Lily Renee, Escape Artist: From Holocaust Survivor to Comic Book Pioneer [Paperback]

Trina Robbins (Author), Anne Timmons (Illustrator), Mo Oh (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2011 | Age Range: 11 and up

In 1938, Lily Renée Wilheim is a 14-year-old Jewish girl living in Vienna. Her days are filled with art and ballet. Then the Nazis march into Austria, and Lily's life is shattered overnight. Suddenly, her own country is no longer safe for her or her family. To survive, Lily leaves her parents behind and travels alone to England.

Escaping the Nazis is only the start of Lily's journey. She must escape many more times--from servitude, hardship, and danger. Will she find a way to have her own sort of revenge on the Nazis? Follow the story of a brave girl who becomes an artist of heroes and a true pioneer in comic books.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Writer and feminist herstorian Trina Robbins has been writing books, comics, and graphic novels for over 30 years. Her most recent books are The Brinkley Girls (Fantagraphics) and Forbidden City: the Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs (Hampton Press). Her newest graphic novel is the three-part YA series Chicagoland Detective Agency for Graphic Universe(tm).

Product Details

• Age Range: 11 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Graphic Universe (November 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761381147
• ISBN-13: 978-0761381143
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 0.3 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #755,400 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Touching Story of Lily Renee Wilheim's Life in Graphic Novel Format March 18, 2012

By Jill H.

Format:Paperback

"Lily Renee, Escape Artist" is touching story about Lily Renee Wilheim's life during the Holocaust. Lily was one of the children that broke free from the Nazi's in Vienna, Austria. This graphic novel shows the reader the course that her life took after she traveled with other children as part of the Kindertransport effort, which was a rescue effort that lasted from December 1, 1938 until September 1, 1939 to save Jewish children from the hands of the Nazis. There is some additional information included related to Lily's story in the back of the book.

It was such a blessing to be able to read story of Lily Renee's life in graphic novel format. Lily became a comic book artist, so now I can understand why her memoir was told in the form of a graphic novel. It was so interesting how the book was split up into chapters in this graphic novel as well. In my opinion, her story was told in a way that can touch both adults and children.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of this book from Kar-Ben Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great WWII survival story December 13, 2011

By Donna Maybe Dottie

Format:Paperback

I'm always amazed by the survival stories that come out of occupied Europe, and Lily Renee's is no different. For such a young girl to have to leave home alone, travel to a foreign country where she barely knows the language and try to ride out the war, it's amazing adults were able to do it, let alone a girl that was barely a teenager. But she did it and it really puts the trials in one's life into perspective. Escaping from the Nazis, then from prejudiced English, traveling to America and then fighting adversity to become a pioneering name in comics kind of makes the daily grind of one's life pale in comparison.

But she did it without a thought about it. It was survival mode and Lily did what she had to do to make it. The story is a simple one, told in simple language but it doesn't need to be dressed up. The story itself is already grand. Flowery prose need not apply. Plus the illustrations to go along with it make it stand out all the more. As if you couldn't picture Lily's story in your head just from the words, the images were there to help. Rich and colorful and sometimes frightening, Robbins didn't hold the story back and Timmons and Oh were relentless with the illustrations. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Whereas something like MAUS, while amazing, is probably too graphic for a younger audience, LILY RENEE tells a realistic story without being gruesome so it makes it a little more easily digestible for a younger reader that might not be able to handle the images in like comics. It'll make them see without making them see too much and it does it without sugarcoating. I'd like to see LILY RENEE, ESCAPE ARTIST in all classrooms as a teaching tool, it's just that good. It's just one of many stories coming out of that time and I'm glad it did. It shows a fight of will and of character and I think everyone should be reading stories like this, just to see what real survival is.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read May 1, 2013

By Shauna

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Excellent for adults and kids. I bought it for my daughter after I read it in the library. She likes it