Journey to America [Paperback]

Sonia Levitin (Author), Charles Robinson (Illustrator)

Book Description

A Jewish family fleeing Nazi Germany in 1938 endures innumerable separations before they are once again united.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin; 2 edition (April 30, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689711301
• ISBN-13: 978-0689711305
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #58,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Holocaust

More About the Author

My life is mainly devoted to friends and family, my writing and my home. I enjoy hiking in the mountains, especially with my dogs. You can see their pics on my web page, and also pics of my family andfriends. I like to traveling to interesting places. I've been to Europe, parts of Asia, Hawaii, and many beautiful places in the U.S. My most exciting new project is working with a great team on creating a musical based on my novel The Return. We plan the premier in fall, 2006, and now we're casting and soon going into rehearsal.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars journey to america, April 7, 2004

By 

amy menard (crowley, la usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Journey to America (Paperback)

Lisa Plat and her family live in Berlin, Germany during a time of great Jewish persecution. Although not everyone agreed that all the Jews were in danger, Lisa and her family feared the future. Her father decided that it would be best for them to try and escape to America where they could live freely. However, due to lack of money and a place to live he would have to go ahead and send for his family later. Soon after arriving in America he sent word that Lisa, along with her mother and sisters would have to travel to Switzerland and wait there until further notice. They said goodbye to all of the people they loved and all the familiar things they new, to move to a strange place where they had little money, no decent shelter and no friends. Many months of struggle lay ahead for Lisa and her family but the outcome proves to be worthwhile.
Even in the face of a life and death crisis, it takes a special kind of courage to leave everything, to face poverty and to begin again in wholly new surroundings. Journey to America is a children's book that I truly enjoyed. The reader feels as though they traveled back in time to the 1930's and walked in the shoes of a Jewish citizen of Germany in a time of Nazi domination. It helps the reader to understand the many hardships Jews faced and have a more clear comprehension of the true blessing of freedom. This is a story of triumph and success that will warm your heart and open your mind.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Touching Holocaust Read, July 3, 2002

By 

Allyn "pianogirl" (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Journey to America (Paperback)

This was one of the first books I read about the Holocaust, and as I re-read just a few days ago, I can certainly see why I loved it so much. "Journey To America" is the story of Lisa Platt, who, along with her mother and sisters, escapes form 1938 Berlin to Switzerland to escape persecuction of the Jews. Not only is she torn from her familiar home, she and her mother and sisters are without Lisa's father, who went to America and had them wait in Switzerland until he could send for them. The thing that makes this book memorable are the very believable emotions that Lisa and her family have...saying good-bye to their beloved housekeeper, leaving treasured belongings behind, and living with terrible uncertainty and little money in Switzerland. It is all told though first-person perspective by Lisa, and it brings a "personal" touch to the Holocaust. "Journey To America" shows us another heart-wrenching journey to the "land of the free" far different than the that of Pilgrims.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing book, February 1, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Journey To America (Hardcover)

This book is about A girl named Lisa who lives in Germany. She is Jewish as well of the rest of her family. It was a dangerous time for the jews so her dad went to America hoping to find a better future for his family. During that time her, her 2 sisters, and her mother went to Switzerland to wait for their dad to send for them. During that time they have to make many sacrifices of leaving their belongings in Germany and starting a new life. In Switzerland they also have troubles with money. When will their dad send for them? Read this book and find out! This book helped me learn more about the jews and their persecutions as a jew.