable writing in historical fiction in general, especially when it comes to this particular period, but Anne C. Voorhoeve did an amazing job from start to finish. Also, whoever was responsible for the translation - bravo!

My Family for the War starts off where a ten-year old Franziska and her friends are testing escape routes and trying to map out hiding spots, in case the SS are on their tail. Her family haven't been Jewish for generations, they're Christian, but even assimilated Jews are still "impure" in the eyes of the SS. Therefore, they are being ostracized and hunted down like Jews ... From there, she eventually makes her way to England, where an Orthodox Jewish family fosters her. It's not only a new country, but she's learning a new faith, she has a new name, and there's war on the horizon. Frances can't get her family into the country, her only reports are of friends and neighbours disappearing, and her mother isn't keen on the idea of her adopting a faith that her parents gave up.

This is the type of book that every young adult needs on his/her shelf. I understand that not many teenage boys would be interested in reading about a girl's journey from Nazi Germany to England, but it's important for the next generation to understand that you cannot treat human beings worse than animals merely for their beliefs or race. Especially in today's society, where ISIS is considered the voice of all of Islam, when it's not, and where the colour of our skin supposedly define our intentions, when it doesn't. You see, the moment you forget history, you repeat the mistakes of the past.

DEFINITELY add this book to your library. It is, without a doubt, one of the best books I've read this year (and possibly my life).

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Very well-written, but once Ziska/Frances ends up in England, I feel like the narrative can't choose whether she's more worried about her Jewishness or her attempts to have both her bio family and her adopted family take importance in her life. I still love this book as a whole, though, and I was in denial about a certain painful plot point until the very last page.

READ IN DUTCH

I actually took this book with me to give it to my mother, as she really likes to read children's books about the Second World War. She said I should read the book as well. And I'm really glad because I enjoyed reading it a lot and think I've learned quite a lot by reading it.

I had heard before of the trains that saved Jewish children to England. But to be honest, I never had given it that much thought. Mostly about how extremely hard it must have been. Some things seemed really show more harsh to me though, like how she wouldn't be allowed to return to England if she had once left it. show less