Customer Reviews

Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story

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4 star:		(2)
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I used this book as an introduction to the Holocaust for my 7-year-old. Rather than starting him off on the atrocities, I used this well-written and beautiful book to start him off with learning that we Jews were once in grave danger, and there were some people who took care of us when they could, even though it was a difficult choice.

3/4 of the way through reading the book out loud to my son, I started to cry a little. The story is poignant, of course, but more than that, the writing captures the meaning in such a simple and straight-forward way.

I would recommend this book to anybody, Jewish or not Jewish. It is an excellent introduction to the concept that life can be dangerous, along with the idea that good people exist, AND that any one of us can choose to be a person who makes a difference.

The writing makes it clear that Sugihara was risking his and his family's lives to do the right thing. And, the writing makes it clear that being the child of someone who is willing to do the right thing can be difficult, but well worth it.

A beautiful book.

It should be required reading for U.S. immigration and consular officials. Having lawful orders to obey (Sugihara's instructions from his government were lawful, and no different from instructions given to US officials) does not absolve one from responsibility for others. This is an important lesson for children and adults.

The illustrations are haunting.

It is a book that you and your children will not soon forget.

This is such a powerful little book. I used it with my sixth grade class as part of a unit on Japanese internment camps with the books Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and Under the Blood Red Sun by Graham Salisbury. While these books are excellent at helping students to understand what happened to Japanese Americans during World War II, it wasn't until I read them Passage to Freedom that the students began to more fully understand that they could take a stand as individuals to stop prejudice. Each of us, if we are brave enough, has the power to make a difference. Chiune Sugihara was brave, and he was determined to do what he knew in his heart was right. Because of him, thousands of Jews escaped from certain death. This book is priceless.

A wonderful book, with an important story. Mr. Sugihara was one of those Japanese who do not follow sheepishly every instruction given to him by his government, and thank God! Using his conscience and humanitarian spirit, he helped saved the lives of many Jews, and he did this by disobeying instructions of his own government, which at that time in history was allied with the Nazis. Not only does this story deserve to be told, it needs to be told to an international audience. Mr. Mochizuki has written one of the most important children's books of the 20th century! Bravo!

Ken Mochizuki's excellent telling of the events during the early days of WWII when Chiune Sugihara saved thousand of Jews by giving them visas. In a dark period of Japanese history, one man, a Japanese diplomat, listened to his conscience, discussed the consequences with his wife and children, and chose to do the right thing. After the Russians took over Lithuania, Sugihara was forced to close the Japanese Embassy, but he continued writing visas until the last possible moment. Dom Lee's muted and detailed illustrations superbly enhance the story. Karen Woodworth-Roman, Librarian

I'm a 6th grade student who likes to read. I thought the book was interesting. It had good illustrations. If you don't know what a visa is in this story it's like a passport. I don't want to spoil the story for you so I won't tell you anymore of the story.

This is the true story - told by his son - of Chiune Sugihara, who saved the lives of several thousand Jews in Lithuania during the Holocaust by issuing visas for them, even though his government had told him not to, literally writing until the day he had to leave Lithuania, and throwing pieces of paper with the consulate stamp and his signature out the train as he left.

Had he saved even one person, of course, he would've done a good deed, but thousands...?

This is a truly inspiring story, and it's a good way of talking about the Second World War without having to explicitly talk about the atrocities committed, something many parents understandably don't want to do. The fear of the refugees is obvious enough, the details aren't necessary.

This one of the most beautiful stories of how good surrounded evil and drove it out. Instead of going into tragic detail about the atrocities that took place during the Holocaust, it puts human faces, human feelings and a very personal account of one good man's successful mission to save lives.

In 1940, Hiroki Sugihara, then 5 was living in Lithuania in a Japanese community. His younger brother Chiaki, 3 and infant brother Haruki were happily unaware of the strife and trauma taking place in the world.

One young boy changed that. One night, a small boy in need of money approached Hiroki's father on the street. He gave the boy some money to buy what he needed. To show his appreciation, the boy invited the Sugiharas to his home to celebrate Hanukkah.

During the early part of WWI, Chiune Sugihara was a diplomat representing Japan. The war literally came to his door one night when crowds of people, facing certain death came to the Sugihara home, seeking help. Hiroki's mother tells him that the people would be "killed or taken away by some very bad men" unless the family helped them. Hiroki begged his father to save them.

Chiune Sugihara invited several men to meet with him inside. There they drew up a plan for Sugihara to secure visas to help the people escape from Lithuania. Sugihara told them that although he could only issue a few visas and that in order to do so he would have to get permission from the Japanese government.

Sugihara apprached the government, requesting those visas. Each time he was turned down. Time was running out, so he made the desicion to go ahead and issue those visas on his own because not doing so would be "to disobey God" instead of disobeying the government.

At all times the Sugiharas talked to their children about what was taking place. Sughihara sat up late into the night for many nights issuing visas to people and personally wished each one well once they received the visa.

Hiroki's poignant observation that although he and the Polish and Lithuanian children did not speak the same language, it did not matter. They all played together in a local park.

Many lives were saved before the Germans and Russians occupied Lithuania.

This is one of the most beautiful books I have EVER read. It might even make you cry. Hiroki Sugihara's afterword about his father's successful mission to save lives will remain indelibly inscribed on the hearts and minds of all who read this wonderful story. Angels DO walk among us and Chiune Sugihara was indeed an angel.

Matthew Wilder's 1983 song "Ain't Nothing Gonna Break My Stride" could be the soundtrack of this heartwarming and uplifting book. This book deserves a place of honor.

When reading this booki was amazed that so few would do so much for so many,Ive never heard of a story like it. What suprised me even more was that the man who saved all those Jews was a Japanese, if i remember correctly where an axis power during WW2 and allied with the Germans. This man must have really followed his heart if he was to defy his own country, and for that i really admire him

When reading this booki was amazed that so few would do so much for so many,Ive never heard of a story like it. What suprised me even more was that the man who saved all those Jews was a Japanese, if i remember correctly where an axis power during WW2 and allied with the Germans. This man must have really followed his heart if he was to defy his own country, and for that i really admire him