Customer Reviews

Erika's Story

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Readers familiar with Rose Blanche, Roberto Innocenti's illustrated story about the Holocaust, will again be impressed with the outstanding illustrations in this new children's book on the same theme. A fascinating author's note on the first page explains Ruth Vander Zee's accidental meeting with a woman sitting next to her in the town square of Rothenburg, Germany in 1995. Zee chats about her recent Israel trip with the amiable woman after noticing a Star of David around her neck. The story that follows is the woman's story, whose name is Erika. The story she relates is entirely new to the genre of illustrated books about the Holocaust. The style is spare and emotionally quite powerful. Erika was born in 1944 and was an infant as her mother boarded a cattle car and headed for certain death. Erika states, "I wonder where she stood. Was she in the middle of the car? Was my father next to her? Did he tell her to be brave? Did they talk about what to do? When did they make their decision?" The astonishing decision, one that few can ever contemplate, is related like this: "What happened next is the only thing I know for sure....My mother threw me from the train." The amazing illustration of a pink blanketed, swaddled baby flying from a train window toward an onlooker on a bicycle demands pause. Contrasted with the dark greys of the cattle car and train tracks, it reminds one of the little girl in the red coat in Schindler's List, and it has the same effect. Erika goes on to finish the rest of her story of how she was brought up in Germany by a woman who risked her life to do so, but we are left feeling that Erika has had to overcome a very powerful sadness. The book does end on a hopeful note, however, as Erika relates that her own children now have grandchildren and that it seems that her family may identify as Jews, although that is not stated. One quibble with the design of the book involves the use of the star motif. The designer has used small black Stars of David to separate paragraphs and create a more poetic narration. A small 5-pointed yellow star is also used appealingly as a hopeful sign on the book's last page. But the cover of the book is designed as a cut-out with a large 5 pointed yellow star which is clearly trying to represent the yellow stars Jews wore in the Holocaust. Why is this star not 6 points? There is something essentially wrong with this cover representation. But, despite this flaw, the book is highly recommended for readers 10 years and older, wherever illustrated books on Holocaust are used.
Reviewed by Lisa Silverman

I read through this book today at the library where I work, and I had a tough time holding myself together afterwards. I cannot remember when I last read a book--adult OR children's--that touched me as deeply as "Erika's Story." Erika's parents gave up the baby they loved to give her a chance at life...and she got to live, to grow up and have children of her own. Even at a time when part of the world was mad with evil and hate...there still was courage, and good, and love.

Highly, highly recommended.

I found myself speechless, ....everything about this book it is simply beautiful and exquisite...the story, the illustrations, the binding, the design, ...a work of art an love.

Erika's Story is a wonderful way to motivate students of ALL ages to learn about the Holocaust. I read this book to my 8th grade Social Studies class and asked them to imagine what it must have been like for Erika's mother to make such a painful decision. Includes stirring imagery and thought-provoking content.

Erika's story is short and isn't some huge epic fantasy story.

But it's just as and maybe even more powerful than many epic fantasy stories.

Though it may appear to be a toddler's book, it's suitable for all ages, because of its universal lesson: love is stronger than hate or fear.

The book itself may be short, but, combined with the hypnotic illustrations, that only adds to its haunting effect. Because of its shortness, we get more focus on the point of the story, and the emotions, without distractions to make us lose our focus.

Robert Innocenti has a simple yet intense drawing style that pulls you right into the drawing and add an emotional touch to the atmosphere. You feel transported right into the picture. Each illustration is gloomy and sketched in shades of gray, except for the more joyous aspects of the picture. For example, when Erika's mother is throwing her from the train, the baby is coloued in pink against a background drawn with shades of gray.

And there is a high, poignant, almost triumphant illustration of Erika at an older age, staring at a train in front of her house. We can't see her face, so you can only wonder what is on her mind.

The image is all drawn in colour.

I started crying in the library when I read this book. That's the amount of power it holds.

I have to tell you that this was one of the most deeply moving children's books I have ever read. I have read this work a number of times since it was first published in 2003 and you would think that the impact would lesson; it has not.

This is the true story of Erika's, told in her own words and recorded by the author after a chance meeting with Erika on the streets in Rothenburg, Germany. The starkness of the prose, the matter of fact way Erika tells her story adds to the stunning effect to which the illustrations by Roberto Innocenti has set the stage for.

Erika, born in 1944, was an infant of only a few months old, and in her words:

"I was born sometime in 1944.

I do not know by birth date.

I do not know my birth name.

I do not know in what city or country I was born.

I do not know if I had brothers or sisters.

What I do know is that when I was just a few months old, I was saved from the Holocaust."

Erika's entire family, including the infant herself, was loaded onto cattle cars and was being transported to one of the extermination camps. Erika's mother apparently knew that something very, very bad was about to happen. When the death train slowed down in a small town, she and her husband were able to take the infant, wrapped in blankets, and throw her from the train where she landed on a patch of grass. A kindly lady rescued her, raised and educated her...cared for her. The parents of this little girl were of course never heard from again. Can you begin to imagine the pain those parents must have felt?

The matter of fact way in which Erika tells her story is simple, touching and terrifying all at the same time. When you mix this simply told story with the wonderful illustrations, most of which are in black and white with just a touch of color here and there, then you have a very powerful story. As to the illustrations, think Chris Van Allsburg and the impact of his art...Innocenti has the same touch.

"It was once said that my people would be as many as the stars in heaven. Six million of those stars fell between 1933 and 1945. Every star was one of my people whose life was savaged and whose family tree was torn apart. Today, my tree once again has roots."

There are only 18 pages to this story...scant text, but the message it brings, the emotions it stirs, well, I have read 500 page novels that did not do as well.

This work is ideal to use in the class room and indeed should be a part of every school library. I can think of no work available which will tweak the interest of young students more than this one. The adult present had better be prepared to answer a lot of questions, because questions there will be.

There is horrible sadness in this story, yet at the same time the reader is left with a sense of hope.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

This is an insightful insight into the horror of the Holocaust. It is both understated and chilling. Especially good for middle or high school World History students. Ideal for a read aloud. You will here a pin drop!

This book is offered as a children's book; however, it is fairly serious for children. It is a great adult book! Response to my order was very fast and book was speedily shipped.

I used this book with 5th and 6th grade students and they were deeply moved. It piqued their interest and they wanted to continue reading books about the holocaust. I am a reading coach and it thrills me when a book we read in class motivates students to continue learning about a subject. The book is a "quick read" but ripe with imagery,putting "pictures in the brain" and putting oneself in the place of the characters. It's a great book to use if you do not have much time for a reading lesson but want something worthy.

This is one of the most beautifully written books about the Holocaust. I cried everytime I read it! Wonderful book!