Kindertransport [Hardcover]

Olga Levy Drucker (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

The author describes the circumstances in Germany after Hitler came to power that led to the evacuation of many Jewish children to England and her experiences as a young girl in England during World War II.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Drucker's riveting memoir begins where most stories of survival during the Holocaust end: a devoted Jewish mother finds a spot for her young daughter in a program that brings children out of Germany to safety in England in the spring of 1939. Only 11 at the time, Drucker had been told that her parents would join her within two weeks; six years would pass before their reunion. In the meantime, she lived with a series of families and was expected to be grateful for her good fortune. With both honesty and humor, the author recalls her bewilderment and her struggles to adjust: once indulged, she feels forlorn when a wealthy but reluctant benefactress lavishes attention on her own daughter; when her parents inform her that they have secured visas to the U.S., she is of course relieved, but also furious that they did not come to her. She becomes so good at burying her emotions that when a piano teacher tells her to play with "feeling," she is certain she has none. Conveying these experiences, Drucker maintains an unusually broad perspective, placing her own tribulations in historical context but according them respect. Memorable and moving. Ages 10-13.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-- The author of this personal narrative was born in Germany in 1927 and soon found her life disrupted by the events in Europe in the 1930s. Her mother arranged for her to be part of the Kindertransport , through which 10,000 Jewish children were sent to live with English families. Ollie, 11 when she leaves, speaks virtually no English and finds herself in a series of undesirable living situations: a dingy, louse-infested flat; a luxurious home in which she is virtually ignored; a boarding school that closes when the war begins; a Baptist family intent on avoiding sin; and a home with a sickly woman whose illnesses cause Ollie to miss school. At the age of 16 she leaves her studies to help take care of a family with five children. During this time Ollie worries about her parents' safety in Germany as the war rages, and keeps herself going with thoughts of a reunion with them. Eventually, they make their way to New York, and in 1945, she is able to join them. Her afterword reflects on her experiences as a refugee. The book is touching as well as exciting, and is one of the World War II reminiscences that middle school readers will devour. In a few unfortunates places, the author interjects herself too forcefully into the narrative; for example, she short-circuits a compelling story with comments such as, ``Children don't usually stop to realize what's going on. But if I had, it might have gone something like this. . . .'' In spite of occasional flaws, this is a worthwhile purchase written with an authentic voice.
- Ellen Fader, Westport Public Library, CT
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 146 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holth & Co (J); 1st edition (October 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805017119
• ISBN-13: 978-0805017113
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,186,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A review and summery of Kindertransport, June 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Kindertransport (Hardcover)

Kindertransport This is the best book I have read relating in a personal way to World War Two. The way it is written makes it seem like Ollie (the main character) is telling you her life story.

Ollie was from an affluent Jewish family that lived in Germany. Before the war began she had a nice life with a nanny, cook, brother, and parents. One by one these were taken away as Hitler increased power. Her nanny and cook were both taken away because no one was allowed to work for a Jewish person. Ollie's brother moved to England to goto school and get away from Hitler. Her dad was taken to a concentration camp but was released only if he would leave the country. The papers to leave were hard to find but Ollie's parents contacted Kindertransport.

Kindertransport is a group of people that helped get children out of the country before Hitler got them. It was because of them that Ollie managed to leave Germany. At that time she was only 10 years old, so she really didn't realize what was happening. She left her family and moved to England. The first family she lived with was poor and wasn't very friendly. She contracted lice and her parents found an old rich friend of theirs. Again they weren't very welcoming but it was clean. She was moved again this time to a boarding school. The kids became more friendly to her as she learned English. She made friends and lived with one of them for the summer.

When school came back into session the war was escalating. The school was forced to close due to the war and lack of students. She moved in with a very nice Catholic family. That was her home for a little while until she was moved because she was getting too much Catholic religion. Her next family was her last "family". The mother of the house was very sick and Ollie had to miss a lot of school because of it.

She quit school and became a nurse "nanny" for a family down the street. She loved living and working with children. She got a letter and found out her parents! made it out of Germany and now lived in New York. Her and her brother moved to the U.S.A and lived with them.

This was a good book for any age level to read!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mandy's Kindertransport review, April 22, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Kindertransport (School & Library Binding)

I read the book for my school, because we were reading books about WWII. Normally, I stay away from the realistic/historical section of the library, but this was a good book! It's about a girl named Olga who was sent to England so that she, a Jew, would be safe from Hitler. I'm not gonna give too much away, but most of Olga's new homes aren't that much fun. READ IT! Especially if you like historical stories. It reads like a novel, but it's actually an autobiography. It's good. Just take my word for it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unsentimental, powerful retrospective, March 28, 1998

By A Customer

In this unsentimental, yet powerful retrospective of a child's wartime experience, Drucker takes the reader on an intimate journey of discovery...of self, of good and evil, and ultimately of the power of love and trust.