Hedy's Journey: The True Story of a Hungarian Girl Fleeing the Holocaust

by Michelle Bisson, El Primo Ramon (Illustrator)

Overview

It is 1941. Hedy and her family are Jewish, and the Jew-hating Nazi party is rising. Hedy's family is no longer safe in their home in Hungary. They decide to flee to America, but because of their circumstances, sixteen-year-old Hedy must make her way through Europe alone. Will luck be with her? Will she be brave? Join Hedy on her journey-where she encounters good fortune and misfortune, a kind helper and cruel soldiers, a reunion and a tragedy-and discover how Hedy is both lucky and brave. Hedy's Journey adds an important voice to the canon of Holocaust stories, and her courage will make a lasting impact on young readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781515769958
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	08/01/2018
Series:	Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books Series
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	688,216
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.16(d)
Lexile:	720L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Michelle Bisson is an award-winning journalist and playwright and was a long-time book reviewer for The Seattle Times. This is her first picture book. Michelle lives just outside of New York City in Tarrytown, New York.

Interviews

True account as told to the subject's daughter in first-person narrative nonfiction; A child refugee's story of fleeing danger and seeking safety; A Holocaust survival story that offers historical context for a new generation; includes critical thinking questions to support Common Core

Editorial Reviews

An excellent introduction to the Holocaust for children ages 10 and up, this slender book combines simple but expressive illustrations with an age-appropriate narrative. . . .Although Hedy tells her story in matter-of-fact language, the illustrations convey her anxiety and fear, showing a teenager traveling alone during a dangerous time. The inclusion of family photographs and use of conversational language communicate to the reader the terror and fright of this young Jewish girl, doing her best to maintain her composure and her judgment as she wends her way toward neutral Portugal.

Jewish Book Council

Michelle Bisson uses her mother’s first-person voice to tell the tale of escape from Nazi-occupied Hungary to Vienna, Barcelona, Lisbon, and the United States. . . . Illustrations track Hedy’s journey and the use of a muted palette is effective. The story is filled with real-life conflict and determination to reach safe haven...

Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews

Bisson writes with great immediacy about Hedy, who was her mother. The author’s note on Holocaust history is a personal one of learning her family’s story over time. The attractive artwork suggests the time period while dramatizing the characters’ emotions effectively. This handsome series both dramatizes and personalizes history through the experiences of individuals.

Booklist

This thoughtful picture book from the Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books series includes a note at the end that follows Hedy's story after she arrives in America, capturing the aftermath and epilogue of her refugee experience.

A Mighty Girl

08/01/2017
Gr 2–5—These two additions to the series center on refugee stories in an accessible picture book format. Hedy's Journey is based on the author's mother's account of fleeing to the United States as a teen during the Holocaust—and all of the tribulations in between. Bisson effectively communicates the high level of stress and danger, while also emphasizing the value of love and family. The illustrator's color palette of gray, sepia, and a subdued dusty pink (for Hedy's clothing) suits the historical time period. There are no swastika's depicted in the illustrations. Kunkush is the true story of a cat who was reunited with his family of Iraqi refugees after being separated from them when they reached the shore of the Greek island Lesbos. Ventura's narrative follows Kunkush and the amazing network of people who worked to bring him back to his owners. Guo's graphic design—like artwork is suffused with light and shadow, blues and oranges. Overall, the entries are a bit text heavy but should work well in a small group or one-on-one setting.

School Library Journal