David Warner (5)

The inspiring, true story of Sir Nicholas Winton, who ingeniously rescued hundreds of children before Hitler's invasion of Czechoslovakia.The shadow of war was spreading across Europe. Hitler's armies had marched into the borderlands of Czechoslovakia, forcing Jewish families, among others, to flee their homes and seek refuge in any location that would accept them. When Nicholas Winton, the son of Jewish-German immigrants, traveled from London to Czechoslovakia to help the refugee families show more huddled in tents in sprawling encampments, an ingenious plan began to formulate in his head. By special waiver, children could leave the country without their parents, as long as host families abroad took them in. As word of his plan spread, parents lined the hallways and staircases of Winton's hotel, begging for help. If Nicholas could get their children out of the country safely, the families would find a way to join them. Three weeks later, when Winton returned to London, he carried with him the names and photographs of hundreds of children--even babies--entrusted to him by their parents. With the assistance of his mother and a growing circle of helpers, Winton began recruiting host families, raising funds, and securing visas. For nine months, he arranged for children to travel by train and ferry to England. Then war was declared, and the Czech border closed. Fifty years later, Nicholas's wife, Grete, discovered a long-forgotten scrapbook in their attic containing the names and documentation of 669 children. It was the only record of her husband's remarkable rescue efforts. What followed was a series of equally remarkable events that allowed this heroic story to be told and for millions to learn the fate of these rescued children, all on live television.The Light That Shines Forever is a beautifully illustrated picture book, with primary source documents and photographs, that brings to life a remarkable wartime rescue. Its lesson and message invite readers to ask the questions: What light will we bring to others? What stories will fill the scrapbooks of our lives? show less

First sentence: In the final months of 1938, the shadow of war was spreading across Europe. HItler's armies had marched into the borderlands of Czechoslovakia, forcing Jewish families, among others, to flee their homes and seek refuge inland.

Premise/plot: This is a picture book for older readers--mid to upper elementary aged students through adults. This is the story of Nicholas Winton and his rescue of six hundred plus Jewish children. While he couldn't rescue or save whole families, he show more could get hundreds of Jewish children out of the country and living with host families. He did what he could in the months that he could.

My thoughts: The story has been told in other books about the war (and holocaust). It certainly is a story worth sharing in this new format. The illustrations are beautiful. I definitely found both narrative and illustrations engaging. I would definitely recommend this one to readers of most ages. show less

THE LIGHT THAT SHINES written and illustrated by David T. Warner is a stunning picture book exploring the rescue of 669 children at the onset of World War II. Along with beautiful illustrations, the book also incorporates photographs and primary source documents to bring the rescue to life. ARC courtesy of Shadow Mountain Publishing.