Fighter in the Woods: The True Story of a Jewish Girl who Joined the Partisans in World War II

by Joshua M. Greene

Overview

From award-winning author Joshua M. Greene (The Girl Who Fought Back; Signs of Survival) comes this remarkable true story of a Jewish girl in Nazi-occupied Poland who escaped near death to join — and fight — with the Soviet partisans in the woods.

For Celia, life is ordinary: school, homework, friends. But Celia is Jewish. When the Nazis begin their campaign to wipe out all the Jews of Europe, Celia's world is ripped apart. Friends and neighbors viciously turn on her, and soon she is in the hands of the Nazis.

From starvation and forced labor in the ghettos to hiding in a hole in the ground, Celia struggles to survive... while tragically losing much of her family. When Celia manages to escape into the forest, she joins up with the partisans, a group of young people fighting back against the Nazis however and wherever they can. Celia is given a mission: to help destroy a stash of Nazi weapons. Can she and her fellow partisans succeed—or will they be caught by the enemy?

This extraordinary and inspiring true story, based on testimony from Holocaust survivor and partisan fighter Celia Kassow, shows where unimaginable hate and prejudice can lead—while reminding us that courage and strength can be summoned even in the darkest of hours.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781546135852
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	02/04/2025
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	459,776
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Joshua M. Greene produces books and films about the Holocaust. His documentaries have been broadcast in twenty countries and his books translated into eight languages. He has taught Holocaust history for Fordham and Hofstra Universities. He lives in Old Westbury, New York.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Fighter in the Woods: The True Story of a Jewish Girl Who Joined the Partisans in World War II:

"[A] notable story of courage." — Booklist

From the Publisher

01/01/2025

Gr 3–7—A gripping and graphic biography of a young Holocaust survivor based on interviews with the subject. This is the true story of Celia Cimmer, a young Jewish teen living in Poland at the start of World War II, who showed incredible bravery and determination in the face of unimaginable brutality and loss. Cimmer was away at school when the war started, and after bombs fell on her school she made her way home only to find that former friends and neighbors have turned against her, the family home has been taken over by the Nazis, and the area has been turned into a Jewish ghetto. Cimmer and her siblings had to choose either to work for the Nazis or join the resistance. Most of Cimmer's family were murdered trying to escape from the ghetto, but Cimmer and her sister survived and made their way to join their two older brothers in the Partisan resistance fighters in the woods. After the war, Cimmer married and emigrated to the U.S., where she eventually agreed to tell her story. A series of nine explanatory text blocks on subjects including antisemitism, the Holocaust, various types of camps, and resistance appear throughout the book, providing critical historical background without disrupting the narrative. Back matter includes an extensive author's note, historical photographs, and previews of other Focus books on the same topic. VERDICT An important addition to any collection, perfect for fans of Tarshis's "I Survived" series who are ready to move on to more complex books.—Sue Morgan

School Library Journal