Waiting for Anya (New Windmills) [Hardcover]

Michael Morpurgo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 18, 1993 | Series: New Windmills

One of a series of top-quality fiction for schools, this is a thrilling story about a boy who risks his life to take Jewish refugees to safety during World War II.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Like the acclaimed Number the Stars , this well-plotted novel features a young Gentile hero battling the Germans in their war against the Jews. As it opens, Jo is guarding the sheep when his dog alerts him to a bear; Jo warns the villagers in his small French town and they kill the hapless beast. The theme here prefigures the more tragic hunt for human prey, while the bear chase itself brings Jo into contact with Benjamin, the reclusive Widow Horcada's Jewish son-in-law, who is hiding in her mountain home. Separated from Anya, his daughter, Benjamin hides other Jewish children and leads them to safety in nearby Spain. Jo is soon enlisted, bringing supplies to the widow's house. Then the Germans encamp in Jo's village, observing everyone and sealing the Spanish border. Jo's concern for the Jews is measured against his reluctant awareness that the German occupiers are not uniformly evil--in fact, the villagers' relations with the Germans form the most distinctive element of the story. Although some key elements are historically improbable (chiefly, a German officer's partial rejection of Nazi principles), the adventure of the Jews' escape into Spain is both gripping and temperate. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-9-- In a village in southern France, only a few miles from Spain, Jo discovers that the Widow Horcada is sheltering Benjamin, her Jewish son-in-law, who is helping to smuggle Jewish children over the border. He is also waiting for his own child, Anya, from whom he was separated. When a garrison of German soldiers is sent to occupy the village in order to stop the flow of refugees into Spain, Benjamin needs the cooperation of the entire village to save the children. What Jo and the others learn, though, is that the Germans are human and that there are more similarities than differences among them. Readers do not see battles, but will witness their effects when Jo's father returns a sick and bitter man; they do not see the horrors of the death camps--it is enough to know that those who are taken away will not be seen again. Everything is seen through the eyes of one young, compassionate boy. There are no villains and no larger-than-life heroes, just human beings following what conscience or duty tells them is right. In its understated style and gentle telling of a harsh lesson, the story is reminiscent of Lois Lowry's Number the Stars (Houghton, 1989). --Susan M. Harding, Mesquite Public Library, TX
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 153 pages
• Publisher: Heinemann Educational Publishers (June 18, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0435124048
• ISBN-13: 978-0435124045
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 4.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent novel, July 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Waiting for Anya (Hardcover)

I first read this book when I was twelve, and I've picked it up nearly every year since then. It has unfortunately been deemed an "adventure" story, but it is not. Nor is it a Holocaust story. It is a novel that goes deep into the human condition and touches on aspects of friendship, death, love, growing up, and human decency. It is filled with characters who are real, characters who overlook their time and place, and ultimately sacrifice themselves for what they believe in. The book is sad but not morbid; poignant but not sentimental. I have gone on to read so many other books, but I have always come back to this one with a love and respect I have for few other books--children's or otherwise.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book made you think long after it was read., August 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Waiting for Anya (Paperback)

The book Waiting For Anya was very well written. It is a story about a boy named Jo who is a shepard in France during World War II. He finds out that an old widow who lives in his town (The "Black Widow") has, along with her son-in-law been hiding Jews from the Germans. The story gets complicated as twenty-two German soldiers move into Jo's village. Jo is swept up in the Jew's crisis and is determinded to help them escape. The story further unravels as Jo's father (a POW) comes home. Time is running out for the Jewish children. Jo's bravery, and the heartbreaking conclusion make this a wonderful book for people of all ages to read.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful written., January 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Waiting for Anya (Paperback)

What a shame that this excellent novel has been, for several years, sitting on my shelf, completely forgotten, until a couple hours ago. I fully enjoyed reading it. The characters were complex yet realistic. I loved the relations among the characters, the wide spectrum of topics it concerns, and the bittersweet ending. A superb book for people of all ages.