The Light of Days Young Readers' Edition: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler's Ghettos

by Judy Batalion Narrated by Carlotta Brentan

Overview

This young readers' edition tells the remarkable story, largely forgotten until now, of the young Jewish women who became resistance fighters against the Nazis during World War II. It has already been optioned by Steven Spielberg for a major motion picture.

As their communities were being destroyed, groups of Jewish women and teenage girls across Poland began transforming Jewish youth groups into resistance factions. These “ghetto girls” helped build systems of underground bunkers, paid off the Gestapo, and bombed German train lines.

At the center of the book is eighteen-year-old Renia Kukielka, who traveled across her war-torn country as a weapons smuggler and messenger. Other women who joined the cause served as armed fighters, spies, and saboteurs, all risking their lives for their missions.

Never before chronicled in full, this is the incredible account of the strong Jewish women who fought back against the seemingly unstoppable Nazi regime. It follows the women through arrests, internment, and for a lucky few, into the late 20th century and beyond.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This valuable chronicle fills an important gap in Holocaust literature.” — Kirkus Reviews

"A valuable addition to Holocaust literature.” — Booklist

“Batal­ion offers impor­tant infor­ma­tion and cor­rects mis­per­cep­tions that young read­ers may bring to the sub­ject. Highly recommended.” — Jewish Book Council

Booklist

"A valuable addition to Holocaust literature.

Jewish Book Council

Batal­ion offers impor­tant infor­ma­tion and cor­rects mis­per­cep­tions that young read­ers may bring to the sub­ject. Highly recommended.

Booklist

"A valuable addition to Holocaust literature.

School Library Journal

05/01/2021

Gr 8 Up—Batalion undertakes a huge task in describing the life and work of several unsung heroines among the resistance fighters in Hitler's Polish ghettos, namely Warsaw, Krakow, and Bedzin. These young women, aged in their late teens or early 20s, often served as smugglers or saboteurs, but many served as couriers, especially if they could pass as non-Jews or as Polish Christians. The women were more likely to be successful because young men would have been arrested. Fourteen young women, not all of the same (but cooperating) underground movements, are featured in this text. A list of the women at the beginning of the text is most helpful. In addition to their name, it often contains pronunciation, location, and the name of the underground group with which they were affiliated. The general format describes the life of each woman, how she functioned in her given tasks, and a brief description of her post-war life; some women went to Palestine to live, while others went and chose not to stay there. The text begins with a map of Poland and closes with an epilogue, an author's note, an acknowledgment, a glossary, source notes, and further reading. VERDICT A good selection to add depth to a WWII collection. Previous knowledge of the subject will be a necessity to fully understand this title.—Eldon Younce, Anthony P.L., KS

Kirkus Reviews

2021-01-26
Lost stories of young Jewish female resistance fighters in World War II Poland are brought to light and retold for a new generation.

Young Jewish women played a critical role in resistance movements during World War II, yet they are rarely given due credit, their legacies largely neglected for myriad complex reasons. This book seeks to remedy that omission, highlighting the stories of just over a dozen such young women in Poland, based on primary and secondary sources, many created during wartime or in the immediate postwar era and subsequently lost to the annals of history. These courageous women, many of them active participants in Jewish youth group movements prior to the war, rallied their passions and their networks to build resistance movements within the Jewish ghettos. They gathered intelligence, helped organize uprisings, and participated in acts of sabotage. Those who could pass as non-Jews often served as couriers, smuggling information, goods, and people in and out of the ghettos. Initially it is difficult to keep track of the cast, with various individuals operating out of different locations, and the writing style is less than engaging. However, the pace picks up as readers become more intimately acquainted with a select few figures who especially stand out, such as Renia Kukiełka, a courier whose journey takes terrifying turns.

This valuable chronicle fills an important gap in Holocaust literature. (who's who, map, author's note, glossary, source notes, further reading) (Nonfiction. 11-14)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177139241
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	04/06/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

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